Accredited official statistics

How many people come to the UK via safe and legal (humanitarian) routes?

Published 27 February 2025

Back to ‘Immigration system statistics, year ending December 2024’ content page.

Data relates to 2024 and all comparisons are with 2023 (unless indicated otherwise).

This chapter covers the safe and legal humanitarian schemes allowing certain people to come to, or remain in, the UK under the following routes:

• Ukraine Scheme visas (including Ukraine Family, Sponsorship, and Extension Schemes): introduced in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine to allow persons affected by the war to come to the UK
• British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) visas: introduced in 2021 to provide those with BN(O) status the opportunity for them and their family members to live, work and study in the UK
• Resettlement schemes: which allow for the transfer of refugees from other countries to the UK
• Family Reunion visas: which allow the partners and children of refugees in the UK to join them

1. Overview of safe and legal (humanitarian) routes

In 2024, there were 79,312 grants of leave on safe and legal (humanitarian) routes, allowing people to come to, or remain in, the UK.

This was 21% fewer than in 2023, largely due to the reduction in visas and extensions granted on the Ukraine Schemes.

Figure 1: Grants of leave on safe and legal (humanitarian) routes to the UK, by route, each quarter from 2019 to 2024 ^1,2,3,4

Source: Asylum and resettlement summary tables – Asy_11

Notes:

1. Includes main applicants and dependents.
2. ‘Hong Kong BN(O) visa’ includes both in-country and out of country visa grants.
3. ‘Ukraine Scheme visa’ includes grants from both Ukraine Visa and Extension Schemes.
4. Resettlement and relocation include the UK Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship Scheme, Mandate Scheme in addition to the Afghan Resettlement Programme.

2. Ukraine Schemes

In March 2022, the UK Government introduced the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme to allow persons affected by the war in Ukraine to come to the UK, followed in May by the Ukraine Extension Scheme, which allowed those already in the UK to remain. The Ukraine Family Scheme closed to new applications from 19 February 2024 and the Ukraine Extension Scheme closed for most new applications on 16 May 2024.

There were 19,346 grants of out-of-country visas under the Ukraine Schemes in 2024, bringing the total grants to 269,339 since they opened.

A further 3,527 in-country extensions were granted in 2024, bringing the total to 34,696.

Figure 2: Applications, grants and arrivals on Ukrainian Visa Schemes, 2022 to 2024

Source: Ukraine visa schemes summary tables - UVS_05

Notes:

1. Applications, grants and arrivals include the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

Figure 2 shows grants on the Ukraine visa schemes peaked in April 2022 soon after their introduction, with just under 120,000 grants between April and June 2022. The number of visas granted has since fallen and has remained below 10,000 per quarter since quarter 2 (April to June) of 2023.

Not everyone granted a visa will have used it, either because they have not yet arrived in the UK or may have chosen to go elsewhere or remain in Ukraine. Figure 2 shows that the number of arrivals follows a similar trend to visas granted, peaking not long after the introduction of the schemes, at 80,000 in quarter 2 (April to June) of 2022. Visas granted were initially higher than arrivals in the first two quarters of the scheme opening, suggesting some people in the early days of the scheme may not have used their visa, however numbers have been broadly aligned since.

Some of those who arrived from Ukraine will have since left the UK either temporarily or permanently. Management information indicates that as of the end of December 2024, around 97,500 people (44%) who had previously arrived on the Ukraine schemes had exited the UK and were believed to be out of the country, although some may subsequently return.

As of the end of December 2024, adult females aged 18 to 64 accounted for just under half (47%) of the people who have arrived from Ukraine since the schemes began, children (aged 17 and under) accounted for a further 28%, adult males aged 18 to 64 accounted for 20% and other adults aged 65 and over accounted for 6%.

3. British National Overseas (BN(O)) route

On 31 January 2021, British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) passport holders from Hong Kong were provided the opportunity for them and their family members to live, work and study in the UK.

There were 19,273 grants of out-of-country BN(O) visas in 2024, bringing the total grants to 176,714 since the scheme opened.

On the BN(O) route, since its introduction on 31 January 2021 to 2024, there have been a total of: 

• 182,652 out of country visa applications, with 18,916 in 2024 
• 176,714 out of country visas granted, with 19,273 in 2024 
• 161,200 people have arrived in the UK (rounded), with 20,700 in 2024 
• 45,468 in-country extension applications with 9,030 in 2024 
• 43,205 in-country extensions granted, with 9,641 in 2024

4. Resettlement

There were 7,815 refugees resettled in the UK in 2024, 91% of whom arrived through the Afghan Resettlement Programme.

The UK runs a range of resettlement schemes to bring refugees from other countries to the UK. The Afghan Resettlement Programme includes those relocated after applying to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, or resettled under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme. Information on the different resettlement schemes and the differences between resettlement and relocation can be found in the user guide.

There were 7,815 people resettled in 2024. This is an 81% increase from 2023 when 4,327 people were resettled.

