UK visa Schemes for Ukrainian Refugees

Nothing in this page should be taken as immigration advice, we are merely summarising and signposting links to official documentation. You must seek your own guidance from professional advisors where necessary.

As a Ukrainian fleeing the war, you need a visa to come to the UK. There are basically 3 Ukraine specific visa schemes that were created at the start of the war:

  • Homes for Ukraine Visa scheme which allows individuals in the UK (known as ‘sponsors’ or ‘hosts’) to provide a home to Ukrainians (as of 19th February 2024, this scheme is for 18 months only)
  • Ukraine Family Visa scheme for Ukrainians whose relatives already have the right to remain in the UK on a permanent basis (as of 19th February 2024, this scheme is now CLOSED)
  • Ukraine Extension Visa scheme, whereby Ukrainians who already had valid visas on certain dates, or were already in the UK, could apply to have their visas effectively extended (this scheme closed on 16th May 2024 except for children born in the UK)

On this page, we provide an overview of the schemes, as well as other visa options. There is more detailed information on each scheme on the Government website pages, which we advise you to read carefully.

When you are ready to apply for the visa, have a look at Applying For A Visa for a description of the process and what documents to have ready before you start.

On this page

News about latest Ukraine immigration rule changes

4th February 2025

  • The Ukraine Permission Extension scheme opens for applications from the first arrivals to the UK in March 2022.
  • For children born in the UK, the Ukraine Extension scheme is now closed, and the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme should be used instead.

31st January 2025

Parents and legal guardians of children aged under 18 who hold one of the 3 Ukraine visa types can now sponsor their children under Homes for Ukraine. See Children being sponsored by a parent or legal guardian: Homes for Ukraine – GOV.UK.

19th February 2024

Some significant changes were announced on this date:

  • From 4 February 2025, those who have arrived in the UK under Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family or Ukraine Extension schemes and had 3 years leave to remain in the UK can start to apply to extend this by another 18 months under the new Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. This scheme will be open for you to apply to 28 days before your original visa end date.
  • The Ukraine Family visa scheme was CLOSED to new applications
  • The Ukraine Extension scheme closed on 16th May 2024 (except for children born in the UK to Ukraine visa holders)
  • The criteria to be a sponsor under Homes for Ukraine were tightened
  • The length of time granted to remain in the UK under Homes for Ukraine for new applicants is reduced from 3 years to 18 months. However, this can be extended by another 18 months as well by applying to the new Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme
  • Prior visa refusals and criminal convictions will likely now result in visa application rejections

Common aspects of the Ukraine Family, Extension and Homes for Ukraine schemes

There are some common aspects to the schemes:

  • Visa applicants under all 3 schemes would have been subject to background security checks during the application process.
  • You did not have to be in Ukraine at the time of application; you could apply from a country of safety that you have reached. You needed to be in the UK already to apply for the Extension scheme.
  • All 3 schemes were completely FREE to apply for at all stages
  • You can apply for an 18 month extension to your existing 3 year leave to remain under the new Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme
  • All 3 schemes allow you to live, work, rent and study from day 1 in the UK; you also have ‘recourse to public funds’ such as the UK Benefits System from day 1. These rights continue under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.
  • Once you have been issued a visa, it’s not possible to switch from Family / Extension scheme to Homes for Ukraine scheme, and vice versa.
  • None of the schemes are currently routes to settlement in the UK

Your official immigration status under the schemes

It’s really important to note that if you arrive under these schemes, you are NOT officially:

  • A refugee
  • An asylum seeker
  • Under humanitarian protection
  • Under temporary protection

Although we (sorry to say) refer to ‘refugees’ throughout this website to describe the fact that you are fleeing a war and seeking refuge, and you’ll be referred to like this almost everywhere, you are here under a special ‘Ukraine Visa scheme’ status. Bear this in mind when trying to fill in forms that were designed for other kinds of refugees, and haven’t been properly updated for the Ukrainian situation.

UK Visas and Immigration Ukraine Helpline

To speak to someone about the Ukraine Visa schemes, you can call the following number: +44 808 164 8810, Monday to Friday 9 am to 4.30 pm. Calls are free to this number in the UK.

Note that they cannot tell you about the status of an individual visa application and how long it will take.

Homes for Ukraine (Sponsorship) Visa Scheme – OPEN

The Homes for Ukraine (or Ukraine Sponsorship) Visa scheme is described here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-visa-under-the-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme. It is basically designed to allow people to come to the UK and have the ‘safety net’ of a minimum of 6 months rent-free accommodation with a UK-based sponsor, so that they can establish themselves to get jobs and rent their own place. The sponsor is eligible to receive a ‘thank you’ payment in return. There is no end date for this visa scheme at the moment – it is OPEN for new applications, and it is FREE.

