Ukraine Permission Extension scheme updated: April 2026 changes explained

What changed on 8 April 2026

The Home Office revised its Ukraine Permission Extension guidance to make a single, practical point clearer: the 90-day rule now applies to every UPE application. Until this update, some Ukrainians were unsure whether they could apply early for a second UPE extension or whether they had to wait until their current permission was about to expire.

Under the updated guidance, anyone holding UPE permission can now apply for a second UPE grant up to 90 days before their current leave runs out — in line with the existing 90-day window for first-time UPE applicants moving off the original Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme, or Ukraine Extension Scheme permissions.

Critically, applying early does not cost you any time. Any valid permission left on your current grant is added to the new UPE grant, so no days are lost by applying on day 89 rather than day 1.

How long UPE lasts

The scheme is structured in two tiers. A first UPE grant gives you 18 months in the UK. If you hold UPE permission and need to remain longer, a second UPE grant extends that by a further 24 months. Both tiers carry the same entitlements: the right to work, study, rent privately, and access public funds such as Universal Credit and Child Benefit.

Children born in the UK to Ukrainian nationals who hold Ukraine Scheme permission can be added to UPE from birth. Their permission will generally be aligned with whichever parent has the longer remaining leave.

What you need to apply

Applications are made online and are free. The Home Office aims to decide most cases within eight weeks, though complex applications — where nationality evidence is missing, or where the applicant has spent significant time outside the UK — can take longer.

Before starting, you should:

• Create or sign into your UKVI account so you can see your current eVisa and confirm the expiry date.
• Have your passport to hand. If you haven't previously submitted a valid passport to the Home Office, you must submit one now or show that you have applied for one.
• Keep your expired biometric residence permit if you have one. You may be asked for it as part of the application.
• Be inside the UK when you submit. Applications from outside the UK are not valid and may be rejected.

Most applicants can now verify their identity using the UK Immigration: ID check app rather than visiting a UKVCAS service point. If you previously supplied biometric information under your current permission, the Home Office can usually reuse it, which speeds the process up.

What happens if your permission expires before a decision

If you applied before your current leave ran out, you do not need to do anything. Section 3C leave automatically continues your right to work, rent, and claim benefits while you wait. Your eVisa will show the previous permission's start and end dates plus a note confirming you can remain in the UK pending the decision.

One strict caveat: do not travel outside the UK, Ireland, or the Crown Dependencies while the decision is pending. Leaving withdraws your application and means you would need to apply for entry clearance under another route to return.

The 21 April translation update

Separately, on 21 April 2026, the Home Office published new Russian and Ukrainian translations of its broader guidance for people coming to the UK from Ukraine. The policy content is unchanged; the update makes the existing guidance on eVisas, onward travel, benefits, and housing accessible in both languages. If you are helping a friend or family member navigate the process in Ukrainian or Russian, the official translations are now live on GOV.UK.

Permission-to-travel letters: still invalid

The updated guidance reiterates a point that continues to cause confusion. Permission-to-travel letters — issued early in the scheme before biometric enrolment became standard — cannot be used to travel to or enter the UK. Anyone still holding one and hoping to come under the Ukraine schemes must submit a fresh Homes for Ukraine application.

The cut-off for those who travelled on a permission-to-travel letter and did not apply to stay in the UK was 9:00am on 13 August 2025. Anyone in that position can no longer apply under the Ukraine schemes and would need to explore other immigration routes, ideally with regulated immigration advice.

What this means in practice

For Ukrainians whose first UPE grant is now approaching expiry, the April 2026 update removes a small but meaningful source of anxiety. Applying early is now explicitly permitted for second extensions, which makes planning easier — particularly for families timing school years, employment contracts, and tenancy renewals against visa expiry dates.

The underlying policy has not changed. UPE remains a temporary sanctuary route: permission continues to be tied to the conflict in Ukraine, and the Home Office has not committed to converting UPE grants into settlement. But the smoother application timing gives Ukrainians already in the UK a little more breathing room, and the additional Russian and Ukrainian translations should widen access for those who need the guidance in their first language.

If you or a family member are approaching the end of your current permission, check the expiry date on your UKVI account first, note the 90-day window, and apply in good time. Where your circumstances are unusual — long periods outside the UK, missing passport, complex family structure — speaking to a regulated adviser through the Immigration Advice Authority's directory is worth the time.