GovWire

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. The scheme will open to applications on 4 February 2025.

Other visas you may apply for

You may be eligible to make an application under other immigration routes.

Check which visas you may be able to apply for.

Overview

The Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members to apply for permission to come to the UK. Everyone must make a separate application, even children travelling with a family member.

Your sponsor must be:

• a British or Irish citizen, or be settled in the UK (which means having the right to live in the UK permanently)
• able to provide accommodation for a minimum of 6 months

The Scottish and Welsh governments previously operated their own Super Sponsor routes, in which they acted directly as sponsors for Homes for Ukraine applicants. These schemes were paused in 2022 and remain paused for new applications.

Applications made under the two Super Sponsor routes before they were paused will be processed and visas issued under the scheme will still be valid.

It is free to apply.

If your application is successful, you will be able to live, work and study in the UK and access public funds.

Eligibility

To apply to the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme you must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national who has been granted permission under, or is applying and qualifies under, the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

You must also:

• have been living in Ukraine on or immediately before 1 January 2022 (including those who have now left Ukraine)
• be outside of the UK
• have an eligible UK-based sponsor

Applicants aged under 18

Children under 18 years old must either:

• apply at the same time as their parent or legal guardian
• apply to join their parent or legal guardian if theyre already in the UK
• apply with the consent of their parent or legal guardian to travel to the UK as an eligible minor to join an approved sponsor

Children applying at the same time as their parent or legal guardian

If the child is applying with their parent or legal guardian, they should travel together.

Children applying to join their parent or legal guardian

If the child is applying to join their parent or legal guardian, the parent or legal guardian should either:

• travel to meet the child before they depart, and then travel together to the UK
• collect the child from the airport, port, train station or other point of entry into the UK

Children who are not applying with or joining their parent or legal guardian

To be eligible, the child must have:

• written consent from their parent or legal guardian for the child to leave Ukraine, notarised or certified by the Guardianship Service of the city or regional council in Ukraine; or, where the child is in another country, notary authorities in that country or by the Ukrainian Embassy or Consulate.

• written consent from their parent or legal guardian to the sponsorship arrangement, including the UK sponsorship consent form

• a commitment to sponsorship for 18 months or until the child turns 18, whichever is sooner (so long as the sponsorship lasts at least 6 months)

• approval of the sponsorship arrangement by the local council where the child will live

For evidence that is not in English, you must upload a translation.

If the child applied before 10 August 2022, they will have received a letter with instructions on what to do next.

You can also read detailed information on GOV.UK if you are a:

• parent, legal guardian or child
• sponsor

If youre applying as the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national

An immediate family member is your:

• spouse or civil partner
• unmarried partner (you must have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years)
• fianc(e) or proposed civil partner
• child who is under 18
• parent (if you are under 18)

How long you can stay

If your application is successful, you can stay in the UK for up to 18 months.

Fees

It is free to apply.

You do not need to pay the immigration health surcharge or biometric enrolment fee.

Apply

You must apply online.

Family members can also apply to join you or stay in the UK if they meet the eligibility requirements above. Theyll need to complete separate applications.

Start now

If you have a named sponsor, you or your sponsor can fill in the form, or you can fill it in together.

This application is also an application for a biometric immigration document.

By completing this application, you confirm that both the applicant and the sponsor have given permission for their data to be shared and contact details used for the purpose of checks and supporting the sponsor arrangement.

If you are a sponsor applying on behalf of the applicant

Youll need to fill in the form online as if youre the applicant coming from Ukraine.

Add the applicants contact details so that they have access the application form and all the decision letters.

If the applicant has a valid Ukrainian international passport they can upload a copy of the photograph page of their passport during the application. They will need to complete this part of the application themselves.

Read the whole guide to make sure you have everything prepared that you need before you apply.

Proving your identity and providing your documents

Youll need to book an appointment to have your photograph and fingerprints (biometric information) taken at a visa application centre (VAC) as part of your application.

Children under the age of 5 will not have their fingerprints taken but will still need to book and attend a VAC appointment and have a digital photog

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