The Scottish government has announced that the Scottish Super Sponsor scheme will be paused from today (13 July 2022) for a three-month period to enable it to ensure safe accommodation can continue to be provided to those who have already applied under the scheme. The fact that the scheme has been paused is an indicator of its success. The Scottish government has sponsored more than 21,000 successful applications having initially pledged 3000 places on the scheme. 

Those individuals whose applications were submitted prior to the super sponsor scheme being paused will still be processed.

During the pause on applications, there are other visa options available to Ukrainian nationals who wish to seek safety in the UK:

• Ukraine family scheme
• Ukraine extension scheme
• Ukraine sponsorship scheme (Homes for Ukraine)

There are some key differences between the above schemes. The Ukraine family scheme allows Ukrainian nationals or their family members to apply to join UK-based family members. In order to be eligible for the scheme, applicants must have been living in Ukraine on, or immediately before, 1 January 2022, including those that have since left Ukraine.

Ukrainian nationals or family members of Ukrainian nationals who were already living in the UK with temporary permission to stay in the UK on 18 March 2022 (or who held a valid UK visa that expired on or after 1 January 2022) can apply for further permission to stay under the Ukraine extension scheme. Permission under the scheme results in a grant of permission to live and work in the UK for three years. The extension scheme is not a route to settlement and therefore those Ukrainians currently on a route to settlement may wish to remain on their current visa if they are working towards indefinite leave to remain.

The last of the open schemes is the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme. As with the other schemes it is for Ukrainians and/ or the immediate family members of Ukrainian nationals. To apply to the scheme applicants must have been residing in Ukraine on, or immediately before, 1 January 2022 (including those who have now left Ukraine), be outside of the UK at the date of application and have an eligible UK-based sponsor. The UK-based sponsor should be an adult, be in the UK and have valid permission to stay for at least six months. Sponsors need to be able to offer accommodation for at least six months and agree to undergo security and criminality checks as part of the process.

For more information or assistance in making an application under any of the schemes, please get in touch with a member of our team.