Student Visas

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Lost passport

This information is only applicable to University of Bristol students.

If you are in the UK

  1. Report it to the police and get a police report/ crime reference number
  2. Apply for a new passport at your embassy. You can find details of your embassy in the UK on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office list

If your passport contained your visa

  1. Report it to the police and get a police report/ crime reference number
  2. Apply for a new passport at your embassy. You can find details of your embassy in the UK on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office list
  3. If your visa was in the form of a sticker in your passport, you need to apply to transfer your old visa to a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card:
    • You must fill out the UKVI Transfer of Conditions (TOC) form and provide your biometric information
    • Postal applications cost £168 (per applicant) and can take several months to be processed
    • If you apply using the Premium service (where you attend an in-person appointment), you can get your passport back on the day of appointment and your new BRP card will be posted to you within 10 working days. An additional fee is charged for Premium service applicatons and appointments are not always instantly available

If your visa was due to expire (within 8 weeks of you losing your passport) you don't need to apply for a UKVI Transfer of Conditions (TOC). Instead you can make a new application to extend your stay in the UK. If you do not intend to extend your stay in the UK, you should carry your old passport (if you still have it) and/or any letter from the Home Office with your permission to be here as evidence of your status.

If you are outside the UK

  1. Report your passport as lost or stolen to the local police and obtain a police report
  2. Contact your embassy to obtain a temporary passport to return to the UK. Embassies have different processes to enable you to travel, so contact your embassy to find out what you need to do

If your passport contained your visa

  1. Report your passport as lost or stolen to the local police and obtain a police report
  2. Contact your embassy to obtain a temporary passport to return to the UK. Embassies have different processes to enable you to travel so contact your embassy to find out what you need to do
  3. If your visa was in the form of a sticker in your passport you will need to apply for permission to return to the UK:
    • You will need to complete a Vignette Transfer application online. UKCISA have useful instructions on their webpage
    • You will have to pay a fee of £169 but you do not need a new CAS and you will not need to show financial evidence, unless it is requested specifically
    • You will need the police report, photocopy of your visa/decision letter and evidence that you are still a University of Bristol student (ideally this would be an original student status letter from your Faculty office)
    • See UKVI transfer your visa to a new passport guidance for further information

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