Humanitarian Applications For Ukrainian Refugees
As a result of the humanitarian crisis due to the war in Ukraine, the Home Office UKVI has announced a new visa scheme for Ukrainians. The Home Secretary announced the Ukraine Family Visa Scheme and the Local Sponsorship Scheme for Ukraine on 1 March 2022 which will provide additional support for Ukrainian nationals and their family members. The Home Secretary Priti Patel told the Parliament that people already settled in Britain will be able to bring a wider range of family members and relatives to the United Kingdom from Ukraine. Under the new visa scheme for Ukrainians, people settled in the U.K. will now be able to bring their parents, grandparents, children over 18, and siblings, in addition to the most immediate relatives already eligible for UK visas.
The Ukraine Family Scheme allows family members of British nationals, UK settled persons and certain others to come to or stay in the UK.
Need legal help and assistance with your UK visa entry clearance application from outside the UK? Contact our expert team of UK visa solicitors in London for fast, friendly, reliable, and fixed-fee legal services for your UK visa entry clearance application. Ask a question to our expert UK visa solicitors for free immigration advice concerning your UK visa entry clearance application.
Family Visa Scheme For Immediate Family Members
You can apply for a family migration visa for free if you are a family member of a British national who usually lives in Ukraine. Your British national family member must be one of the following:
- a spouse or civil partner
- an unmarried partner (you must have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years)
- your parent if you are under the age of 18
- your child under the age of 18
- an adult relative you provide care for who lives with you due to a medical condition
Family Visa Scheme For Extended Family Members
Extended family members can apply to the Ukraine Family Visa Scheme from Friday, 4 March 2022.
All applicants to the Ukraine Family Scheme should follow these steps:
- Complete an online application form.
- Book an appointment at any Visa Application Centre throughout Europe.
- Attend a Visa Application Centre appointment, for accelerated security checks.
- Remain in the location where you have submitted your application until we contact you.
Contact Details Of UKVI For The Family Visa Scheme
You should contact UKVI before you make an application.
Telephone: +44 300 3032785 – select option 1. Telephone lines are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. This is a free phone number, but network charges may still apply.
You will need to provide information about yourself and your family members, as well as contact details which will be shared with UKVI.
UKVI will then confirm whether you are eligible for a family migration visa and share details of the gratis (free) application process.
There may be cases where some people do not meet the eligibility criteria, for example the English language requirement or minimum income requirement. Given the current circumstances, if somebody does not meet these requirements, UKVI will consider an alternative grant of leave to come to the UK.
Local Sponsorship Scheme For Ukrainians With No Family Links In The UK
The Home Office, UKVI has also announced that there will also be a visa scheme for Ukrainians who have no family links in the UK. According to the Home Office UKVI, there will also be a new humanitarian sponsorship visa route for Ukrainians without family links in Britain.
Ukrainians applying for these visas will need to match with charities, businesses and community groups, and there will be no cap on numbers coming through this scheme.
All Ukrainians coming through these schemes will be given leave for at least one year, be allowed to work, and have access to public services, she added.
UK Visa Application Centres For Ukrainians
The UK Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Kyiv is now closed and all UK visa services in Kyiv are suspended in order to keep people safe.
Family members of British nationals who usually live in Ukraine and need a UK visa can apply through the new, temporary location in the Lemberg Business Centre in the city of Lviv to give their biometrics. Alternatively, you can apply through a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in a nearby country if you are able to safely travel. UK Visa Application Centres are currently operating in:
- Poland
- Romania
- Hungary
- Moldova
All other visa applicants will be unable to apply through a Visa Application Centre in Ukraine. If you are able to safely travel, you can apply through a Visa Application Centre in one of these nearby countries.
How Can We Help?
Our expert team of UK visa solicitors can represent you in your application for UK visa entry clearance and carry out all the work on your application until a decision is made by the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) on your UK visa entry clearance application. As your appointed legal representatives, our expert team of UK visa lawyers will carry out the following work on your behalf:
- advising you about the relevant criteria as set out in the UK visa scheme for Ukrainians;
- advising you about the documentary evidence to be submitted in support of the UK visa entry clearance application;
- assessing all your documents to make sure that the requirements of the Immigration Rules are being fully satisfied for your UK visa entry clearance application to succeed;
- completing the online application form and submitting the same online on your behalf;
- paying the relevant UKVI charges for the UK visa application (if necessary) including the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS);
- preparing a detailed cover letter in support of the UK visa entry clearance application explaining in detail all the legal requirements for the successful outcome of the UK visa entry clearance application;
- uploading all the supporting documents in support of the UK visa entry clearance application;
- booking your appointment with the UK Visa Application Centre (VAC) for the enrolment of your biometrics and submission of your passport;
- liaising with the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) and doing all the follow-up work until a decision on the UK visa entry clearance application is received by you.
The agreed fixed fee will depend on the complexity of the application and the volume of casework involved in the application. In addition to our fixed fee for legal services in relation to your application, the applicant will also have to pay the Home office UKVI fees for the application unless the UKVI has confirmed that a free-of-cost application can be made.
