United Kingdom: Information for stateless people and those at risk of statelessness fleeing Ukraine 2. ROUTES TO INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION Stateless persons and persons at risk of statelessness fleeing the conflict in Ukraine may apply for refugee status or humanitarian protection, including people who entered the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. If asylum is granted, the refugee is granted a residence permit and indefinite leave to remain after five years. After one more year, they may apply for naturalisation. These routes to protection are summarised in the table below. What is it? Refugee Status (asylum) or Humanitarian Protection Refugee Status: protection for people eligible under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees Humanitarian Protection: protection for people who do not meet the conditions for Refugee Status but would face a real risk of suffering serious harm if returned Can stateless Yes and/or undocumented persons apply? Where to apply? Procedure & rights Inform immigration officials at the border about wish to claim asylum or register with the asylum intake unit (details on making an appointment) Registration of the application; screening interview with an immigration officer; applicants to provide any documents they have (e.g. identity documents, police registration certificates, birth and marriage certificates, school records); issuance of an “ARC card” with information on (claimed) identity and asylum-seeker status; substantive interview (which can be delayed or dispensed); Ukraine Family Scheme Homes for Ukraine Scheme Temporary visa concessions for family members of British citizens and residents in the UK who are fleeing Ukraine; non-British nationals can act as sponsors under this scheme, subject to conditions on the sponsor’s own immigration status; allows persons fleeing Ukraine to join family members in the UK or to extend their stay in the UK Yes, if they meet the eligibility criteria to be considered a family member; there is an extra step for applicants who do not hold a valid Ukrainian passport Apply online Temporary visa concessions for Ukrainian nationals who have named people in the UK willing to sponsor them, and their family members Free to apply; online application form and uploading of document; if applicant does not have a valid Ukrainian passport then they must visit a temporary visa application centre Free to apply; online application form and uploading of documents applicants must be outside the UK to apply Yes, if they meet the eligibility criteria to be considered a family member Apply online