What to do if you lose your passport or access to UK status evidence abroad

Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026

Establish what has been lost

Losing a passport, an old BRP card or access to a UKVI account requires different responses. List which travel documents remain, whether you can sign into the eVisa, whether the status displays correctly and which passport is linked to the account. Before purchasing a service to “replace a BRP for entry”, check the applicable eVisa procedure.

If the passport itself is lost, contact your country of nationality's consular service about a replacement or an appropriate travel document. UK entry and permission to leave the country where you are staying must be addressed separately. A photograph of a passport on your phone does not replace a valid travel document.

Recover access to digital status

If the problem concerns only your phone, email or sign-in access, use UKVI account recovery linked from the official travel guidance ↗. Prepare the account and visa-application details you have. Do not create another account instead of recovering the existing one.

If sign-in works but a technical error prevents the eVisa from opening, or the status is wrong, use Report an error ↗. Keep the reference and an accessible contact address. Resolution may not fit your return flight schedule, so contact support as soon as the problem is discovered.

Link the replacement document to your account

Once a new passport is issued, check the UKVI account update before returning. UKVI explains changes made abroad ↗: with a biometric passport, specified changes can be made yourself; certain other changes require a UKVI request and may involve biometrics at a visa application centre. With a non-biometric passport, self-service changes are limited to the passport number and expiry date.

Follow the particular route in the guidance, especially for a new name or nationality. Do not assume that an emergency travel document is automatically supported by the same process. Confirm the procedure for your document type with UKVI and retain its response.

Prepare for airline check-in

Check that the added passport, eVisa and airline details match. Obtain a travel share code if available and save it with the instructions. If a carrier cannot verify the eVisa, it can contact the UK Border Force carrier support hub, as stated on GOV.UK ↗.

If you retain a physical document proving valid status, the official guide allows it as supplementary evidence. However, choose your return procedure using current guidance rather than memories of travel with old BRPs. Separately check transit countries' requirements for replacement or emergency documents and your ticket-change conditions before going to the airport.