Ukraine Extension Scheme

Overview

To be eligible for this visa, you will need to make sure that you fit the following requirements:

• Be a Ukrainian national.
• Be in the UK.
• Fit the requirement dates for when your permission expired or began.

These requirements mean that you don’t need to have arrived in the UK on Homes for Ukraine or any other Ukraine scheme visa. All you need is to be in the UK legally. For example, if you are a Ukrainian who has come to the UK temporarily on a Seasonal Worker visa, you may use the Ukraine extension scheme to give you the right to be in the UK for a further three years.

Documentation to Prove Eligibility

To show that you fit these requirements, you will need to submit a few pieces of documentation, which includes the following:

• A completed application form, submitted online.
• Evidence of your identity and nationality, such as a passport or your visa.

If you are a non-Ukrainian national family member of the Ukrainian applying for an extension, you will need to submit documentation that will prove your relationship to them. This can include the following:

• A marriage or civil partnership certificate.
• If unmarried, you need evidence that you have been living together for two years or more.
• If the family member is a child or parent, you will need to provide a birth certificate.

On top of this documentation, you may also be asked to provide biometric information at a UKVCAS service point, such as your fingerprint and a facial image. If this is required, you will be contacted and informed of a location that you will need to attend. Note that applicants under five are never required to have fingerprints taken, and while some UKVCAS services require payment, they are free for usage in Ukraine scheme applications.

Overview

Applications will be completed online via the UK government’s website. Even if you are applying with multiple family members, you will each require an individual application to be completed.

When you select “Apply” on the website, you will be taken through a range of questions to confirm which visa you are applying for, asked to create an account, and then asked to submit your personal information and your documents. Note that completing the application may take a while, but you are able to save your application and come back to it as many times as needed.

After creating your application, you will usually need to book an appointment with UKVCAS for biometric information gathering. This is because a successful application will grant you a biometric residence permit (BRP), which will confirm your right to be in the UK.

There is currently no guidance on how long applications under the Ukraine extension scheme are expected to take, with the government simply saying that they “aim to make a decision as quickly as possible.” Therefore, the length taken for your application to be processed will depend greatly on the state of the Home Office’s backlog when you apply and the quality of your application.

If you get stuck with your application, you are free to contact UKVI by telephone for free. Their lines are open Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5:30 pm.

Providing Evidence of Permission to Be in the UK

As part of your application for an extension, you will often need to give evidence that you have or have previously had permission to come to the UK, even if the permission has expired. This can take a range of forms, including the following examples:

• Entrance clearance from when you came to the UK.
• Evidence of your permission outside of the Immigration Rules.
• A biometric resident permit.
• A visa vignette.
• A Border for entry stamp.

In some cases, you will still be able to successfully apply for this scheme if you can’t display evidence of previous permission. Your caseworker may be able to find out about this previous permission on their system. However, if this evidence cannot be located, your case might be considered for refusal or elevated to a more senior caseworker.