Eligibility rules – guests

To be eligible to apply for the Homes for Ukraine 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 be the child of a Ukrainian visa holder

As a guest, you will receive £200 from the local council on arrival, to help you with immediate purchases you need to make.

Eligibility rules – sponsors

The criteria to be eligible to be a sponsor are given here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-sponsor-guidance. To be a sponsor, you must:

  • be a British or Irish citizen, or be ‘settled in the UK’ (which means having the right to live in the UK permanently)
  • be able to provide suitable accommodation for a minimum of 6 months
  • pass relevant security and background checks, which will include all adults in the households

If you are a parent or legal guardian intending to sponsor your child only (who should be under 18 on the date of application under the scheme), then you: 

  • do not need to be a British or Irish Citizen or have settled status in the UK
  • must hold permission under any of the Ukraine Schemes (or Leave Outside the Rules granted due to the conflict in Ukraine before the Ukraine Schemes were introduced) 
  • must offer accommodation for the duration of your child’s permission to stay in the UK   
  • must be able to provide evidence of your relationship with the child (such as, birth, adoption, or legal guardianship documents)
  • See Children being sponsored by a parent or legal guardian: Homes for Ukraine – GOV.UK for more information

You do not need to register anywhere to be a sponsor; once you know who you want to sponsor, you can go ahead and apply. See Applying For A Visa for details on how to apply.

A successful sponsor can appy for ‘thank you’ payments if they pass local council checks (unless they are sponsoring their own child).

Visa duration

Successful applicants will be granted a Homes for Ukraine visa with permission to stay in the UK for up to 18 months. However, this can be extended by another 18 months eventually by applying for the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, giving you a total time of 3 years in the UK. If the child’s parent is the sponsor, and has less than 18 months permission remaining, the child’s visa duration will be aligned with their parent’s.

Further guidance

Further guidance and FAQs can be found here (as well as throughout this website!):

Host requirements and ‘thank you’ payments

As a host, you can request to receive a ‘thank you’ payment for hosting Ukrainians under this scheme.

  • The ‘thank you’ payment is £350 a month for the first 12 months of the guest’s time in the UK
  • It goes up to £500 a month for the next 2 years of the guest’s time in the UK.
  • However, from 1 April 2025, regardless of how long a guest has been in the UK, the payment will revert to £350 a month.
  • If a guest applies for an 18 month visa extension under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme, their host must also re-apply to their local council to request that they still receive ‘thank you’ payments. These will be available at £350 a month for the 18 months extension.
  • The ‘thank you’ payment is conditional on passing the council checks – DBS background check and suitable accommodation
  • It is optional – you have to tell your local council you want to receive the payments
  • It is per host household, so it’s the same whether you host 1 or several guests
  • The ‘thank you’ payment follows the guest, so if the guest moves to another host, that host would not be receiving ‘thank you’ payments as though it was month 1, but whichever month the guest’s visa falls in. See Moving To Another Sponsor.
  • If you have applied to sponsor your child, you are not eligible to receive ‘thank you’ payments, as you are related

Note that in Wales, hosts can receive £500 a month ‘thank you’ payment for the first 12 months as well, and that some local councils are themselves offering increased ‘thank you’ payments compared to the Government guidance as an incentive to hosts.

If hosts want to claim the ‘thank you’ payment, they must not charge rent under this scheme, nor ask for work to be done in exchange for accommodation. Hosts may ask for a reasonable contribution to utility bills; this is entirely their decision, some hosts feel that their ‘thank you’ payment can cover any increased bills, and other hosts would prefer a separate contribution. Hosts are not required to pay for their guest’s food or other expenses, although some hosts choose to help out.

The accommodation requirements are the same as the law would require to avoid overcrowding. Individuals who didn’t previously know each other should not be given the same room. Rooms should be heated, safe, and private. There should be access to a kitchen and bathroom, and the accommodation needs to have a working fire alarm, safe gas supply, carbon monoxide detectors if applicable etc.

Guests should also note that the £350 ‘thank you’ payment is typically much lower than the true rental cost a host could charge if they wanted to rent out their spare accommodation instead.

The sponsor is the person who is named on the Homes for Ukraine visa application, whereas the host is the person who provides the accommodation.

Usually, these are the same person to begin with, but it’s possible to move to a new host after arriving in the UK. The new host does not need to meet the same eligibility criteria as the sponsor – they can be a Ukraine visa holder for example.

However, note that as of 1 October 2024, if after you arrive in the UK, you then move to live with relatives already here, they are no longer eligible to be your official host and receive the ‘thank you’ payments. See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/finding-a-new-host-rematching-homes-for-ukraine.

