UKRAINE CONFLICT

This page includes relevant information and links with regard to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and UK aid efforts including refugee and visa schemes. Details are found below, with easy access buttons to access support at the top. There is also a news feed from the UK Government regarding updates on the situation. 

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Travel Advice, Ukraine

HOMES FOR UKRAINE

Visa Support for Ukrainians trying to reach the UK

UK Government Information: Russian invasion of Ukraine 

Current UK Sanctions and support details for British businesses

Aberdeenshire Council Ukraine Support

Russian invasion of Ukraine: UK government response

The UK and our allies condemn the Russian government’s unprovoked and premeditated war against Ukraine.

The UK and our international partners are united in support for Ukraine. The UK government is providing a range of economic, humanitarian and defensive military assistance to Ukraine, and is imposing additional sanctions on Russia and Belarus.

Routes to safety in the UK are open now. Find out more about UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals and the Ukraine Family Scheme.

Find out more about how the UK government is responding.

 

The UK government's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine

The UK and our allies condemn the Russian government’s unprovoked and premeditated invasion of Ukraine. Putin has isolated Russia from the rest of the world. The UK stands with Ukraine, its democratically-elected government and its brave people at this awful time.

The UK government is providing a range of economic, humanitarian and defensive military assistance to Ukraine, and is imposing additional sanctions on Russia and Belarus.

We are:

  • providing humanitarian aid for vital medical supplies and other help. We have committed almost £400 million overall, including £220m of humanitarian assistance. This includes matching, pound-for-pound, £25 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine humanitarian appeal.
  • providing defensive military aid to Ukraine, continuing to work with international partners to supply vital weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces. So far we have delivered over 4,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, alongside rations and medical equipment.
  • changing the immigration system to support British nationals and their families who usually live in Ukraine, and Ukrainians in the UK and their families. We are also offering a sponsorship scheme, Homes for Ukraine, allowing individuals, charities, community groups and businesses in the UK to bring Ukrainians to safety – including those with no family ties to the UK.
  • delivering an unprecedented package of sanctions to cut off funding for Putin’s war machine. We have now sanctioned over 1000 individuals, entities and subsidiaries since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, including 69 leading oligarchs. We have coordinated with our allies on sanctions aimed at starving the Russian government of funds to further its unprovoked war against Ukraine, including a joint decision by all G7 countries to remove Russian banks from the SWIFT system.

 

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Travel Advice, Ukraine

 

UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals

If you’re Ukrainian and you have family in the UK

Ukraine Family Scheme

The Ukraine Family Scheme allows family members of British nationals, UK settled persons and certain others to come to or stay in the UK.

Read more information about the Ukraine Family Scheme.

You can call the free 24/7 helpline on +44 808 164 8810 (0808 164 8810 from within the UK) for help with any questions about the scheme.

If you cannot contact UK 0808 numbers, please use +44 (0)175 390 7510.

If you’re Ukrainian and you don’t have family in the UK

Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine)

The Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

Read more information about applying to the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Read more information about becoming a sponsor.

Other visas

You can make an application to visit, work, study or join family in the UK in the normal way. Check which visas are available.

Visa Application Centres (VACs) in Ukraine are currently closed. You can apply at a VAC in any country if you are able to travel safely.

VACs are currently operating throughout Europe including:

Before attending a VAC you must complete your online application form and have a GWF reference number.

Find a visa application centre.

If you need assistance, contact UKVI:

Telephone: + 44 808 164 8810 – select option 1 (0808 164 8810 if you're in the UK – select option 1) 

Lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

This is a free phone number. 

If you cannot contact UK 0808 numbers, please use +44 (0)175 390 7510. 

If you’re Ukrainian and are already in the UK

Ukrainians already in the UK with a visa will be able to extend their stay by extending their visa or switching to another immigration route, where eligible, even if their visa does not normally allow them to do so.

Check what you need to do.

If you need to travel to the UK urgently

If you need to travel to the UK urgently for compassionate reasons you should apply for a visa in the usual way at the nearest VAC if you can travel safely and include clear compelling or compassionate reasons for your visit in your application. You should also tell staff at the VAC about these reasons during your appointment.

You can upload supporting documents for your application online before attending your VAC appointment or you can have your documents uploaded at your appointment. There is a fee for uploading your documents at the VAC.

If you’re British and in Ukraine

There’s separate advice for British nationals in Ukraine. Check the latest Ukraine foreign travel advice.

If you need to get a British passport

There’s separate advice for British nationals in Ukraine who need a passport or emergency travel document.

Stay up to date

Use the ‘Get emails about this page’ button to create a GOV.UK account and subscribe to updates about this page. You need a UK mobile number to create an account.

If you do not have a UK mobile number, you can still subscribe to updates on all pages about ‘Russian invasion of Ukraine: UK government response’.

 

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Russia travel advice

FCDO travel advice for Russia. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.