# Feeling Panic – After a year I forgot to return my old BRP. Please help!



## havefaith1 (May 12, 2016)

Hello everyone,

I am getting ready to apply for naturalisation and after going through my previous grant of ILR letter (granted July 2019) I got in panic mode when I read that the letter says to “return your old BRP cut in half in an envelope to such address” which I totally forgot to do!!! I still have it.

It also says that you can get a £1,000 fine if you fail to return your old BRP, so as you can imagine, I got super nervous as I am about to apply for naturalisation.

1.	Am I in trouble?
2.	What should I do? Is it too late to return my old BRP? It’s been 11 months since I should have returned it. 

I am thinking if I return it now, they are going to think it is too late and give me a fine, but if I do not return it and apply for naturalisation they are going to realise that I didn’t return it and still give me a fine 

Please help on what's the best thing to do.

Thank you lots for all your help.


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## havefaith1 (May 12, 2016)

Hello everybody,

Just checking if anyone have any knowledge or advice on what to do about the situation above, please?

Thank you very much for donating your time and wisdom.

Thank you.


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## Catalunya22 (Apr 25, 2020)

I suppose you can say that you DID return it by post...but it must have got lost in the post


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## Kankan (Oct 11, 2017)

havefaith1 said:


> It also says that you can get a £1,000 fine if you fail to return your old BRP


Exactly - you get fined if you FAIL to return your BRP. 

I would just cut the old one in half and post it back with a covering letter explaining that you hadn't read the letter and understood that you had to return the cut up BRP.

Send it by recorded delivery, scan the cut-up card and the covering letter together (I sellotaped the cut pieces on the letter). You don't get a confirmation by the Post Office on it being received because it gets sent to a PO Box, but both the above should be proof enough.


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## Kankan (Oct 11, 2017)

Catalunya22 said:


> I suppose you can say that you DID return it by post...but it must have got lost in the post


I hope you were joking, in which case always add an , etc., to the end of your statement.

Some words of advice: DON'T EVER lie in your dealings with the Home Office on official matters. 

Things can snowball to a point where what you thought was a small lie can lead to your whole life being upended.


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## Catalunya22 (Apr 25, 2020)

I accept your point...But they can´t prove that you didn´t send it back.


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## Kankan (Oct 11, 2017)

Catalunya22 said:


> But they can´t prove that you didn´t send it back.


Like with a lot of matters in dealing with the HO, the onus isn't on them to prove anything, it's on YOU to prove that you sent it back. I've got a scan of a cut-up card and a covering letter along with a receipt of posting to the Home Office's PO Box of the same day. 

And if you want to go to court to contest the £1,000 fine, all except hardened criminals, sociopaths, or congenital liars will crumble at having to continue to lie in court. 

Back to my original words of advice above.


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## Catalunya22 (Apr 25, 2020)

Kankan said:


> Like with a lot of matters in dealing with the HO, the onus isn't on them to prove anything, it's on YOU to prove that you sent it back. I've got a scan of a cut-up card and a covering letter along with a receipt of posting to the Home Office's PO Box of the same day.
> 
> And if you want to go to court to contest the £1,000 fine, all except hardened criminals, sociopaths, or congenital liars will crumble at having to continue to lie in court.
> 
> Back to my original words of advice above.



Well you can be fined a thousand pounds for not changing your address on a driving licence....but do you know anyone who ever has been fined?


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## Catalunya22 (Apr 25, 2020)

But the easiest thing is to send it back now. .....I can´t see a problem with that.


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## havefaith1 (May 12, 2016)

Kankan said:


> Exactly - you get fined if you FAIL to return your BRP.
> 
> I would just cut the old one in half and post it back with a covering letter explaining that you hadn't read the letter and understood that you had to return the cut up BRP.
> 
> Send it by recorded delivery, scan the cut-up card and the covering letter together (I sellotaped the cut pieces on the letter). You don't get a confirmation by the Post Office on it being received because it gets sent to a PO Box, but both the above should be proof enough.


Thank you Catalunyan and Kankan for replying to my post, I appreciate it!

I will go with what Kankan says. I thought...at the end of the day I may get fined either way, I better send it and comply (late but comply) rather than get fined and not comply at all and risk affecting my application.

Kankan...question, were you also late at returning your old BRP? I am just asking as you said you sellotaped the cut pieces to a letter? Were you ok? you did not get fined or affected your next applications?

- Do you recommend me to send post it the same day I make the application? or should i post the old BRP, wait for a few days and then apply for citizenship? or it doesnt matter what I do first?

