Sudden Closure Of The Ukraine Family Scheme

Government Cuts Back On Routes To The UK For Ukrainians As The Ukraine Family Scheme Ceases

The Ukraine Family Scheme allows people already in the UK to bring Ukrainian family members here. We recently helped a Romanian national living in the UK to bring his Ukrainian wife and son to safety here.

On 18th February 2024, the Government made an announcement that this scheme would cease immediately.  It claimed it was shutting the scheme down quickly to  “prevent a rush of applications to pre-empt the changes to the rules which have, in part, been made to mitigate risks of misuse of the generosity of the schemes”.

Ukraine Extension Scheme Also Closes

In another development, the Ukraine Extension Scheme will also be closed to new applicants from 16th May 2024. You can apply to this scheme if:

• you had permission to be in the UK on or between 18 March 2022 and 16 November 2023 – the permission does not need to cover the whole period;

or

• you previously had permission to be in the UK and that permission expired on or after 1 January 2022

The Ukraine Extension Scheme gives successful applicants 3 more years to stay in the UK. It will remain open after 16 May 2024 for children who are born in the UK after 18 March 2022 if one of the following is true:

• the parent has permission to be in the UK under one of the Ukraine Schemes (including the Ukraine Family Scheme)
• the parent qualifies under the Ukraine Extension Scheme

This scheme will be replaced by the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme which allows those already in the UK to extend their permission for 18 months from early 2025.

Homes For Ukraine Scheme

This means the only route left for Ukrainians fleeing their country to enter the UK will be the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. This scheme allows sponsors in the UK to welcome Ukrainians as guests.  This scheme is also going to change.  

• Applicants will no longer be granted three years permission to be in the UK. This is reduced to 18 months. The applicants will then need to extend their permission under the new Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme.

• Only those who are British or Irish citizens or who are settled here will be eligible to sponsor people under this scheme.

All in all, these changes are a clear signal that the UK Government has decided to stem the flow of Ukrainians entering the UK. If you require any further information on the schemes, please contact us.