We cannot provide advice or support about visas and immigration schemes. Instead, we support local organisations with accreditation from the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner.
The Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum provides social, cultural, moral, and practical support, specialising in asylum and refugee welfare matters.
Digital visas (‘eVisas’)
Most physical immigration documents expired at the end of 2024. They have been replaced by a digital record known as an ‘eVisa’.
- Read the government’s online immigration status guidance to find out how to get an eVisa.
- Read our eVisa frequently asked questions [PDF, 0.1MB] to learn more about the scheme. We have translated the guidance into Arabic, Dari and Ukrainian:
Homes for Ukraine
The Homes for Ukraine scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family to apply to come to the UK, if they have an approved sponsor.
You can sponsor a person or group of people from Ukraine if you are over 18 and can offer a spare room or home for at least six months. You must be a British or Irish citizen, or have indefinite leave to remain, and not have a criminal record.
- Record your interest in the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Ukraine Permission Extension
You can apply to stay in the UK for a further 18 months after your existing visa has expired. The Ukraine Permission Extension scheme opened for applications on 4 February 2025.
You can apply for free when you have 28 days or less remaining on your current visa. You can check the end date of your immigration status in your UK Visas and Immigration account. Read how to view and prove your immigration status if you are unsure how to do this.
You can only apply if you have already had permission to stay under one of the following schemes:
- Homes for Ukraine scheme
- Ukraine Extension scheme
- Ukraine Family scheme
You must be living in the UK and in the Common Travel Area when you apply. The Common Travel Area includes the UK, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man. Do not travel outside of this area while waiting for a decision on your application.
Keep your expired Biometric Residency Permit – this will help you prove your identity. Make a list of any time you have spent outside the UK or Ukraine since your current visa started.
- Read more about applying to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.
If your application is successful, you can continue to live, work and study in the UK and access public funds.
Your application will be rejected if:
- you travel outside of the Common Travel Area while waiting for a decision on your application
- you apply more than 28 days before your current visa expires
Contact ukraine@cambridge.gov.uk if you have questions about the scheme. If you need advice or help with applying, contact the Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum.
Applying for a child under 18
To apply as or on behalf of a child under the age of 18, you will need to provide a full birth or adoption certificate showing their parents’ details.
You must also provide evidence of:
- the parent or legal guardian’s nationality or identity document
- the parent or legal guardian’s immigration status, for example their passport number or Unique Application Number
Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme: Separated Families Pathway
If you travelled to the UK on Pathway 1 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, you can now apply to bring immediate family members to the UK.
This scheme closed on 30 October 2024.
- Read the government’s guidance about the Separated Families Pathway. It includes information about how long it will take to receive a decision and what to do if you have an exceptional reason to make a late application.