Council checks on hosts and sponsors

Whilst the Home Office is responsible for carrying out security checks on the guest, before making a decision about their visa, the local council where the sponsor lives is responsible for carrying out the following checks:

  • Making sure the accommodation is suitable and safe for guests (this will be done by a physical visit)
  • Performing background checks on all adults in the sponsor’s or host’s household (this will include extra checks known as Enhanced DBS checks if children are being hosted)

These checks are not synchronised with the visa application, so it is possible that the visa is granted to the guest, but the sponsor checks have not been completed. As a guest, from a practical perspective, it would be better to get out of a danger zone as soon as you can. If you personally know the sponsor and their accommodation, or have some mutual contacts, the risk of them failing any assessment should be very low. We know many people who started living with their sponsors before the council had managed to carry out their checks, and the data indicates that the overall sponsor failure is low in comparison.

The ‘thank you’ payments are only authorised to be paid to a sponsor or host once the local council have conducted their checks.

DBS checks will not be required for parents who are sponsoring their own children, but accommodation suitability checks will still be carried out. See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/children-being-sponsored-by-a-parent-or-legal-guardian-homes-for-ukraine

See Housing Issues And Homelessness for what to do in case of issues with your host.

Unaccompanied Ukrainian children

For Ukrainians who would like to get their children to safety but who cannot leave Ukraine themselves, they have the option to ask someone they know who is based in the UK to be a sponsor.

There are more extensive checks and paperwork required to minimise the risk of trafficking, for example:

  • The parent or legal guardian has to provide two different proofs of consent to the sponsorship arrangement
  • The proposed sponsor must have known the parent or legal guardian before the conflict started on 24 February 2022
  • The proposed sponsor must agree to stay in the UK and host the child for the full 18 months of their permission to stay in the UK, or until they turn 18 and have been hosted for at least 6 months, whichever is sooner (they can of course continue to host them for longer)
  • The local council must agree to the arrangement
  • Enhanced DBS checks will be carried out on the adults in the sponsor household, before the visa is approved and the child can arrive in the UK

See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-visa-under-the-ukraine-sponsorship-scheme under the section called ‘Children who are not applying to travel with or join their parent or legal guardian’.

See also https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-parents-or-legal-guardians-children-and-minors-applying-without-parents and https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-sponsors-children-and-minors-applying-without-parents-or-legal-guardians for more information on what’s involved in this type of sponsorship.

Applying for an 18 month extension under Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme

For those Ukraine visa holders already in the UK under Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family or Ukraine Extension visa schemes, the Government announced in February 2024 that they would be eligible to apply for a further 18 month extension under the new Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme.

Details of the scheme and how to apply have now been announced by the Government. We urge you to carefully read through the Government page, as it contains a lot of detailed information and instructions, which you must follow. To summarise:

  • The scheme will first open on 4 February, 2025.
  • It is open to those who have a Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family or Ukraine Extension visa. The Government page additionally states: You may also be eligible to apply to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme if you have been granted permission to stay in certain circumstances. [We would advise contacting the charity Settled or an immigration advisor if this applies to you.]
  • You have to apply to it in order to extend your permission to stay. Your permission will not be automatically extended.
  • You should only apply 28 days or less before your original visa is due to expire. If you apply earlier than this, your application may be rejected, and you will have to apply again when you are within 28 days.
  • Do not let your visa expire before you apply. Make sure you are aware of your original visa expiry date (this can be checked via your UKVI account).
  • You must be in the UK when you apply. Do not travel while your application is being processed, or your application will be withdrawn and you won’t be able to apply again.
  • Keep hold of your physical BRP card even after 31 December, 2024. Using your expired BRP when you apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme may mean you can avoid having to give biometrics again.
  • It is stated it can take 8 weeks for your application to be processed. Provided you applied before your visa was due to expire, then you will be entitled to the same rights to work, rent and benefits while your application is being processed. The Government guidance states: If your current permission expires before a decision is made on your UPE application you do not need to take any action, as your current permission will continue under section 3C leave.
  • You may be asked to provde proof that you are living in the UK, such as rental agreements.
  • It’s possible that if you have spent significant times abroad, your application for the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme may be unsuccessful. Consider using an immigration adviser in this case or contacting the charity Settled, if you feel there are mitigating circumstances as to why you needed to be abroad. They may be able to advise you if you can appeal.
  • After you have received a decision on your UPE application, before you travel in future, you’ll need to sign in to your UKVI account to check that your eVisa is linked to your current passport or travel document.
  • Read carefully through the rules for children and family members who are not Ukrainian. You can apply to the scheme for your child.

You will need your original BRP in order to apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, so even after you have set up your eVisa account, and after 31st December 2024 (when the physical BRP system to prove your rights in the UK ends for everyone), KEEP HOLD OF YOUR BRP. See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ukrainian-nationals-in-the-uk-visa-support.

