Things to Do Before Leaving Ukraine

Here, we’ve provided a summary of what we’ve found to be the most important things to do before you leave Ukraine for the UK. There is also a useful section in the Government Welcome Guide that you can refer to; see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/before-you-book-travel-to-the-uk-homes-for-ukraine. Once you have submitted your visa application, it could take a few weeks to be approved, during which time, you can be making plans.

  • It’s very difficult to find a slot to renew your Ukrainian passport in the UK, people are waiting months to get appointments. If you can, renew your passport in Ukraine before applying for a visa.
  • You may find dental care is expensive in the UK, so you may wish to see your own dentist in Ukraine before coming here. See Healthcare.
  • You can bring medical devices and 3 months’ of prescribed medication with you; but check the Government rules around controlled drugs.
  • It’s not recommended to bring Hryvnia with you to the UK, as it’s difficult to find places where you can exchange this.
  • You can start studying English online. See Language and Translation Support.
  • You can begin the process of applying for a free UK SIM, so that you have one ready for you on arrival. See SIMs and Devices.
  • You can begin the process of applying for a school place and getting on the waiting lists. See Education.
  • Check out what you need to do to bring your pets to the UK. See Pets. In particular, if your dog is a banned breed, do not bring it to the UK.
  • Claim exemption from paying any import duties on goods you are bringing to the UK, by completing a Transfer of Residence Relief form. See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transfer-of-residence-to-great-britain. It’s best to apply for the relief before you bring in the goods so that you don’t need to pay import duties, as otherwise, it’s a more complicated procedure to pay the import duties, then apply afterwards for the relief, and then claim a refund for the import duties paid as a ‘late claim’. You can do this even if the goods are commercially shipped for you after you have arrived in the UK.