Fleeing Ukrainians with family in the UK will be able to live, work and claim benefits in Britain for three years in a Tory U-turn.
Priti Patel at first said Ukrainian relatives of people in the UK would be given leave for “an initial period of 12 months”.
But pressure mounted on the Home Secretary - after the EU announced a far more generous scheme where people could stay for three years, and with no family ties.
Now Ms Patel has changed the UK scheme to give all those eligible three-year visas, not one-year. They could be allowed to stay beyond three years under future rules.
Application fees will be waived and unlike other migrants, Ukrainians will not need to pay the £624-a-year Immigration Health Surcharge to use the NHS.
But the scheme remains only for family members of people who are already British nationals or settled in the UK.
There will separately be a “humanitarian visa route” for firms, community groups or councils to sponsor Ukrainians with no family ties to the UK, for an initial 12 months. But it has not yet launched.
The full family visa scheme opened today allowing applications from immediate family; extended family; and immediate family members of extended family.
Immediate family are a spouse or civil partner, unmarried partner in a cohabiting relationship for two or more years, a child under 18, a parent if their child in the UK is under 18, or a fiancee or proposed civil partner.
Extended family are grown-up children or their parents, grandparents, grandchildren or partners’ grandchildren, and brothers and sisters.
Some other categories such as stepchildren and foster children are also eligible.
Anyone who had applied but not yet been accepted will be given three years' leave when they get their visa. Officials are still working out a transitional plan for those who were already accepted.
Priti Patel visited Poland's border with Ukraine today to highlight the visas on offer. She told reporters: “That scheme is live, that is now working, that's up and running.
"We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine but also with our dear friends here in Poland, who are working really night and day, we can all see this, under incredible circumstances."
But critics demanded the government go further and help more people without family in the UK, after the EU extended its help to Ukrainians regardless of their family ties.
More than a million refugees have already fled Ukraine, 2% of the country’s population.
The government claim up to 200,000 could be eligible for the UK scheme but ministers admit they do not know how many will apply.
It's understood around 100 had applied under the previous version of the scheme while another 300 applied to come to the UK as visitors.
However, capacity is set to rise from 500 to 6,000 appointments a week, many of them at a pop-up visa application centre in Rzeszow, Poland.
Labour proposed an Emergency Protection Visa that would suspend all normal checks except biometrics and security, which could be carried out “swiftly” while refugees were on route.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “People need a simple and safe route to sanctuary right now. Most want to stay close to home, especially those who have had to leave relatives behind, but the UK must play its part to help people seeking support and safety in our country too.”
The SNP also proposed a visa waiver, which Ms Patel rejected due to security risks.
Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: "As we watch Ukrainian's fleeing Putin's terror, our compassion isn't limited to close family members. Our refugee scheme shouldn't be either.
"The Government must stop dragging its feet and open a full, simple and fast refugee scheme now."
Those who apply are being told to complete an online form.
They must then attend a visa application centre where their fingerprints will be taken, and then stay in the same area until called forward for approval.
A free 24-hour helpline for applicants has been set up on 0808 164 8810. It can be phoned from outside the UK using the +44 extension.
