GovWire

Overview

On 18 February 2024, the UK government announced the launch of the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme. The UPE scheme will open to applications at 9:00am UK time on 4 February 2025.

If youre a Ukrainian national, or the family member of a Ukrainian national, and are living in the UK with existing permission on one of the Ukraine schemes, you may be eligible to apply for UPE to continue living in the UK for up to a further 18 months.

It will be free to apply. You will need to make an application online. If your application is successful, you will be able to continue to live, work and study in the UK and access public funds.

Who can apply

To apply to the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme you must already have been granted permission under one of the other Ukraine Schemes. This means that you must have been granted permission to stay in the UK under either the:

• Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine)
• Ukraine Family Scheme
• Ukraine Extension Scheme

You may also be eligible to apply to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme if you have been granted permission to stay in certain circumstances.

You must also:

• be in the UK when making an application
• have been living in the UK (and Islands, which includes Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man) since you were granted, or arrived in the UK, with permission under the Ukraine Schemes

If you are a non-Ukrainian national applying as a partner, you will generally need to continue to be in an eligible relationship with a Ukrainian national.

Children born in the UK

You can apply to the scheme for your child if they were born in the UK after 18 March 2022 to a Ukrainian national parent who holds permission to stay in the UK under the Ukraine Schemes.

When to apply

The Ukraine Permission Extension scheme will be open for applications from 9:00am UK time on 4 February 2025. It is not an automatic extension of your current permission.

You should only make an application to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme when your current permission has 28 days or less remaining until it expires.

If you apply too early, your application may be rejected and not considered. If this happens, you will need to reapply when your current permission has 28 days or less remaining until it expires.

You must make an application before your current permission expires.

If you apply after your current permission expires, even if your application for UPE is successful later, you will lose your current entitlements to work, rent and receive benefits until a decision is made on your late application. You may be required to repay any public funds (for example, certain benefits) that are paid to you during this period.

It is important that you know the date when your current permission will end so that you apply to UPE in time. If you are unsure when your current permission ends sign into your UKVI account to find out.

Find out how to view your current immigration status.

What you need to apply

When making your application, you will need to:

• prove your identity
• confirm you are in the UK when making your application
• confirm whether you have had permission to be in the UK on a Ukraine Scheme
• provide information about your accommodation in the UK
• provide information on the application form about any time you have spent living outside of the UK or Ukraine since you were granted permission under the Ukraine Schemes

If you are not a Ukrainian national, you will also need to provide information about your relationship to a Ukrainian national, see applying as the family member of a Ukrainian national.

If youre applying as or on behalf of a child under the age of 18, you will need to provide additional information and evidence, see applying for a child.

You may need to provide other evidence of your eligibility depending on your individual circumstances. You will generally not be required to upload evidence as part of your application but in some cases a caseworker may contact you to ask for additional information or evidence.

For example, if we need further evidence that you have been living in the UK, you may be asked to provide evidence such as rental agreements or other official documents that show your address in the UK. If we need further evidence of your relationship to a Ukrainian national, you may be asked to provide documents such as a marriage certificate.

Further guidance on types of evidence that may be suitable will be available before the scheme opens.

Proof of identity

To prove your identity, you need a passport or a biometric residence permit card (BRP). You can use a BRP to prove your identity when applying for UPE, even when it has expired.

Most people will be able to provide their ID documentation evidence via the UK Immigration: ID check app as part of their application to UPE. Those who have to provide their biometrics will be able to upload their evidence through the enrolment centre.

If we request any further evidence, you will be notified by email and provided with instructions on how to provide the additional evidence required.

If you do not have your BRP, or you did not provide biometrics under your current permission, you may need to book an appointment to have your facial image and fingerprints (biometric information) taken at a visa application centre (VAC) in the UK 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 an appointment at a VAC to have their digital photograph taken.

At your appointment, youll need to prove your identity with a valid international passport, unless you have a reasonable explanation for why you do not have one.

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

• 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 license and birth certificate that contain matching details (name and date of birth)
• an emergency certificate issued by a Ukrainian authority since March 2022

For more information, including opening hours and appointment booking, please visit the TLS website.

Applying for a child under 18

Children will be required to be in the UK with a:

• parent
• legal guardian
• close relative
• an adult who has taken responsibility for their care
• or in the care of the local authority

When making an application as or on behalf of a child under the age of 18, you will need to provide the childs full birth or adoption certificate which shows the details of their parents.

You will also be asked to provide evidence of the childs parent or legal guardians nationality or identity document.

Additionally, you will be asked to provide evidence of the parent or legal guardians immigration status, for example their passport number or Unique Application Number (UAN).

You may also be required to provide the following, depending on the childs living arrangements.

Child living with legal guardian

An official document, which should be notarised by the issuing country or the Ukrainian Embassy, demonstrating legal guardianship of the child.

Child living with close relative

Close relative means a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, or aunt (whether full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership) or step-parent as per the Children Act 1989.

You must provide:

• evidence demonstrating the relationship between the applicant and their family member
• written consent from the applicants parent or legal guardian which must include details of the parent or legal guardian, consent for the application and for the applicants living and care arrangements

