Apply for a visa under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine)

Overview

The Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor who can provide accommodation for a minimum of 6 months.

It is free to apply.

You will be able to live, work and study in the UK and access public funds.

If you need any assistance, contact UK Visas and Immigration.

Telephone: +44 808 164 8810
7 days a week, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5:30pm
Calls are free of charge

If you cannot contact UK 0808 numbers, you can use another number instead. You may have to pay – check with your phone provider if you’re not sure.

Telephone: +44 175 390 7510
7 days a week, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5:30pm

Eligibility

To apply to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme you must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, and either:

• 18 or older on the date of application
• under 18 years old and applying with your parent or legal guardian, or to join them in the UK

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

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)
• fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner

You and your sponsor will be subject to security and safeguarding checks.

If you applied to the Isle of Man or Guernsey’s Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, you must finalise your application through that Crown Dependency’s 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.

Start now

You and your sponsor can fill in the form together.

This application is also an application for a biometric immigration document.

By completing this application, you confirm that both the applicant and the sponsor have given permission for their data to be shared and contact details used for the purpose of checks and supporting the sponsor arrangement.

To support you in applying for the Ukraine Family Scheme or the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine), we have translated the application screens into Ukrainian and Russian.

Prove your identity

If you have a valid Ukrainian international passport

You can use the ‘UK Immigration: ID check’ app to prove your identity if you have a valid Ukrainian international passport. You do not need to attend a visa application centre to give your biometric information.

Using the ‘UK Immigration: ID check’ app

The ‘UK Immigration: ID check’ app checks your identity and verifies that the passport you’re using belongs to you. You’ll be told when to download the app once you begin your application online at GOV.UK - you can download the app at any time, but it will not work before this point.

You’ll use the app to scan your passport or take a photo if you can’t use the scanner.

There is detailed information about how to use the app if you need help.

If you can’t use the app

If you can’t use the app and you have a valid Ukrainian international passport you don’t need to attend a visa application centre to give your biometric information. Instead, you must give your biometric information within 6 months of arriving in the UK.

During your application you must upload copies of both:

• the photograph page of your expired passport
• the page of your expired passport with the formal extension stamp

You can upload these documents using our commercial partner document upload app. This will be either TLS or VFS depending on which country you are applying in. You can download the app from the TLS or VFS website when you make your application.

If you need support to upload copies of your documents, you can still book an appointment at a visa application centre.

If you have an expired Ukrainian international passport with a formal extension stamp

You can’t use the ‘UK Immigration: ID check’ app if your passport has expired even if it has a formal extension stamp issued by the Ukrainian government. You don’t need to attend a visa application centre to give your biometric information. Instead, you must give your biometric information within 6 months of arriving in the UK.

During your application you must upload copies of both:

• the photograph page of your expired passport
• the page of your expired passport with the formal extension stamp

You can upload these documents using our commercial partner document upload app. This will be either TLS or VFS depending on which country you are applying in. You can download the app from the TLS or VFS website when you make your application.

If you need support to upload copies of your documents, you can still book an appointment at a visa application centre.

If you don’t have a valid Ukrainian international passport, or an expired Ukrainian international passport with a formal extension stamp

If you do not hold a valid Ukrainian international passport, or an expired Ukrainian international passport with a formal extension stamp issued by the Ukrainian government, you will need to book and attend an appointment at a visa application centre (VAC). This also applies to child applicants.

During the online application process you’ll be asked to upload copies of any identity documents you may have such as:

• a Ukrainian national identity card
• a combination of official documents – for example, a photo driving licence and birth certificate
• an emergency certificate issued by a Ukrainian authority since March 2022

It is not mandatory to provide these documents but it may help support your application if you are able to.

You can upload your documents using our commercial partner document upload app. This will be either TLS or VFS depending on which country you are applying in. You can download the app from the TLS or VFS website when you make your application.

Visa application centres

You will need to have your photograph and fingerprints taken at a visa application centre (VAC) 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 a VAC appointment and have a digital photograph taken.