Please, if you or anyone can give me your opinion. I feel a bit lost.

Thank you so much for your help. :fingerscrossed:


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## Kankan (Oct 11, 2017)

havefaith1 said:


> Kankan...question, were you also late at returning your old BRP? I am just asking as you said you sellotaped the cut pieces to a letter? Were you ok? you did not get fined or affected your next applications?
> 
> - Do you recommend me to send post it the same day I make the application? or should i post the old BRP, wait for a few days and then apply for citizenship? or it doesnt matter what I do first?


Hi havefaith1, no need to get flustered: I went back and had a look at the letter I got and the wording on the letter was:

"If you hold a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) which is no longer valid, either because your right to remain has expired or it has been superseded by a further grant, you must now return it to the Home Office. You should cut the card into quarters and post it in a plain, windowless envelope. If you are returning the BRP from within the UK then please send it to: BRP Returns, P.O. Box 195, Bristol, BS20 1BT. If you are returning the BRP from outside of the UK please send it to: BRP Returns, Home Office, Conference House, Conference Avenue, Portishead Office Park, Portishead, Bristol. BS20 7LZ. You may be subject to a financial penalty of up to £1,000 if you fail to return your old BRP."

There doesn't seem to be a time limit. I did it within a few days. 

I always send a covering letter with things like this and also for an A4 sheet that I could sellotape the cut-up quarters of the BRP to, as I didn't want someone opening an envelope and the bits falling onto the floor. Also gave me something to scan as I mentioned for my records.

And for the record, that was done in June this year and I didn't get any response or a receipt. Which is why I've scanned and kept the post office receipt which when it is sent by recorded delivery, has the address mentioned on the receipt.

Finally I'd post it ASAP and then just wait a couple of days (for 1st class post ?) so that there's nothing flagged on your case that could interfere with your application.

FYI, my covering letter was a one liner, like I said, just to provide an A4 sheet to tape to and stick in an envelope:

"Address/Date

Dear Messrs. BRP Returns, 

RE: Expired BRP No. XXXXXXXXXX Cut into Quarters and Returned 

Please find enclosed the above mentioned item. 

Yours faithfully, etc."


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## Catalunya22 (Apr 25, 2020)

havefaith1 said:


> Thank you Catalunyan and Kankan for replying to my post, I appreciate it!
> 
> I will go with what Kankan says. I thought...at the end of the day I may get fined either way, I better send it and comply (late but comply) rather than get fined and not comply at all and risk affecting my application.
> 
> ...



Just send it back...You won´t get fined. Like I said with driving licences...you can get fined a thousand pounds for not changing your address....but I doubt that anyone has EVER been fined.


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## havefaith1 (May 12, 2016)

Kankan said:


> Hi havefaith1, no need to get flustered: I went back and had a look at the letter I got
> 
> There doesn't seem to be a time limit. I did it within a few days.
> 
> ...


Hello Kankan,

Thank you very much for going the extra mile to help me and for taking your time to check your letter to give me your advice. I really appreciate it!

I will follow your advice and copy your cover letter, sellotape the card to it and post it within the next hour.

Many thanks, and have a nice day! :fingerscrossed:


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## Sudarsana (Sep 21, 2021)

Hello,

Were you ever fined for having forgotten to return BRP after a year? Or was it okay even when u sent it back after a year?

Please do let me know as I'm in the exact same situation

Thanks a lot 




havefaith1 said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am getting ready to apply for naturalisation and after going through my previous grant of ILR letter (granted July 2019) I got in panic mode when I read that the letter says to “return your old BRP cut in half in an envelope to such address” which I totally forgot to do!!! I still have it.
> 
> ...


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## Sunnyday132 (Sep 23, 2021)

Hi i forgot to sent mine too. Did anythig happen??


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## Forget2021 (Sep 24, 2021)

Hi havefaith1,

Hope you are doing good. I thought of taking guidance from you. I was issued BRP 4.5 years back, when I forgot to send my older BRP back. I saw that you were also in the same situation and you sent the old BRP back.

Could you please help me know, if there was any issues/problems which you encountered after sending back the older BRP ?


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## Sweetflute (Oct 10, 2021)

If you read the letter you will receive from the Home Office inviting you for the ceremony, it doesn't mention any timeframe just that if you don't return it you could be issued with a fine of up to £1000. I wouldn't worry.


