The Home Office has widened the window for using an expired biometric residence permit (BRP) or biometric residence card (BRC) as identification on test day. On 8 June 2026 it updated the ID rules for the Life in the UK test and for Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) taken in the UK. An expired card is now accepted if the test takes place no later than 24 months after the expiry date printed on it, or by 31 December 2026, whichever comes first. The previous limit, set in March 2025, was 18 months.
Key facts
- What Expired BRP or BRC accepted as ID for 24 months after expiry
- Cut-off Test must be taken by 31 December 2026 at the latest
- From 8 June 2026 (was 18 months)
- Who Life in the UK test and SELT candidates in the UK
Who can use an expired card
The concession is for people who cannot get into their eVisa. Anyone who can prove identity through the eVisa does not need a physical document at all: they book with a share code from their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. Where an expired card is used, the candidate must bring the original card to the test centre. Copies, photos and screenshots are refused.
The general rules still apply. The ID shown on the day must be the same document used to book, the photo must be a true likeness, and the booking details must match the document exactly. Other accepted documents for the Life in the UK test are a valid passport, an in-date travel document (not an emergency travel document) and an in-date EU, EEA or Swiss identity card.
The end date matters more than the 24 months
Most BRPs were issued with an expiry date of 31 December 2024, so for many holders the 24-month window would run to the end of 2026 in any case. The fixed end date means that from 1 January 2027 an expired BRP or BRC will not be accepted for these tests, unless the Home Office changes the rule again.
What this means
If you are relying on an expired BRP, book and sit your test before 31 December 2026, and check the date on your card against the 24-month limit. Better still, set up your UKVI account and eVisa now so that you can book with a share code and avoid the ID problem altogether. Read the official identification requirements before you book, as a failed ID check means no test and no refund.