Applying to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme

Most people willmay be able to provide their ID documentation evidence via the ‘UK Immigration: ID check’ app as part of their application to UPE. Those who havemust to provide their biometricsbiometric information will be able to upload their evidence through the enrolment centre.

If we request any further evidence, you will be notified by email and provided with instructions on how to provide the additional evidence required.

If you do not have your BRP, or you did not provide biometricsbiometric information under your current permission, you may need to book an appointment to have your facial image and fingerprints (biometric information) taken at a visa application centre (VAC) in the UK 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 an appointment at a VAC to have their digital photograph taken. 

At your appointment, you’ll need to prove your identity with a valid international passport, unless you have a reasonable explanation for why you do not have one.

Where you do not have a valid international passport, you may either use a: 

• a recently expired international passport 
• a valid or recently expired Ukrainian national identity card 
• a combination of official documents which states your identity and nationality – for example, a photo driving license and birth certificate that contain matching details (name and date of birth) 
• an emergency certificate issued by a Ukrainian authority since March 2022 

For more information, including opening hours and appointment booking, please visit the TLSVFS website.

Applying for a child under 18

Children will be required to be in the UK with a: 

• parent 
• legal guardian 
• close relative 
• an adult who has taken responsibility for their care 
• or in the care of the local authority 

When making an application as or on behalf of a child under the age of 18, you will need to provide the child’s full birth or adoption certificate which shows the details of their parents. 

You will also be asked to provide evidence of the child’s parent or legal guardian’s nationality or identity document.  

Additionally, you will be asked to provide evidence of the parent or legal guardian’s immigration status, for example their passport number or Unique Application Number (UAN). 

If a local authority is applying on behalf of a child, some of the documents mentioned above are not required.

You may also be required to provide the following, depending on the child’s living arrangements.

Child living with legal guardian

An official document, which should be notarised by the issuing country or the Ukrainian Embassy, demonstrating legal guardianship of the child.

Child living with close relative

Close relative means a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, or aunt (whether full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership) or step-parent as per the Children Act 1989.

You must provide:

• evidence demonstrating the relationship between the applicant and their family member 
• written consent from the applicant’s parent or legal guardian which must include details of the parent or legal guardian, consent for the application and for the applicant’s living and care arrangements

Child living with another adult (who is not a parent, legal guardian or close relative) who has day-to-day caring responsibility for them

You must provide written consent from the applicant’s parent or legal guardian which must include details of the parent or legal guardian, consent for the application and for the applicant’s living and care arrangements.

For evidence not in English, you must upload ana certified English translation.  translation (from inside or outside the UK).  

The adult with day-to-day caring responsibility for a child will need to provide information on the application form to demonstrate that adequate care and accommodation arrangements are in place for the child. This includes, but is not limited to, information about the type of accommodation and details of others living at the property.

We will consider whether the care arrangements are satisfactory for the welfare of the child or whether they require any further consideration during the application process.

If you were originally granted permission as a child under the Ukraine Schemes but are 18 or over on the date you make an application to UPE, you will not be considered to be a child for the purposes of the UPE application.

If you are a local authority applying on behalf of a child

If a child is in the care of a local authority (or health and social care trust in Northern Ireland) they should make an application on behalf of the child. This will allow provide the child with permission to stay in the UK while their application is considered.

As part of the application, the local authority will be required to provide the child’s birth certificate and nationality or identity document. If the child is not a Ukrainian national, but is relying on a Ukrainian national to be eligible for the scheme, the local authority will be required to provide evidence of that relationship.

If the local authority has parental responsibility for the child, they do not need to provide the parent or legal guardian’s nationality or identity document or evidence of their immigration status.

Where there is a legal order giving the local authority or health and social care trust parental responsibility for a child, that authority or trust needs to act for the child in relation for the application and provide the required consent for the application.

The local authority will be required to provide a document to demonstrate that they hold parental responsibility for the child, for example a court order.

If a local authority is aware of other eligible children receiving support, such as those in private fostering arrangements, but the local authority does not have personal responsibility for the child, they may want to provide the adult with day to day caring responsibility for the child to relevant support so they are able to make an application.

See applying for a child under 18 for further guidance.

Length of permission for children under 18

A child under the age of 18 may be granted a period of permission that matches that of a parent, if the parent: 

• has permission to stay in the UK under the Ukraine schemes, including Leave Outside the Rules (LOTR) in some circumstances
• is living in the UK
• is living with the child and jointly or solely responsible for their day-to-day care

The length of the child’s permission will be granted in line with the parent who holds the longest remaining length of permission if both parents meet all the criteria.

Children who are not living with their parent, for example instance in the care of the local authority or legal guardian, will be granted 18 months permission under the scheme.

Eligibility for living in the UK

The UPE scheme is intended to allow those with existing permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes, who continue to require sanctuary in the UK, to apply for further permission to stay in the UK. This means that to be eligible, you will need to have been living in the UK (and Islands) since you either: 

• arrived in the UK with Ukraine Scheme permission
• were granted Ukraine Scheme permission in the UK 

Short visits or holidays will generally not be regarded as living outside of the UK, and you may not be required to provide evidence of ongoing ties to the UK. 

If you have spent temporary periods of time (under 12 months) outside of the UK in Ukraine, these will not be considered as living outside the UK. 

