How can I bring a family member over from Ukraine?
The government has made special rules so you can now ‘sponsor’ a family member and bring them to the UK.
If you want to sponsor your partner, your relationship must have started before 1 January 2022 and you can also sponsor other family members. You can find more information on specifically who is eligible to be sponsored on the Citizens Advice website.
Family members can apply online on the GOV.UK website. You can also apply on their behalf if you have their permission. The process will be different depending on whether your family member has their Ukrainian passport with them. You can find more information about this on our website.
I’m currently living in the UK but my visa is set to expire. What can I do?
You may be able to switch to a family visa scheme, a work or study visa, or extend your current visa.
If you have a family or Skilled Worker visa, you should apply to extend these visas so your time in the UK will continue to count towards getting indefinite leave to remain.If you have a seasonal work visa, the Home Office will automatically extend it until the end of 2022, and you must remain with the same employer.
The government has announced the opening of the ‘Ukraine Extension Scheme’ on 3 May 2022. This will let you apply for a visa for 3 years.
You can find more detailed information about switching and extending visas on the Citizens Advice website.
I want to volunteer to have someone from Ukraine stay with me. How do I participate in the scheme?
You can volunteer for someone from Ukraine to come to the UK and live with you, ideally for a minimum 6 months, under the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme, and your local council will give you £350 each month you host someone. If you know who you want to host, they can apply to come to the UK. If you don’t know, you can be matched up with one or more people.
To be eligible for the scheme, you must have space for someone to live with you, either in a spare room or empty property. It must be a safe and suitable space with enough room for the number of people you plan on hosting and this will be checked by the council. Safety checks will be carried out on you, your guests and other adults in your home, including police and criminal record checks and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
You can find out more information about hosting a Ukrainian citizens on the Citizens Advice website.
What support is available for Ukrainian citizens arriving in the UK?
Once in the UK, your family member will have the right to work or study, claim benefits, use the NHS, go to school, rent and buy properties, and attend free English language classes.
The government will provide them with a £200 grant to cover immediate costs whilst they settle in. You can check out this welcome booklet provided by the government for those arriving in the UK from Ukraine.