UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS): Who Qualifies and How the Process Works
UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS): Who Qualifies and How the Process Works
Prepared by: Alvyn Kee（纪律师）, Solicitor
Updated: 29 September 2026
The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) provides a safe and legal route for vulnerable refugees who are outside the United Kingdom and need protection. It operates through referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), rather than through a normal visa application made directly to the Home Office.
This distinction is important. A person cannot submit an online UKRS application, pay a fee or ask a solicitor to secure a referral. UNHCR identifies people whose protection needs may make resettlement appropriate, assesses their circumstances and may refer a case to the UK. The Home Office then makes the final decision.
What is the UK Resettlement Scheme?
The UKRS is one of the United Kingdom’s refugee resettlement programmes. It is intended for people who have fled their country and are living in another country but cannot safely return home, remain safely where they are, or access another durable solution.
The scheme is not based on a person’s employability or how easily they might integrate. Protection needs are the central consideration. However, the number of people who can be resettled also depends on the availability of suitable accommodation and support from local authorities and community sponsors in the UK.
Can I apply directly for UKRS?
No. There is no direct application form for UKRS and registration with UNHCR does not guarantee that a person will be considered or referred for resettlement. Resettlement places are very limited and UNHCR states that fewer than one per cent of refugees worldwide are submitted for resettlement each year.
People seeking protection should normally contact UNHCR or the relevant refugee authority in the country where they are living. UNHCR decides whether a case should be assessed for resettlement and which country it may be referred to. Applicants cannot normally choose the destination country.
Who may be considered for resettlement?
UNHCR may consider refugees whose circumstances fall within recognised resettlement categories. These include:
legal or physical protection needs;
survivors of violence or torture;
serious medical needs;
women and girls at risk;
family reunification needs;
children or adolescents at risk; and
people with no foreseeable alternative durable solution.
Falling within one of these categories does not create an automatic right to resettlement. UNHCR considers the individual protection risks, available evidence and the person’s circumstances in the country of asylum. The UK then carries out its own eligibility, security and suitability checks.
How does the UKRS process work?
Although every case is different, the process usually includes the following stages:
Identification and assessment by UNHCR: UNHCR reviews the refugee’s protection needs and may carry out interviews and obtain documents or other evidence.
Referral to the United Kingdom: If UNHCR considers UK resettlement appropriate, it may submit the case to the Home Office.
Home Office decision: The UK reviews the case and undertakes security, identity and suitability checks. A UNHCR referral does not guarantee acceptance.
Placement arrangements: A suitable local authority or community sponsor must be able to provide accommodation and integration support.
Pre-departure arrangements: The International Organization for Migration may help with health assessments, travel documents, biometrics, travel and cultural orientation.
Arrival and integration: The refugee travels to the UK and receives help with housing, benefits, health care, education and English-language learning.
The timescale can vary considerably. Vulnerability alone does not always mean that travel can take place quickly, because the UK must complete its checks and arrange an appropriate placement.
What status do UKRS refugees receive?
Under the current published UKRS policy, people accepted for resettlement receive six months’ Leave Outside the Rules before travel and are granted Indefinite Leave to Remain and refugee status on arrival in the UK. This gives the right to live, work and study in the UK and access public services and benefits, subject to the normal eligibility rules.
This should not be confused with the temporary protection arrangements introduced for some people who make asylum claims in the UK from 2 March 2026. UKRS is a separate resettlement route for people referred from abroad, and the published UKRS policy continues to provide settlement on arrival.
Can UKRS be used to bring relatives to the UK?
UKRS is not a direct family reunion application. A family connection in the UK may be relevant to UNHCR’s assessment, but it does not create a right to referral or acceptance. People who wish to join a refugee or settled relative in the UK may need to consider a different immigration route.
The rules on refugee family reunion and family visas have changed in recent years. New refugee family reunion applications have been paused since 4 September 2025, although applications made before the pause continue to be considered. Because the correct route depends on the family relationship, immigration status and individual facts, legal advice should be obtained before an application is made.
Travel after arrival in the UK
A refugee should take advice before travelling abroad. They may be able to apply for a Refugee Travel Document and should not assume that it is safe to use their national passport. Returning to the country from which protection was sought, or using that country’s passport, can lead the Home Office to review whether refugee status remains necessary and may create problems in later nationality applications.
September 2026 update: new community sponsorship plans
In September 2026, the government announced plans for a new named community sponsorship model outside UKRS. The proposals include future routes through universities and employment sponsorship. Applications for the university sponsorship model are expected to open in autumn 2026, with first arrivals planned for autumn 2027, while a refugee work route is expected to open in 2027.
These are forthcoming arrangements and are not yet a general alternative application route. Anyone considering them should check the final rules and eligibility requirements once they are published.
When can an immigration solicitor help?
