Guidance on support available to Ukrainian nationals and their family members.
Apply to come to the UK
Ukraine Family Scheme
The Ukraine Family Scheme closed at 3pm on 19 February 2024. You can no longer apply under this scheme. You will still receive a decision if you had applied before it closed.
If you were previously eligible the Ukraine Family Scheme, you may be eligible to apply to the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme
If you do not have family in the UK, you can apply for the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
The scheme enables people and organisations in the UK (sponsors) to bring Ukrainians and their family members to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
If you have a sponsor you can:
- come to the UK for up to 3 years
- work in the UK
- access public services and claim benefits
- Read more information about applying to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
Find out how people and organisations record their interest in becoming a sponsor.
Other visas you can apply for
You can make an application to visit, work, study or join family in the UK.
Check which visas are available.
Proving your identity and providing your documents
You’ll need to book an appointment to have your photo and fingerprints taken at a visa application centre as part of your application.
Children under 5 will not have their fingerprints taken. They still need to book an appointment at a visa application centre to have their photo taken.
At your appointment, you’ll need to prove your identity with any identity documents you may have, such as:
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- a valid international passport
- a recently expired international passport
- a valid or recently expired Ukrainian national identity card
- a combination of official documents which states your identity and nationality – for example, a photo driving licence and birth certificate
- an emergency certificate issued by a Ukrainian authority since March 2022
For more information, including opening hours and appointment booking, visit the TLS website.
If your appointment is at the visa application centre in Kyiv
If your application is successful, you’ll need to travel to the visa application centre in Warsaw with a valid international passport to collect your visa vignette.
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If your appointment is at a different visa application centre
You’ll need to collect your visa vignette at the same visa application centre.
If you’re already in the UK on a visa
If you’re Ukrainian you’ll be able to stay longer. You can apply:
- to the Ukraine Extension Scheme
- to extend your current visa
- to switch to a different visa
Ukraine Extension Scheme
You can apply under the Ukraine Extension Scheme if you’re Ukrainian or you have a Ukrainian family member until it closes on 16 May 2024 if one of the following is true:
- you held permission to be in the UK on or between 18 March 2022 and 16 November 2023 – the permission does not need to cover the whole period
- you previously held permission to be in the UK and that permission expired on or after 1 January 2022
You can apply to the Ukraine Extension Scheme for your child born in the UK after 18 March 2022 if one of the following is true:
- you have permission to be in the UK under one of the Ukraine schemes (including the Ukraine Family Scheme)
- you qualify under the Ukraine Extension Scheme
This route does not require a UK-based sponsor.
The Ukraine Extension Scheme will remain open after 16 May 2024 for children who are born in the UK.
Read more information about applying to the Ukraine Extension Scheme.
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Extend your visa or switch to a different visa
If you’re Ukrainian, you can also stay in the UK by extending your current visa or switching to another one if you meet the eligibility requirements. You can extend or switch even if your current visa does not usually let you do this.
If you have a Ukrainian family member, you can apply to extend your current visa or switch to another one if your visa allows that.
Check what Ukrainians in the UK on a visa can do.
Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme
If you have been given permission to be in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes, you may be able to apply for a further 18 months permission to stay in the UK under the new Ukraine Permission Extension scheme. You’ll be able to apply 3 months before your existing visa is due to expire. We will provide further information about the new scheme shortly.
