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UK Residence Card (BRC) and the Move to eVisa

A UK residence card is no longer something you can apply for or replace, and residence cards are being replaced by eVisas. If you already hold one, what you can do with it depends on your status under the EU Settlement Scheme. This guide sets out the position from gov.uk, verified 2026-09-30, and points you to the right next step for your case.

What a UK residence card is

gov.uk describes UK residence cards as including EEA biometric residence cards (BRCs) and BRCs issued through the EU Settlement Scheme. So the term covers more than one kind of card: an EEA BRC, and a BRC that came out of the EU Settlement Scheme. When the guidance refers to a residence card, it means a card in that family.

That matters because people often use “residence card” loosely to mean any card proving a right to be in the UK. The gov.uk page treats it as a specific document type with a specific history, and the rules that follow depend on which card you actually hold and the status behind it.

You can no longer apply for or replace one

The clearest statement on the page is this: you can no longer apply for or replace a UK residence card. The route is closed at both ends — no new applications and no replacements. If you have lost, damaged or expired a residence card, the route is not to replace the card but to look at the eVisa position that now applies to your status.

That is a deliberate shift rather than a backlog. The system is moving from a physical card to a digital record, and closing the card route is part of how that move is enforced. Anyone still thinking in terms of “I will replace my card” needs to re-read the guidance, because that option no longer exists.

Residence cards are being replaced by eVisas

gov.uk states that residence cards are being replaced by eVisas, and defines an eVisa as a digital record of your identity and immigration status. That is the destination of the transition: your status is recorded digitally rather than carried on a card.

For more on what an eVisa records, the UKVI account you need to access it and what you can do with it, see our UK eVisa access and use guide. The core point here is that the card is on the way out and the digital record is the replacement, so the practical question for a card holder is not “when does my card expire” but “what is my status, and how do I access the eVisa that records it?”

What you can use your card for depends on your status

The gov.uk page is explicit that if you already have a residence card, what you can use it for depends on whether you:

Those are the two branches, and gov.uk provides separate guidance for each. The distinction is worth understanding because it is easy to conflate a card with a status. A residence card is a document; pre-settled or settled status is a status under the EU Settlement Scheme. Holding a card does not by itself tell you which branch you are in. To find out where you stand, gov.uk directs you to the page matching your status — one for holders with pre-settled or settled status, and one for those without.

If you have a biometric residence card (BRC)

For BRC holders specifically, gov.uk notes that if you have a biometric residence card you may still be able to use it in some situations. That is a qualified permission rather than a blanket one: the card is not automatically void, but neither is it usable everywhere for everything. The situations in which it can still be used follow from your status, which is why the guidance again sends you down the branch that matches your case.

The practical reading is: keep your card safe and check the guidance for your status before relying on it for travel, work or renting. Do not assume the old card behaves as it always did, and do not assume it has stopped working entirely — the answer is in the branch that applies to you.

If you are preparing the photo side of a related UK application, our UK photo code, immigration ID check app and EU long-term residence status guides cover the neighbouring topics, the photo size chart lists formats, and the passport photo checker can test an image against the published figures.

A short checklist for card holders

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a UK residence card?
gov.uk says UK residence cards include EEA biometric residence cards (BRCs) and BRCs issued through the EU Settlement Scheme.

Can I still apply for a UK residence card?
No. You can no longer apply for or replace a UK residence card. New applications and replacements are closed.

What is replacing residence cards?
Residence cards are being replaced by eVisas. An eVisa is a digital record of your identity and immigration status.

If I already have a residence card, can I still use it?
What you can use your residence card for depends on your situation under the EU Settlement Scheme. gov.uk splits holders into those who have pre-settled or settled status, and those who do not, and gives different guidance for each.

Where does the residence card guidance send me?
The gov.uk residence card page links to two sub-pages: one for people who have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and one for people who do not.

Does having a residence card mean I have settled status?
No. A residence card is a document; pre-settled or settled status is a status under the EU Settlement Scheme. gov.uk treats the two as separate questions, which is why it directs you according to your status rather than your card.

What is a biometric residence card (BRC)?
A BRC is a biometric residence card. gov.uk counts EEA biometric residence cards, and BRCs issued through the EU Settlement Scheme, among UK residence cards.

If I have a BRC, when can I still use it?
gov.uk notes that if you have a biometric residence card you may still be able to use it in some situations. Which situations apply to you depends on the status you hold, so check the guidance for your case.

Does an eVisa replace my card automatically?
Residence cards are being replaced by eVisas, but the eVisa is a digital record of your identity and immigration status. Follow the gov.uk guidance for your status to see how your card and eVisa work together during the transition.

Where is the photo side covered?
The residence card and eVisa pages are about status and documents, not photo sizes. If you are preparing a photo for a UK application, our UK photo guides and the photo checker cover the image requirements.

Related: the UK eVisa access and use guide, the eVisa and share code guide, the EU long-term residence status guide, the photo size chart, or browse every guide on the guides page.

All guides →  UK eVisa access →

Source: GOV.UK, “UK residence cards” (gov.uk/uk-residence-card), retrieved 2026-09-30. Residence card and eVisa rules are in transition and depend on your status under the EU Settlement Scheme, so confirm your own position on gov.uk before relying on a card.