Forget2021 said:


> Hi havefaith1,
> 
> Hope you are doing good. I thought of taking guidance from you. I was issued BRP 4.5 years back, when I forgot to send my older BRP back. I saw that you were also in the same situation and you sent the old BRP back.
> 
> Could you please help me know, if there was any issues/problems which you encountered after sending back the older BRP ?


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## AliBJ (12 mo ago)

havefaith1 said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am getting ready to apply for naturalisation and after going through my previous grant of ILR letter (granted July 2019) I got in panic mode when I read that the letter says to “return your old BRP cut in half in an envelope to such address” which I totally forgot to do!!! I still have it.
> 
> ...


I wonder what happened... ?


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## Kankan (Oct 11, 2017)

AliBJ said:


> I wonder what happened... ?





havefaith1 said:


> Hello Kankan . . . I will follow your advice and copy your cover letter, sellotape the card to it and post it within the next hour.


@havefaith1 posted it. You don't hear back once you've posted it. No confirmation. If you want one, then send by recorded delivery.


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## Manny2003 (9 mo ago)

Kankan said:


> @havefaith1 posted it. You don't hear back once you've posted it. No confirmation. If you want one, then send by recorded delivery.


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## Manny2003 (9 mo ago)

Dear all above, 
I’m going through the same situation but the difference is that I’m not sure if I sent my old BRP or not as I can’t find it and went through my bank details payment to the post office and the only payment I can find that I don’t recognise is -7.99 can this be the cost of mailing your old BRP to the home office?!
Can you please help 🙏


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## clever-octopus (May 17, 2015)

It depends on your current circumstances:

If you have naturalised as a British citizen, you must return your old BRP regardless of how long it's been. I've never personally heard of anyone being forced to pay the fine for a late return (more than 3 months), but you are still required to destroy and return the BRP, and they're quite serious about it because using an old BRP when you're a British citizen is considered fraud. 
If you have a new BRP now (that is, you've received Further or Indefinite Leave to Remain), don't worry too much about sending in your previous BRP as that status has expired and the old BRP is unusable anyway.
I don't think you would've paid £7.99 just to post a small plastic card, that cost doesn't sound right


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## Manny2003 (9 mo ago)

Hi Clever Octopus!
Thank you for replying, I went to the post office today to ask about the cost if it can match up and I was told that it costs 7.05 to send it on special delivery ( 6.85 service price + 0.20
envelope price ) which is still doesn’t match!


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## Manny2003 (9 mo ago)

Manny2003 said:


> Hi Clever Octopus!
> Thank you for replying, I went to the post office today to ask about the cost if it can match up and I was told that it costs 7.05 to send it on special delivery ( 6.85 service price + 0.20
> envelope price ) which is still doesn’t match!


I forgot to mention I’m a student on Tyre 4 visa! 
if it make a difference!
Thanks in advance


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## Krit Pat (7 mo ago)

Hi All I have indefinate leave to remain card since 2012 and will valid until Nov 2022. I became British citizen since 2014 and have British passport . I simply do not know that i must return the caed back at that time as no letter and no notification. I am now panic. I understand i must send the card back now. However will i be in trouble anyhow from Home Office.? Can you please help and advise? Really appreciated . Best regards Kristian [


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## clever-octopus (May 17, 2015)

Just destroy the card and dispose of it safely. 8 years later they're not going to come after you for not sending it in. I don't even know if they required you to send back a BRP back in 2014, it was quite some time ago

PS: Your Indefinite Leave to Remain BRP card became invalid the moment you swore the oath/affirmation at your citizenship ceremony. Even though it says it is valid until November, it is not a valid document; you do not have ILR, and you must not use it.


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## Krit Pat (7 mo ago)

clever-octopus said:


> Just destroy the card and dispose of it safely. 8 years later they're not going to come after you for not sending it in. I don't even know if they required you to send back a BRP back in 2014, it was quite some time ago
> 
> PS: Your Indefinite Leave to Remain BRP card became invalid the moment you swore the oath/affirmation at your citizenship ceremony. Even though it says it is valid until November, it is not a valid document; you do not have ILR, and you must not use it.


Thank you so much. Really appreciated.


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## pureh767 (2 mo ago)

Please just kindly send the BRP back now that you have realised you have not sent. Its better to send it now than wait a minute later. At least you remembered that you have not sent it.


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## pureh767 (2 mo ago)

Please just kindly send the BRP back now that you have realised you have not sent. Its better to send it now than wait a minute later. At least you remembered that you have not sent it.


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