As the Ukraine visa schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Family Ukraine Scheme, Ukraine Extension scheme or UPES) are temporary and do not lead to settlement in the UK, some individuals may wish to switch to a different visa route to stay longer or gain permanent residency. EERC prepared a quick overview of your options, key requirements, and likely costs.
Important! UK immigration rules are strict and often change. In the Immigration White Paper published on 12 May 2025, the government said more updates are coming soon. This may include changes to how long you need to stay in the UK before you can apply for settlement under different visa types.
| Visa Type | Requirements for application | Settlement | Fees for 1person: Home office and Immigration health surcharge (IHS) | Can I bring dependents (partner and children)? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Talent Visa | Endorsement from a UK body or eligible award in your field (e.g., research, arts, digital tech). | Yes After 3–5 years of continuous residency in the UK | Home office £766 (including endorsement or award) Immigration health surcharge (IHS) £1,035 per year /per person | Yes |
| Innovator Founder Visa | Must have a viable and scalable business idea; endorsement from an approved UK body. | Yes After 3 years of continuous residency in the UK and you must prove ongoing business viability | Home office £1,274 (Outside UK) or £1,590 (Inside UK) Endorsement £1,000 + £500 (contact point meeting) IHS £1,035 per year /per person | Yes |
| Skilled Worker Visa | Job offer from a licensed sponsor; salary and skill level requirements. | Yes After 5 years of continuous residency in the UK and if the employment is ongoing. | Home office £769 to £1,751 (depending on job and sponsor) IHS £1,035 per year /per person | Yes |
| Family Visa | You must have a UK-based family member (spouse, partner, child). | Yes After 5 years of continuous residency in the UK (Note, that you need to extend your first visa after 2,5 years) | Home office £1,321 (Inside UK) or £1,938 (Outside UK) IHS £2,587.50 for 2 years and 6 months (inside application) or £3,105 for 2 years and 9 months (outside application) | Yes |
| Private Life Route | Must have lived in the UK for a significant period and established private life (e.g., you have been in the UK continuously for 20 years or have spent less than 20 years in the UK and would have very significant problems living in the country you’d have to go to) | Yes After 5 -10 years of continuous residency in the UK (depending on the route) You need to extend this visa every 2,5 years | Home office £1,968 IHS £1,035 per year /per person | Yes |
At EERC we strongly recommend you consulting a certified immigration adviser before making any visa application, to ensure you are following the most current rules and guidance.
Our helplines are available Monday to Thursday, from 10 am to 4 pm:
PL/EN/LT: 07521857415
RO/EN: 07730021986
UA/EN/RU: 07718612218