The Government’s bespoke Ukraine Schemes for those fleeing the conflict are available to eligible Ukrainian nationals and their family members. Applications under these schemes are free of charge, are exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge and, if granted, provide access to work, public services, healthcare and education, reflecting the UK’s generous commitment to support provided to those displaced by the conflict.

While applications made under the Ukraine Schemes are not subject to an application fee or the Immigration Health Surcharge, a Ukrainian national who has obtained settled status in the UK and subsequently wishes to sponsor a family member under the UK's wider family immigration routes would be required to apply under the general family visa provisions and pay the relevant fees or obtain a fee waiver.

The current fee for a family visa application, which allow partners, parents and dependent children of British and settled sponsors to apply to come or to stay in the UK, is £2,064 and is set at the same level for all applicants. The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is set at £1,035 per person per year and is calculated based on the length of immigration permission granted.

From the outset, the Government has been clear that the Ukraine schemes are temporary in nature and do not provide a route to settlement. Time spent in the UK under the Ukraine schemes does not count towards the Long Residence route. This reflects the Ukrainian Government’s wishes for His Majesty’s Government to offer temporary sanctuary, due to the Ukrainian Government's strong desire for the eventual return of its citizens to Ukraine once it is safe to do so.

The Government recognises the impact that uncertainty can have on Ukrainian individuals and families who have built their lives in the UK, including pressures relating to housing, employment and education. The Government has therefore taken concrete steps to provide greater certainty, including extending the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme and widening the application window.

One of the core requirements for naturalisation is that the applicant must be settled in the United Kingdom.

The Government is considering the future position drawing on evidence from across government, academia, civil society and stakeholder engagement. The Government will respond in a responsible and considered manner and intends to make a further statement in due course.

In response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the Government set up three generous Ukraine schemes at pace; the Ukraine Family Scheme, Homes for Ukraine Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme. The Government’s priority in setting up the schemes was to get Ukrainians to safety as quickly as possible.

The Ukraine Schemes were developed in close consultation with Ukrainian leaders and the diaspora community. We will continue to work closely together to ensure any changes are as accessible as possible for eligible Ukrainians and their families.

In any humanitarian situation, the UK must carefully consider its approach in response. Any decision to implement a bespoke visa scheme would need to consider a range of factors, including assessing the unique crisis and relevant impacts on security, compliance and returns.

Ukrainian guests arriving under the Homes for Ukraine scheme are supported by a robust programme of safeguards. All sponsors and adults living in a sponsors’ household are subject to stringent security checks before an applicant is allowed to travel to the UK. Local authorities conduct further checks as a second layer of safeguarding.

Local authorities are responsible for the detection and prevention of sponsor payment related fraud on the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The Home Office does not hold data on refusal reasons and, as such, numbers of applications that were refused on the basis of being fraudulent cannot be provided.

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, the Government recognises the impact that uncertainty can have on Ukrainian individuals and families who have built their lives in the UK, including pressures relating to housing, employment and education. The Government has therefore taken concrete steps to provide greater certainty and stability, including extending the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme and widening the application window to support effective forward planning.

From the outset, the Government has been clear that the Ukraine schemes are temporary in nature and do not provide a route to settlement. Time spent in the UK under the Ukraine schemes does not count towards the Long Residence route. This reflects the Ukrainian Government’s wishes for His Majesty’s Government to offer temporary sanctuary, due to their strong desire for the eventual return of its citizens to Ukraine once it is safe to do so.

The Government recognises the importance of longer‑term clarity and is actively considering the future position. In doing so, it is drawing on a wide range of evidence from across government, academia, civil society and stakeholder engagement. It will respond in a responsible and considered manner, and intends to make a further statement later this year to support Ukrainians in planning effectively for their futures.

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, the Government recognises the impact that uncertainty can have on Ukrainian individuals and families who have built their lives in the UK, including pressures relating to housing, employment and education. We recognise that this uncertainty can be particularly acute for families with children who have lived in the UK for extended periods. The Government has therefore taken concrete steps to provide greater certainty and stability, including extending the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme and widening the application window to support effective forward planning.

