How to get from “continental Europe” to mainland UK (England/Scotland/Wales):
* by air
* by car/ferry
* by train Eurostar
By air:
There are 10 major airports – entry points to the UK, where there will be designated areas (Welcome Points) for you to meet your sponsor and where you can seek support, including to arrange your onward travel. These are being established at the following Airports: London-Heathrow, London-Gatwick, London-Stansted, London-Luton, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Bournemouth, East Midlands, Bristol
by car/ferry
* P&O www.poferries.com :
– Dover–Calais
– Hull–Rotterdam
* Stena Line www.stenaline.co.uk :
– Hook of Holland – Harwich
* Brittany Ferries www.brittany-ferries.co.uk :
– Portsmouth ⇄ Caen
– Portsmouth ⇄ Cherbourg
– Portsmouth ⇄ Saint Malo
– Portsmouth ⇄ Le Havre
– Poole ⇄ Cherbourg
– Plymouth ⇄ Roscoff
There is 1 major port – entry points to the UK, where there will be designated areas (Welcome Points) for you to meet your sponsor and where you can seek support, including to arrange your onward travel. These are being established at the following locations: Dover & Folkestone Port Authority
by train Eurostar:
Customs Control: https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control
Epidemic/COVID restrictions:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Then travel to N.Ireland via domestic route.
Main entry points
There are five main entry points:
- Belfast International Airport
- George Best Airport (Belfast City)
- City of Derry Airport
- Port of Belfast
- Port of Larne
How to get from mainland UK (England/Scotland/Wales) to N.Ireland:
- Flights from mainland UK (England/Scotland/Wales) to N.Ireland:
- Belfast International Airport https://belfastairport.com/
- easyJet easyjet.com : Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London–Gatwick, London–Luton, London–Stansted, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Southampton;
- Ryanair www.ryanair.com : East Midlands, Edinburgh, London–Stansted, Manchester;
- George Best Belfast City Airport https://www.belfastcityairport.com/
- Aer Lingus aerlingus.com : Birmingham, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Southampton;
Seasonal: Newquay (resumes 28 June 2025); - British Airways britishairways.com : London–City, London–Heathrow;
- easyJet easyjet.com: Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, London–Gatwick, London–Luton, Manchester;
- Loganair loganair.co.uk : Aberdeen, Inverness, Kirkwall, Sumburgh;
- Aer Lingus aerlingus.com : Birmingham, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Southampton;
- City of Derry Airport https://www.cityofderryairport.com/
- easyJet easyjet.com: Edinburgh, Liverpool;
- Loganair loganair.co.uk : Glasgow, London–Heathrow;
- Ryanair ryanair.com : Manchester;
- Belfast International Airport https://belfastairport.com/
- Ferries from mainland UK (England/Scotland/Wales) to N.Ireland:
- Port of Larne:
- P&O Ferries poferries.com : Cairnryan–Larne
- Port of Belfast (Belfast Harbour):
- Stena Line www.stenaline.co.uk : Cairnryan-Belfast, Liverpool – Belfast
- Port of Larne:
Arriving in Northern Ireland
ENG: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/arrival-and-transport-your-accommodation#toc-1
At each of the entry ports there are areas to meet your family or sponsor. You will also see information welcoming you to Northern Ireland. Port staff will be there to give immediate help, if you need it. Ideally, your sponsor will meet you when you arrive but if that is not possible, or your sponsor is unexpectedly delayed, the information and port staff will be able to help you in making your onward journey.
Go to the general information point at the port if you need to speak to someone if no-one is present at the Welcome Point.
You can also phone the free Make the Call helpline:
- phone: 0800 232 1271
Transport to your accommodation
ENG: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/arrival-and-transport-your-accommodation#toc-2
Free public transport on buses and trains is run by the state-owned company Translink to help get you to a safe place. This applies to any Translink bus or train service at any time of the day. You cannot get a return journey. The bus or train will have the Translink name and logo on the side.
Free public transport is available from any stop or station in Northern Ireland, including air and sea ports, to any place in Northern Ireland.
If you are coming to Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland first, the offer also includes free travel from Dublin on Translink Ulsterbus services from Bus Áras station or the Enterprise train service from Connolly Station.
To get free public transport from Translink you will need to show:
- your Ukrainian passport or ID issued by the Ukrainian Government
- evidence of entry into Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, such as an airline boarding card, ferry ticket or a booking email from an airline/ferry company, dated within the previous seven days
You can use the Translink journey planner to help you plan your journey or telephone the Translink Contact Centre for advice:
- Translink journey planner (external link opens in a new window / tab)
- phone: 028 9066 6630
Arrival at the border
ENG: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/ukraine-visas#toc-2
UKR: https://www-nidirect-gov-uk.translate.goog/ukraine-visas?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=uk&_x_tr_hl=en
If you have collected your visa (from a VAC outside the UK) before you travelled, or have confirmed digital status in the ‘UK Immigration: ID check’ app, you do not need to get your passport stamped on arrival to the UK.
If you come to Northern Ireland through the Republic of Ireland, you will need to get a stamp in your passport from Drumkeen House, Belfast.
To check if you need a stamp, you should email Drumkeen House with your name, date of birth and passport number:
If you do need a stamp, you will be given a day and appointment time to go to Drumkeen House.
If you have travelled into Northern Ireland, via the Republic of Ireland, before you have received confirmation from UKVI that your application for the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme has been successful, you will not be given a passport stamp.
Biometric Residence Permits (BRP)/ eVisas
ENG: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/ukraine-visas#toc-3
UKR: https://www-nidirect-gov-uk.translate.goog/ukraine-visas?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=uk&_x_tr_hl=en
Biometric information is a photo of your face and your fingerprints.
If you applied to the Ukraine schemes after 7 December 2023, you will have provided biometric information as part of the visa application process at a visa application centre (VAC) outside the UK.
You will then have been advised to collect your Biometric Resident Permit (BRP) once in the UK.
Since 31 October 2024, the Home Office stopped issuing BRP cards.
Instead, an eVisa will be used to prove a person’s immigration status.
An eVisa is an online record of immigration status. You can find out more about eVisas at the following page:
Ukrainian Schemes
If you are in the UK on the Ukraine schemes and do not have a UKVI account, you are encouraged to create one to access your eVisa.
You can do so at the following link:
If you are in the UK on the Ukraine Schemes and already have digital status, you should keep your UKVI account up to date with personal details and travel documents.
If you applied before 7 December 2023 and did not go to a VAC as part of your application, biometric information will need to be provided.
You should provide biometric information within six months of arrival in the UK.
You will automatically be contacted with a link to an online form that advises how to do this at your nearest service point:
Visa application centre services in Belfast are located at the following address:
Regus, Forsyth House,3rd Floor, Office 327,
Cromac Square,
Belfast,
BT2 8LA
- Find directions: Regus, Forsyth House(external link opens in a new window / tab)
Opening hours at this UKVCAS service point are 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.
Help is available
It’s important to know that you are not alone and there will be support to answer questions or give you information should you need it.
If you need to speak to someone you can contact the Department for Communities Make the Call team:
- phone: 0800 232 1271
- email: makethecall@dfcni.gov.uk
Advisers will do their best to help you. If they are unable to answer your questions, these will be passed on to others who are offering wraparound support, who will contact you to help you.
If you need advice or support on visa arrangements, you can contact the UK Visa Helpline:
- phone: 0808 164 8810
* NB: information valid as of 30.03.2025