VACs in Ukraine are currently closed. You can apply at a VAC in any other country if you are able to travel safely.

There is a temporary VAC for people applying to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Rzeszow, Poland. You’ll need to complete your online application and book an appointment before attending the Rzeszow VAC – walk-in appointments are no longer accepted.

VACs are currently operating throughout Europe including:

• Budapest, Hungary
• Chisinau, Moldova
• Warsaw, Poland
• Bucharest, Romania
• Paris, France

Provide evidence that you’re eligible for the scheme

During the application process you will be asked to provide documents to prove your identity.

You must also provide documents that show the identity of your UK-based sponsor.

This can be a:

• UK or Irish passport or Irish passport card
• biometric residence permit or biometric residence card
• refugee travel document
• a photo driving licence issued by the UK, Ireland, or the Crown Dependencies

If your sponsor has a UKVI account, they can use the online View and prove service to show their identity.

It is not mandatory to provide these documents but it may help support your application if you are able to.

You can upload your documents using our commercial partner document upload app. This will be either TLS or VFS depending on which country you are applying in. You can download the app from the TLS or VFS website when you make your application.

You will also be asked to provide your sponsor’s residential address.

After you’ve applied

You will need to await a decision from UK Visas and Immigration on your application before travelling to the UK.

We are prioritising Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme applications and aim to make a decision as quickly as possible.

You will be contacted when a decision has been made with more guidance on the travel process.

Your decision letter will tell you if you need to collect a biometric residence permit when you arrive in the UK, or if you need to give your biometric information first.

If you attended a visa application centre as part of your application

Once your application has been processed, you’ll be given a visa.

This visa will allow you to board a plane or other form of transport to the UK.

You will need to collect your visa from the visa application centre before you travel to the UK.

Do not go to the visa application centre to collect your visa until you have been contacted.

You’ll be able to pick up your biometric residence permit once you’re in the UK. Your biometric residence permit can be used to confirm your status and rights in the UK.

If you did not attend a visa application centre as part of your application

Once your application has been processed you will receive an official permission letter from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) confirming that you can travel to the UK.

The permission letter will allow you to board a plane or other form of transport to the UK.

You should not travel to the UK until you have received an official permission letter.

If you applied using the ‘UK Immigration: ID check’ app you’ll be able to pick up your biometric residence permit once you’re in the UK.

If you didn’t use the ‘UK Immigration: ID check’ app you’ll need to submit your biometrics within 6 months of arriving in the UK to extend your stay for up to 3 years and be given a biometric residence permit. You will be told how to do this in your decision letter.

Extending your stay in the UK

You need to apply to give your biometrics within 6 months of arriving in the UK if you received a stamp in your passport when you entered the UK.

You will then be able to stay in the UK for up to 3 years.

You do not need to do this as soon as you reach the UK, but you do need to make sure that you have applied to give your biometrics before the 6 months ends. You will be told how to do this in your decision letter.

Apply to extend your stay in the UK

You can start the application to give your biometrics by completing the online form.

Start now

You will then book and attend an appointment at UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point.

Your biometric residence permit will be sent to the address you gave in your application. You do not need to collect it.

UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) service points

You will need to give your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a UKVCAS service point - this is to get a biometric residence permit.

Children under the age of 5 will not have their fingerprints taken but will still need to attend the UKVCAS service point and have a digital photograph taken.

Some services at UKVCAS service points have a fee. You do not need to use these services, such as document scanning, to complete your application.

If you want to use of any of these services at a UKVCAS service point during your appointment, you will not need to pay a fee for them and you should not pay for them in advance.

Contact UK Visas and Immigration

If you need any assistance, contact UK Visas and Immigration.

Telephone: +44 808 164 8810
7 days a week, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5:30pm
Calls are free of charge

If you cannot contact UK 0808 numbers, you can use another number instead. You may have to pay – check with your phone provider if you’re not sure.

Telephone: +44 175 390 7510
7 days a week, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5:30pm