In exercising immigration functions, the Home Secretary has regard to the statutory duty under section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the United Kingdom. In line with this duty, the best interests of the child are treated as a primary consideration in immigration decisions affecting Ukrainian families, while recognising that they are not the only consideration.

The Government keeps the situation in Ukraine under close and active review, taking into account security conditions, humanitarian infrastructure and the ability of civilians to return safely and sustainably. No single criterion determines when Ukraine would be considered sufficiently safe for the purposes of ending temporary protection arrangements, and no decisions have been taken at this stage.

The Ukraine schemes are temporary in nature and do not provide a route to settlement. Time spent in the UK under the Ukraine schemes does not count towards the Long Residence route.

The Government recognises the importance of longer‑term clarity and is actively considering the future position. In doing so, it is drawing on a wide range of evidence from across government, academia, civil society and stakeholder engagement. It will respond in a responsible and considered manner, and intends to make a further statement later this year to support Ukrainians in planning effectively for their futures.

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, the Government recognises the impact that uncertainty can have on Ukrainian individuals and families who have built their lives in the UK, including pressures relating to housing, employment, and education. We recognise that this uncertainty can be particularly acute for families with children who have lived in the UK for extended periods. The Government has therefore taken concrete steps to provide greater certainty and stability, including extending the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme and widening the application window to support effective forward planning.

In exercising immigration functions, the Home Secretary has regard to the statutory duty under section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the United Kingdom. In line with this duty, the best interests of the child are treated as a primary consideration in immigration decisions affecting Ukrainian families, while recognising that they are not the only consideration.

The Government keeps the situation in Ukraine under close and active review, taking into account security conditions, humanitarian infrastructure, and the ability of civilians to return safely and sustainably. No single criterion determines when Ukraine would be considered sufficiently safe for the purposes of ending temporary protection arrangements, and no decisions have been taken at this stage.

The Ukraine schemes are temporary in nature and do not provide a route to settlement. Time spent in the UK under the Ukraine schemes does not count towards the Long Residence route.

The Government recognises the importance of longer‑term clarity and is actively considering the future position. In doing so, it is drawing on a wide range of evidence from across government, academia, civil society, and stakeholder engagement. It will respond in a responsible and considered manner, and intends to make a further statement later this year to support Ukrainians in planning effectively for their futures.

The Government has extended the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) by a further 24 months to provide stability and security for those who still need sanctuary in the UK due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The additional 24‑month extension under the UPE scheme will open to applications from 8 April 2026, in line with the relevant changes to the Immigration Rules.

Eligible individuals whose current Ukraine scheme permission is due to expire will be able to apply to the UPE scheme up to 90 days before expiry. The widened 90‑day application window applies both to first‑time UPE applications and to subsequent applications for the additional 24‑month extension.

Applying at any point within this window will not reduce the total period of permission granted, and any remaining valid permission will be added to the new grant.

A range of processing data including case outcomes on Ukraine visa applications, can be found at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK and Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

The Ukraine Schemes reflect a generous and meaningful commitment to support those displaced by the conflict. Since the full-scale invasion began, the UK has provided sanctuary to over 310,000 Ukrainians and their family members.

Those granted permission under the Ukraine Schemes wishing to commence Higher Education (HE) are eligible to apply as home-fee students but HE institutions in England are autonomous bodies and are responsible for setting their own admissions criteria. Further guidance on individual providers’ evidential requirements should be obtained from the relevant HE institution.

The Government recognises the importance of providing long-term certainty for Ukrainians living in the UK beyond the lifetime of UPE. Work is underway across Government on future arrangements and a further statement setting out the long-term position, including for those in education, will be issued later this year.

The Government continues to keep the Ukraine Schemes and the evolving situation in Ukraine under close and active review.

The 90 day application window will come into effect through a change to the Immigration Rules this spring.

The Home Office has stated that updates on the implementation of the new 90‑day period will be published on the official guidance page. The most up‑to‑date information is located here: Applying to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme - GOV.UK