Of those resettled in 2024:

• 91% (7,081) arrived through the Afghan Resettlement Programme and 9% (734) through the UK Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship and Mandate Schemes
• the most common nationality was Afghan (90%), whereas prior to 2021 the most common resettled nationality was Syrian most of whom were resettled under the now closed Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS)

Figure 3: People resettled and relocated, by scheme, 2015 to 2024^1,2

Source: Asylum applications, decisions and resettlement - Asy_D02

Notes:

1. Date at which the refugee arrived in the UK.
2. ‘Other resettlement schemes’ include the Gateway Protection Programme, the Mandate Scheme and Community Sponsorship.

Between 2015 and 2020, the VPRS and VCRS resettled a total of 21,698 people, mainly Syrian nationals. Since the first arrivals in 2021, the Afghan Resettlement Programme has resettled a total of 31,944 people while the UK Resettlement Scheme has resettled 3,756 refugees since its launch in 2021. Out of the 31,944 people resettled on Afghan schemes, almost half (14,801) were brought to the UK in July to September 2021, in response to the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in August 2021.

4.1 International comparisons of refugee resettlement 

International resettlement data is sourced from UNHCR and is accurate as of September 2024.

International comparisons should be made with caution as available data from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) relates only to UNHCR resettlement schemes (the UK Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship Scheme, Mandate Scheme and ACRS Pathway 2). The UNHCR data does not include ARAP or ACRS Pathway 1 and 3 cases, meaning it is an undercount for the UK in terms of total resettlement and relocation. Information on the different resettlement schemes can be found in the user guide.

Between 2010 and June 2024, the UK resettled over 31,000 individuals under UNHCR resettlement schemes – the sixth largest number in the world (after the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany and Sweden).

5. Family reunion

In 2024, 19,710 people were granted family reunion visas. This is more than 2 times as many grants as in 2023 when 9,320 visas were granted.

A family reunion visa allows partners and children of individuals previously granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK to reunite with them here.

Trends in family reunion visas may reflect the increase in the number of people granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in previous years, many of whom may now be eligible to bring family members. There was a notable increase in the number of people granted refugee status in late 2023 (nearly 55,000 in July to December 2023) as the government increased the number of asylum decisions, which may partly account for the increase in family reunion in the latest year.

6. About these statistics

Arrival figures linked to a Ukraine visa scheme or an out-of-country BN(O) visa are rounded to the nearest 100. Where individuals have multiple visits, only the first arrival after the visa grant has been counted. This data therefore counts people, rather than arrivals. Individuals arriving during the latest quarter may have received their grant in an earlier quarter.

The data used to record arrivals may undercount the total number of arrivals. For example, arrivals of those travelling into the UK from the Common Travel Area (from Ireland) will not be captured in the data. See the Home Office statistics on exit checks: user guide for more details.

6.1 Ukraine Visa and Extension Schemes

During March 2022, the UK government introduced 2 new visa routes to allow persons affected by the crisis in Ukraine to come to the UK. Introduced on 4 March 2022, the Ukraine Family Scheme allows applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK. The Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme was introduced on 18 March 2022 and allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

The Ukraine Family Scheme closed to new applications from 19 February 2024 and the Ukraine Extension Scheme closed for most new applications on 16 May 2024, however children who are born in the UK can apply for permission to stay after this date.

6.2 British National Overseas (BN(O)) route

In January 2021, the UK government introduced a new immigration route for British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders, providing the opportunity for them and their family members to live, work and study in the UK. This route opened on 31 January 2021 and is open to individuals who hold a BN(O) passport and are, or have recently been, resident in Hong Kong, and their dependants.

6.3 Resettlement

Refugees in other countries can be given protection in the UK via resettlement schemes. The UK works with the UN Refugee Agency (the ‘UNHCR’) to arrange for the transfer of refugees from an asylum country to the UK, with the aim of ultimately granting them permanent residence. Information on the different resettlement schemes can be found in the user guide.

6.4 Family reunion

Family reunions visas allow partners and children aged 17 and under to join those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK if they formed part of the family unit before their sponsor fled their country.

The family members do not receive refugee status themselves. Leave is given in line with the sponsor, so that the family member’s leave will expire at the same time as the sponsor. Individuals are allowed to work, study and have recourse to public funds.

7. Data tables

Data referred to here can be found in the following tables:

• Ukraine visa schemes summary tables
• Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes
• Extensions
• Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement
• Family reunion

Further information on the latest data on applications to come to or stay in the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) or Ukraine Extension Scheme is available in Ukraine Visa Schemes: visa data. The data includes totals for visa applications received and visas issued to people.

Sponsorship Scheme data split by parts of the UK and local authorities, provided by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, is available.

Demographic Data for Ukraine Visas Schemes, split by parts of the UK, is provided by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Regional and local authority data, for individuals on the Homes for Ukraine scheme, those under the Afghan resettlement Programme, and asylum seekers receiving support, is published by the Home Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

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