Family reunification under the “Ukraine Family Scheme”

Migrating to Britain has never been easier: only one form separates you from the trip.

Millions of Ukrainians were forced to leave the country after the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine began on the morning of February 24. In addition to financial aid to Ukraine, entry and visa rules have been simplified for refugees. The United Kingdom is no exception.

If you are lucky to have a close relative living in the United Kingdom, congratulations: you can take part in the family reunion program “Ukraine Family Scheme”. You won’t have to go through a long process – you just need to apply online on the GOV.UK website.

More about the Ukraine Family Scheme

The program provides a visa of up to 3 years if one of your relatives officially resides in Britain. You can move to immediate family members after completing the form.

Steps to obtain a visa:

Filling out the application online

On the GOV.UK website, find the form to apply for a registration number. Note that visa application centres do not operate in Ukraine, and the nearest ones are in Poland. Book in advance the date and time when you can arrive at the visa centre.

Each family member requires a separate form.

Get to the visa centre on the scheduled date.

Why do you need to visit the centre and is it mandatory? Yes, you must submit biometric data and a photo. If you don’t have a passport for international travel, that’s not a problem, but at the centre you will need to state the reason for its loss or absence.

Arrive at the visa centre on the date stated in the online form

They will take your photo and fingerprints.

Where to find visa centres:

• Hungary
• Budapest
• Moldova
• Chisinau
• Czech Republic
• Prague
• Bucharest
• Romania
• Warsaw
• Poland

Application processing time

The exact processing times are not specified on the website; based on refugees’ experience, about 7 days.

Who is the program for?

Immediate family members, close relatives, as well as distant relatives can participate:

• Spouse;
• Children under 18;
• Official guardians/parents;
• Future husband (fiancé) or future wife (fiancée);
• Grandparents, siblings, uncles and aunts, mother-in-law and father-in-law, cousins, nephews and nieces;
• Partner with whom you are in a civil partnership or cohabiting.
• Distant relatives.

For example, if you have a cousin’s nephew (a distant relative), his parents and children can take part in the program because they fall into the category “Immediate relatives of your distant relatives”.

Who can apply?

1. A family member who is a citizen of the United Kingdom.
2. Has settled status.
3. Has refugee status.
4. A family member who has pre-settled status and was living in the country before January 2021.

Proof of relationship

You provide official documents that confirm your family ties. In the case of a cohabiting partnership, this can be joint registration at the same address.

Without solid evidence, unfortunately, you will be refused a visa.