If you have spent temporary periods (generally, under 12 months) outside of the UK or Ukraine in third countries, you will generally need to demonstrate ongoing ties to the UK to allow us to consider whether those periods are considered as living outside of the UK. 

If you have spent more than temporary periods (12 months or over) outside the UK you will need to demonstrate ongoing ties to the UK and the circumstances of your time spent outside of the UK will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

There is not a full list of acceptable evidence to show ongoing ties. For examples of the types of evidence that might be used, see what you need to apply.

Applying as the family member of a Ukrainian national 

If you are not a Ukrainian national, you can apply if you have been granted permission under one of the other Ukraine Schemes as the: 

• partner of a Ukrainian national 
• child of a Ukrainian national 
• parent of a Ukrainian national who was granted Ukraine Scheme permission before turning 18 years old 
• fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner of a Ukrainian national 
• a family member granted permission in accordance with the now closed Ukraine Family Scheme 

If you were previously granted permission as the partner, spouse, or civil partner of a Ukrainian national, you will be required to submit evidence to demonstrate that you continue to be in an eligible relationship.  

In other circumstances, you may be contacted and asked for evidence of your family relationship to a Ukrainian national.   

If you are no longer in a relationship, you may still be eligible for permission to stay in the UK under UPE if you are the parent of a child who is in the UK with permission under the Ukraine Schemes, or a child who would, if they made an application, be eligible for permission under the Ukraine Schemes.

Travelling outside of the UK before you apply 

You must be inside the UK when making an application to UPE. Your application will not be valid and may be rejected if you apply from outside the UK. 

Apply

You should only make an application to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme when your current permission has 28 days or less remaining until it expires 

Before you apply, you should: 

• check when your curent permission expires by signing into your UKVI account and plan for when it is the right time to make an application
• ensure you are inside when you apply
• not travel outside the UK while your application is being considered
• ensure that you have
  • your passport
  • your expired BRP (if you have one)
  • documents you will need if applying for a child under the age of 18

Start now

After you have applied 

After you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents and biometrics (if required), the Home Office will consider your application. 

You’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks. 

If your current permission expires before a decision is made on your UPEapplication.

You application you do not need to take any action, as your current permission will continue under section 3C leave. 

The purpose of section 3C leave is to prevent a person who makes an in-time application to extend their leave from becoming an overstayer while they are awaiting a decision on that application.

IfYour youeVisa needwill toshow travelthe closestart todate theof expiryyour previous permission and the date ofthat it expired. There will be some additional information underneath your existingNational permission,Insurance younumber shouldthat ensurewill confirm that you planare able to returnstay toin the UK withinuntil a decision has been made on your application and that you retain the validitysame ofrights as your existingoriginal visapermission. 

If you need to beprove ableyour permission to makestay anin UPEthe applicationUK, inyou can use the UK.view and prove service to generate a share code to give to landlords and employers to see show that you continue to have the right to work, rent and have entitlement to benefits.

You should not travel outside of the UK or any other part of the Common Travel Area (the Common Travel Area includes the UK, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man) whilst waiting for a decision on your application. If you do travel, then your application will be withdrawn and will not be considered.  

If your existing permission expires whilst you are outside of the UK, you will need to apply for further entry clearance in another route, for which you qualify if you wish to return to the UK. You cannot apply for UPE outside of the UK. 

You’ll get a decision letter by email confirming the outcome of your application and what it means for you.

What you will get 

If your application is successful, your eVisa (an online record of your immigration status) will be updated to show your new UPE permission.

You will not need to do anything to get your updated eVisa if your application is successful.

Your decision notice will tell you how to get access to your eVisa. You can see it in your UKVI account. 

You will be allowed to continue to work, study, rent property (in England) and receive public funds benefits for a further 18 months from the date of decision. 

You’ll be able to prove your immigration status and conditions to others, for example employers and landlords, using the view and prove service. 

After you have received a decision on your UPE application, before you travel in future, you’ll need to sign in to your UKVI account to check that your eVisa is linked to your current passport or travel document. You’ll still need to carry your current passport or travel document with you.

Updating

Viewing and proving your details 

status online

You mustcan keepuse yourthe detailsview upand toprove dateservice, forto examplegenerate if you get a newshare passport.

Apply

Whencode the UPE scheme opens this page will be updated to allowgive you to applylandlords online.

Youand shouldemployers onlyto makesee anshow applicationthat whenyou yourcontinue currentto permissionhave hasthe 28right daysto work or less remaining until it expires.rent.

InYou thewill meantime,have youdigital should:

• checkstatus whenand yourwill currentneed permissionget expiresaccess by signing in to your UKVI accounteVisa andif plan when to make your application
• ensure you arehave inside the UK when it’s time for you to apply
• not plandone toso travelalready.

  If outsidethere theare UKany whileissues yourwith application is considered

• ensure that you have:
  • your passport
  • yourdigital expiredstatus, BRP (if you havecan one)
  • documentscontact youUK willVisas need& ifImmigration you(UKVI).

    You arecan applyingreport foran aerror childwith underyour theeVisa ageonline.

    Updating ofyour 18

details 

WeYou willmust updatekeep thisyour guidedetails withup theto typesdate, of evidence that may be required for makingexample anif applicationyou beforeget thea schemenew opens.passport.