Do not confuse the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme with the Ukraine Extension scheme, which closed on 16th May 2024 (except for children born in the UK to Ukraine visa holders). You are not automatically transferred from Ukraine Extension scheme to Ukraine Permission Extension scheme; you must apply like everyone else.

Your current and previous status under Ukraine Permission Extension scheme

Note that once you apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme, it’s likely that your previous status is not available to view i.e. whether you were Homes for Ukraine, Family or Extension visa.

Although the 3 visa types all have some common elements, only those who received a Homes for Ukraine visa are eligible to be hosted, and their hosts to receive ‘thank you’ payments.

Host ‘thank you’ payments under Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme

If a guest is in a sponsorship arrangement when granted permission under UPE, their sponsor/host should reapply for thank you payments if they wish to continue to receive a monthly payment. Sponsors/hosts of those previously on Homes for Ukraine visas will be eligible for thank you payments of £350 a month for the 18 months that guests are covered by the UPE visa. See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-ukraine-permission-extension-scheme-guidance-for-guests and https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-ukraine-permission-extension-scheme-guidance-for-sponsors.

While a guest’s Ukraine Permission Extension visa application is being processed, the sponsor or host should continue to receive ‘thank you’ payments. Councils can make ‘thank you’ payments where they are satisfied that the guest has applied for their UPE permission but has not yet been granted. If a guest has an eVisa, councils can view the status of the application using the View and Prove Service. The guest should confirm with the council that they have been granted their permission as soon as they receive it. See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-ukraine-permission-extension-scheme-guidance-for-councils.

‘Thank you’ payments will not be payable if there is a close family relationship between sponsor and guest. See more information on who is classified as a close family member. So if you were receiving ‘thank you’ payments under Homes for Ukraine for a family member, because you sponsored or hosted them, then once they move to UPE, you cannot reapply for these.

‘Thank you’ payments are still eligible to be paid under UPE for non-related Ukrainian visa holder hosts who apply for them. See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-ukraine-permission-extension-scheme-guidance-for-councils: “Please note that sponsors/hosts who do not have British, Irish or settled status in the UK can receive thank you payments during UPE as long as other eligibility criteria are met.”

Visa type for children born in the UK

See Births and Marriages; from 4th February 2025, children born in the UK to Ukraine visa holders should apply to the Ukraine Permission Extension visa scheme.

Ukraine Extension Visa Scheme (CLOSED)

The Ukraine Extension scheme was basically designed to allow people who were granted permission to be in the UK via other routes to switch to this visa scheme instead, if it is more beneficial for them.

Note that the Ukraine Extension visa scheme was now only open for children born in the UK to Ukrainian visa holders, and was the CORRECT way to regularise their immigration status. See Births and Marriages.

On 4 February 2025, this scheme closed, and parents should apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme instead for children born in the UK, within 3 months of their birth.

Ukraine Family Visa Scheme – CLOSED

The Ukraine Family visa scheme is now CLOSED to new applications as of 19th February 2024. We will keep our description of the previous process for a little while, for your reference.

To have applied to the Ukraine Family Scheme before 19th February, 2024, you needed to have been:

  • applying to join or accompany your UK-based family member
  • Ukrainian, or the family member of a Ukrainian national who was applying to the scheme to join a UK-based immediate family member
  • living in Ukraine on or immediately before 1 January 2022 (even if you had since left Ukraine)

Your family member in the UK needed to have been:

  • a British national
  • someone settled in the UK – for example, they had indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence
  • someone from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland who had pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and started living in the UK before 1 January 2021
  • someone with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK

Visa scams

We are aware that people may be advertising that, for a significant sum of money, they can get you a Homes for Ukraine visa. In fact, scammers and fraudsters are coming up with new ways to convince you to give them money for ‘sponsors’.

See Ukraine Visa Scams for more information, and stay safe; don’t be a victim.

What if you don’t need a sponsor for accommodation, only a visa?

This is becoming a common question, as there is a lack of genuine new sponsors. We would ask you to consider the following:

  • Are you really sure you don’t need accommodation on arrival and can rent straight away? See Renting Privately.
  • Is there another visa type that could be more appropriate?

Other available visa options

For a full list of visa options available to Ukrainians, please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/support-for-family-members-of-british-nationals-in-ukraine-and-ukrainian-nationals-in-ukraine-and-the-uk.

We assume that other visa options that existed before the invasion such as work, study and seasonal worker visas, continue to operate and can be applied for. You can check your eligiblity for these here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.

Note that if you apply under a student visa, you will be charged overseas student fees and not be eligible for a student loan (see Education), so this is more difficult from a financial perspective.

If you are already in the UK as a Ukrainian national, refer to this page for your options; you may be able to extend your existing visa in some cases, or switch it: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ukrainian-nationals-in-the-uk-visa-support.

Where to get help with visa and immigration questions