A solicitor cannot make UNHCR refer a person for UKRS or guarantee a resettlement place. Legal advice can nevertheless be valuable where there are questions about:
status and documentation after arrival;
family visa or reunion options;
refugee travel documents and proposed travel;
settlement, citizenship and naturalisation;
changes in personal circumstances; or
a Home Office decision affecting protection status.
Alvyn Kee（纪律师）, Solicitor, advises individuals and families on complex UK immigration and protection matters. To discuss your circumstances, please contact Qazi & Co Solicitors.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration law and Home Office policy can change. Advice should be obtained on the facts of each individual case.
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UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS): Who Qualifies and How the Process Works
UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS): Who Qualifies and How the Process Works
Prepared by: Alvyn Kee（纪律师）, Solicitor
Updated: 29 September 2026
The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) provides a safe and legal route for vulnerable refugees who are outside the United Kingdom and need protection. It operates through referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), rather than through a normal visa application made directly to the Home Office.
This distinction is important. A person cannot submit an online UKRS application, pay a fee or ask a solicitor to secure a referral. UNHCR identifies people whose protection needs may make resettlement appropriate, assesses their circumstances and may refer a case to the UK. The Home Office then makes the final decision.
What is the UK Resettlement Scheme?
The UKRS is one of the United Kingdom’s refugee resettlement programmes. It is intended for people who have fled their country and are living in another country but cannot safely return home, remain safely where they are, or access another durable solution.
The scheme is not based on a person’s employability or how easily they might integrate. Protection needs are the central consideration. However, the number of people who can be resettled also depends on the availability of suitable accommodation and support from local authorities and community sponsors in the UK.
Can I apply directly for UKRS?
No. There is no direct application form for UKRS and registration with UNHCR does not guarantee that a person will be considered or referred for resettlement. Resettlement places are very limited and UNHCR states that fewer than one per cent of refugees worldwide are submitted for resettlement each year.
People seeking protection should normally contact UNHCR or the relevant refugee authority in the country where they are living. UNHCR decides whether a case should be assessed for resettlement and which country it may be referred to. Applicants cannot normally choose the destination country.
Who may be considered for resettlement?
UNHCR may consider refugees whose circumstances fall within recognised resettlement categories. These include:
Falling within one of these categories does not create an automatic right to resettlement. UNHCR considers the individual protection risks, available evidence and the person’s circumstances in the country of asylum. The UK then carries out its own eligibility, security and suitability checks.
How does the UKRS process work?
Although every case is different, the process usually includes the following stages:
The timescale can vary considerably. Vulnerability alone does not always mean that travel can take place quickly, because the UK must complete its checks and arrange an appropriate placement.
What status do UKRS refugees receive?
Under the current published UKRS policy, people accepted for resettlement receive six months’ Leave Outside the Rules before travel and are granted Indefinite Leave to Remain and refugee status on arrival in the UK. This gives the right to live, work and study in the UK and access public services and benefits, subject to the normal eligibility rules.
This should not be confused with the temporary protection arrangements introduced for some people who make asylum claims in the UK from 2 March 2026. UKRS is a separate resettlement route for people referred from abroad, and the published UKRS policy continues to provide settlement on arrival.
Can UKRS be used to bring relatives to the UK?
UKRS is not a direct family reunion application. A family connection in the UK may be relevant to UNHCR’s assessment, but it does not create a right to referral or acceptance. People who wish to join a refugee or settled relative in the UK may need to consider a different immigration route.
The rules on refugee family reunion and family visas have changed in recent years. New refugee family reunion applications have been paused since 4 September 2025, although applications made before the pause continue to be considered. Because the correct route depends on the family relationship, immigration status and individual facts, legal advice should be obtained before an application is made.
Travel after arrival in the UK
A refugee should take advice before travelling abroad. They may be able to apply for a Refugee Travel Document and should not assume that it is safe to use their national passport. Returning to the country from which protection was sought, or using that country’s passport, can lead the Home Office to review whether refugee status remains necessary and may create problems in later nationality applications.
September 2026 update: new community sponsorship plans
In September 2026, the government announced plans for a new named community sponsorship model outside UKRS. The proposals include future routes through universities and employment sponsorship. Applications for the university sponsorship model are expected to open in autumn 2026, with first arrivals planned for autumn 2027, while a refugee work route is expected to open in 2027.
These are forthcoming arrangements and are not yet a general alternative application route. Anyone considering them should check the final rules and eligibility requirements once they are published.
When can an immigration solicitor help?
A solicitor cannot make UNHCR refer a person for UKRS or guarantee a resettlement place. Legal advice can nevertheless be valuable where there are questions about:
Alvyn Kee（纪律师）, Solicitor, advises individuals and families on complex UK immigration and protection matters. To discuss your circumstances, please contact Qazi & Co Solicitors.
Official guidance
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration law and Home Office policy can change. Advice should be obtained on the facts of each individual case.
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