Dmitri Macmillen

Late last year, we published a post about the imminent launch of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. The scheme was opened on 4 February 2025, enabling eligible Ukrainians and family members to apply for a further 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK. In recent weeks, the Home Office have published detailed guidance, making clearer the eligibility requirements Ukrainians and their family members will need to meet when applying for further permission under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme.

There are likely to be Ukrainians, and others affected by the situation in Ukraine, requiring individual advice on whether they can meet the eligibility requirements of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. This may include individuals who have been outside of the UK for much of the time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, or ones who do not hold an eligible immigration status for applying under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. The Home Office have also made clear in recent months that the Ukraine Schemes (that is, permission held under the Ukraine Family, Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship, Ukraine Extension and Ukraine Permission Extension schemes) are not a route to indefinite leave to remain. Ukrainians and others affected by the situation in Ukraine, and who are looking to settle in the UK, may therefore need individual advice on other immigration options which might allow them to eventually qualify for indefinite leave to remain.

If you require advice or assistance with an application under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme or need advice on other immigration options in the UK, we would be happy to help. Please contact us on 020 7401 6887 or by email at contact@gryklaw.com.

On 19 February 2024, the UK government announced that it intended to create a new Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. This scheme would enable eligible Ukrainians and family members to apply for a further 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK. The scheme is expected to open to new applications in early 2025.

We do not yet know the requirements eligible Ukrainians and family members will need to meet when applying for further permission under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, and expect further guidance soon from the Home Office. The Home Office have, so far, published limited guidance which says that applications to the scheme can be made by those with permission under the Ukraine Family, Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship and Ukraine Extension schemes. Those who previously had permission under a Ukraine scheme, and afterwards switched to a different immigration route, might also be eligible to apply under the new scheme. The application will be free and must be made before a person’s permission to be in the UK expires.

If you are looking to apply under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, please ensure you keep hold of your biometric residence permit, as the Home Office have said it will be requested as part of the application process. Many Ukrainians are concerned that their current permission might expire on 31 December 2024, as their biometric residence permit expires on this date. Biometric residence permits are being phased out by the end of 2024, as migrants will be expected to prove their immigration permission digitally as of 2025. To check the actual expiry date of your permission, please look at the decision email you received from the Home Office granting you permission in the UK, or check your eVisa using this link. If you cannot access your eVisa, you may need to follow this link to create a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account so you can access it.

If you require advice or assistance with an application under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, or require advice on other immigration options in the UK, we would be happy to help and can advise in Ukrainian if necessary. Please contact us on 020 7401 6887 or by email at contact@gryklaw.com.