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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 for the Ukraine Family Scheme, you may be eligible to apply to the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme

The scheme enables people to sponsor Ukrainians and their family members to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

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

Read more information about applying to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Find out how people can record their interest in becoming a sponsor.

Other visas may can apply for

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

Check which visas are available.

Proving your identity and providing your documents

Youll need to book an appointment to have your photo and fingerprints (biometric information) taken at avisa application centreas part of your application.

Children under 5 will not have their fingerprints taken but will still need to book an appointment at a visa application centre to have their photo taken.

At your appointment, youll need to prove your identity with a valid international passport.

Where you do not have a valid international passport, you may use either:

• 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 theVFS website.

Travelling with a permission to travel letter

If you did not use the UK Immigration: ID check app or attend a visa application centre, you may have been issued with a permission to travel letter to allow you to travel to the UK.

Permission to travel letters issued without accompanying digital status are valid for travel to the UK until 12:01am UK time on 13 February 2025. If you arrive after this date with a permission to travel letter, you may be refused entry to the UK and removed.

If you travel before 12:01am UK time on 13 February 2025, you must present your permission to travel letter and passport to a UK Immigration Officer on arrival at the UK border. They will then decide whether to allow you into the UK to stay for 6 months.

Once you arrive in the UK, you must submit a further application to remain and arrange an appointment to provide your biometrics within 6 months of your arrival. You may then be allowed to stay in the UK up to 3 years from the date of your arrival.

If youre already in the UK on a visa

If youre Ukrainian you may be able to stay longer. You can apply:

• to extend your current visa
• to switch to a different visa

Ukraine Extension Scheme

On 16 May 2024 the Ukraine Extension Scheme closed to most new applications.

However, the scheme continues to remain open for children who are born in the UK.

You can apply for your child to have permission under the Ukraine Extension Scheme if both of the following is true:

• you have permission to be in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes (including the Ukraine Family Scheme)
• your child was born in the UK

Extend your visa or switch to a different visa

If youre 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.

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

If youre travelling with pets

Read guidance on bringing pets to the UK from Ukraine.

Contact UK Visas and Immigration

You can phone the free Ukraine helpline if you need help:

Telephone: + 44 808 164 8810

Telephone: +44 (0)175 390 7510 (if you cannot contact UK 0808 numbers)

Operating hours:

• Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4:45pm
• Friday, 9am to 4:30pm