Expired BRP and BRC Accepted for SELT Identity until 31 December 2026
01 Jun 2026
If your biometric residence permit (BRP) or biometric residence card (BRC) has expired, you may still be able to use it as proof of identity when booking and sitting a Secure English Language Test (SELT). GOV.UK updated its SELT guidance on 26 May 2026 to confirm this, but with a firm deadline: "You may be able to use an expired BRP or BRC until 31 December 2026."
There is a second condition. Your test date must fall within 24 months of the expiry date printed on the card. If your card expired more than 24 months before your test, you cannot use it. You must also bring the expired card with you on the day of the test itself.
A SELT is needed by many applicants on the routes this site covers, including those applying for indefinite leave to remain, British citizenship, a Skilled Worker visa extension, a Scale-up Worker visa, and family or partner visas. If you have been delaying a SELT because your BRP or BRC expired, check whether your planned test date meets both conditions: within 24 months of the card expiry, and before 31 December 2026.
After 31 December 2026, expired BRPs and BRCs will no longer be accepted as identity at SELT centres. If you plan to rely on an expired card, book your test before that date.
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