Home Office
Applications are processed in date order from when your documents were uploaded, or after your appointment at a visa application centre. We are working 7 days a week, but it will take some time before we can make a decision on every application.
We know that some applicants have been waiting nearly 3 weeks for their application to be processed. We are working to resolve this and speed up the processing of applications.
The UK has put 3 different Ukraine Schemes in place to support those who wish to either come to or remain in the UK:
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Ukraine Family Scheme - if you have family who are settled in the UK, you may be able to apply to the Ukraine Family Scheme
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Homes for Ukraine - if you want to be sponsored by a UK household for 6 months, you may be able to apply to the Homes for Ukraine scheme
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Ukraine Extension Scheme - you can apply for this scheme if one of the following is true:
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you held permission to be in the UK on or between 18 March 2022 and 16 May 2023 the permission does not need to cover the whole period
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you previously held permission to be in the UK and that permission expired on or after 1 January 2022
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This route does not require a UK based sponsor.
Please carefully consider which scheme you apply to before making an application. Once you have made an application you should avoid applying to another scheme as this may delay a decision being made.
Overview
The Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK. Your sponsor must be either:
- a named sponsor who can provide accommodation for a minimum of 6 months
- the Scottish Government
- the Welsh Government
Applicants to Scotland and Wales may previously have been considered under the super sponsor schemes, in which the governments of these nations act directly as sponsors. However, these super sponsor schemes are currently paused, so applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the relevant authorities.
It is free to apply.
You will be able to live, work and study in the UK and access public funds.
Eligibility
To apply to the 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 to and qualifies for, the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
You must also:
- have been residing 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, or you can choose the Scottish or Welsh Government as your sponsor
Your UK-based sponsor does not need to register with the Homes for Ukraine Scheme if youre already in contact with them.
If your sponsor is the Scottish or Welsh Government, you do not need to arrange any accommodation this will be provided for you.
Find out more about what happens when the Scottish Government sponsors your application.
Applicants aged under 18
Children under 18 years old must either:
- apply with 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 to join an approved sponsor
Children applying with 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
We advise that children do not travel via Calais, Coquelles or Dunkerque without a parent or legal guardian.
Children who are not applying to travel with or join their parent or legal guardian
To be eligible, the child must have:
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proof of consent by their parent or legal guardian 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.
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proof of consent from their parent or legal guardianship to the sponsorship arrangement
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a commitment to sponsorship for 3 years or until the child turns 18 (so long as the sponsorship lasts at least 6 months)
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approval of the sponsorship arrangement by the local council where the child will live.
If the child applied before 10 August 2022, they will have received a letter with instructions on what to do next.
New applications can now be made by children applying who are not travelling with or joining their parent or legal guardian in the UK.
You can also read detailed information on GOV.UK if you are a:
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)
- child who is under 18
- parent (if you are under 18)
- fianc(e) or proposed civil partner
You and your sponsor will be subject to security and safeguarding checks.
Crown dependencies
If you applied to the Isle of Man or Guernseys Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, you must finalise your application through that Crown Dependencys process. If you need information or support, contact the relevant Crown Dependency:
- Isle of Man: ukraineguidance@gov.im
- Bailiwick of Guernsey (Guernsey, Alderney and Sark): ukraine@gov.gg
How long you can stay
You can stay in the UK for up to 3 years.
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.
If you have a named sponsor, you or your sponsor can fill in the form, or you can fill it in together.
The form is aimed at the person applying to the scheme.
This application is also an application for a biometric immigration document.
By completing this application, you confirm that both the applicant and the sponsor (if you have a named 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 use the UK Immigration: ID check app to prove their identity. They will need to complete this part of the appl