free travel ukrainian refugees

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet: DHS Efforts to Assist Ukrainian Nationals

Updated Date:  May 27, 2022

Following Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is providing support and humanitarian relief to Ukrainian nationals in need both in the United States and abroad. To protect Ukrainians residing in the U.S., the Secretary of Homeland Security designated Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. This will allow Ukrainians here since April 11, 2022 to stay and apply for employment authorization in the U.S. To provide pathways to the United States for Ukrainians seeking refuge, DHS is working to expand current legal pathways and develop new programs in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to displaced Ukrainians. We are coordinating our efforts closely with our European allies and partners who are on the frontlines of this humanitarian crisis.

Legal Pathways for Eligible Ukrainians

While we expect many Ukrainians will choose to remain in Europe close to family and their homes in Ukraine, the United States has announced plans to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia’s aggression through the full range of legal pathways. In particular, the U.S. is focused on welcoming eligible Ukrainians who have family members in the United States and is committed to protecting the most vulnerable. The United States is working with European Union and our partners to ensure a well-coordinated, global humanitarian response and will update this fact sheet periodically with additional program information.

• Temporary Protected Status

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas designated Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. In addition to demonstrating continuous residence in the United States since April 11, 2022, and meeting other eligibility criteria, initial applicants for TPS under this designation must demonstrate that they have been continuously physically present in the United States since April 19, 2022, the effective date of this designation of Ukraine, before USCIS may grant them TPS. Information on how to apply for TPS and an Employment Authorization Document can be found here: www.USCIS.gov/tps .

Ukrainian nationals currently in the United States who are not able to return to Ukraine because they have been persecuted or fear that they will be persecuted on account of their nationality, race, religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, generally may apply for asylum. These applications should be filed with USCIS if they are not currently in removal

proceedings. Information on how to apply for asylum in the U.S. can be found here: www.USCIS.gov/asylum .

U.S. Refugee Admissions Program

The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is an inter-agency effort involving several governmental and non-governmental partners, both overseas and domestically, whose mission is to resettle refugees in the United States. The U.S. Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) has overall management responsibility for the USRAP and has the lead in proposing admissions numbers and processing priorities.

Within DHS, USCIS has responsibility for interviewing refugee applicants and adjudicating applications for refugee status. Through its cooperative agreements with Resettlement Support Centers (RSC), PRM handles the intake of refugee referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), U.S. embassies, and certain non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as the prescreening of cases and the out-processing of individuals for travel to the United States. The U.S. Government currently has a Priority 2 direct access program for Ukrainians under the Lautenberg Program for Certain members of Religious Minority Groups in Eurasia and the Baltics . This category includes Jews, Evangelical Christians, and Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox religious adherents identified in the Lautenberg Amendment, Section 599D of Title V, Pub. L. No. 101-167, as amended, with close family in the United States.

USCIS will continue to process existing refugee cases involving Ukrainian nationals that are in the USRAP pipeline and will conduct interviews and adjudicate new cases as they are presented to us. For information on the USRAP, please see Refugees | USCIS .

Humanitarian Parole

Individuals may request parole for themselves or on behalf of another individual who is outside the United States based on urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons. Parole allows an individual to temporarily enter the United States and apply for employment authorization, but it does not confer immigration status or provide a path to lawful immigration status. Parole is discretionary and issued on a case-by-case basis and should not be requested to avoid normal visa-issuing procedures, inadmissibility waiver processing, or established refugee processing channels. Parole is not intended to replace established refugee processing channels. In general, a refugee may not be paroled into the United States absent compelling reasons in the public interest with respect to that particular refugee. Additional information about potential qualification and necessary evidence for parole can be found here .

Special Situations and Expedited Processing

USCIS announced a series of immigration flexibilities that may help people affected by extreme situations, including the invasion of Ukraine. More information can be found here . USCIS is also proactively prioritizing the processing of certain applications and petitions filed by Ukrainian nationals. DHS will additionally suspend certain regulatory requirements for Ukrainian F-1 nonimmigrant students who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine.

• Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Refugee Admissions Program
• Russia-Ukraine Crisis
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

• Delay Repay |
• Accessibility Tools
• You are not signed in
• Buy tickets You have no items in your basket
• Cheap ticket alerts
• Rangers and Rovers
• Flexi Season ticket
• Weekly season ticket
• Monthly season ticket
• Monthly plus season ticket
• Annual season ticket
• Using a smartcard
• Oyster cards and contactless
• Contactless PAYG extension
• Changes to peak times and tickets on some routes
• Advance tickets
• Anytime tickets
• Off-Peak tickets
• GroupSave train tickets
• Group Travel train tickets
• Evening Out tickets
• Sunday Out tickets
• Super Off-Peak tickets
• Semi Flex Return tickets
• London Travelcards
• TfL Off Peak Fridays
• Tap2Go pay as you go travel
• 16-17 Saver
• 16-25 Railcard
• 26-30 Railcard
• Two Together Railcard
• Disabled Persons Railcard
• Family and Friends Railcard
• HM Forces Railcard
• Veterans Railcard
• Network Railcard
• Senior Railcard
• Paying with Apple Pay
• Paying with Google Pay
• Family train tickets
• Combined ferry and train tickets
• Price promise
• Business Direct
• Industrial action FAQs
• Train times
• Download SWR timetables
• Changes to your journey
• How busy is my train?
• Live times and updates
• Planned engineering works details
• May engineering work
• June engineering work
• July engineering work
• Platform zoning pilot scheme
• Network map
• Car parking
• Live station car parking
• Onward travel
• InPost parcel lockers
• Free Wi-Fi at our stations
• Airport links
• Class 158 "Express Sprinter"
• Class 159 "South Western Turbo"
• Class 444 "Desiro"
• Class 450 "Desiro"
• Class 458 "Juniper"
• Class 707 "Desiro City"
• What can you bring on board?
• First Class
• Window Seater
• Assisted Boarding Points
• Accessibility
• Assistance dogs
• Discounted fares
• Sunflower lanyards
• Wheelchairs, scooters and ramps
• Travel Assistance Card
• Travelling with a bike
• Travelling with kids
• A student's guide to train travel
• Travelling with pets
• Customer Council
• Meet the Manager
• Ticket checks and revenue protection
• Safeguarding
• Our performance
• National Rail Passenger Survey
• Our service quality report
• Destinations
• Things to do
• Day trips and breaks
• Business Life
• Local Highlights
• Sights and attractions
• SWR Rewards
• Jack Reacher competition
• 2FOR1 Offers
• Upgrading the Island Line
• Heritage railways
• Delay Repay
• Changing your train tickets
• Strike ticket acceptance, refunds and compensation
• Making a claim after disruption
• Lost property
• Smartcard help and support
• Make a complaint
• My Account |
• Accessibility Tools |
• Cheap train tickets
• Season tickets
• Smart tickets
• Ticket types
• Railcards and discount cards
• How to buy train tickets
• Industrial action
• Planned improvements
• Planned engineering calendar
• Engineering work weekly summary
• Our train stations
• On board facilities
• Assisted travel
• Customer Experience
• Staying safe
• Performance
• Where Next travel blog
• Competitions
• Island Line
• Train ticket refunds

You’re being redirected to an external website.

• Train Tickets /
• Free travel for Ukrainian refugees

Ukrainian displaced persons travel scheme

We’re joining the uk railway industry in providing free travel for ukrainian refugees on the national rail network.

To help Ukrainian citizens travelling to the UK, we're offering free onward travel on South Western Railway services to get you to a safe place. 

To make use of the Ukrainian displaced persons travel scheme, you will need to show your Ukrainian passport and a boarding pass or ticket showing your arrival into the UK. The offer is also valid on all train operators in England, Scotland, and Wales, and you’ll have 48 hours from arrival in the UK to complete your journey.

If your journey requires you to travel between London national rail stations, you’ll be able to use London Underground and DLR services to do so.

Head to our journey planner  to plan your journey. To make planning easier, you can also translate our website into Ukrainian using the accessibility tools at the top of this page.

You'll be eligible for free travel if you're a Ukrainian that's arrived into the UK within the last 48 hours. 

The journey can be claimed within 48 hours of arrival. The free travel scheme started on 26 March 2022 and will continue until 24 July 2023. Arrangements for after 24 July 2023 are being considered.

All the information can be translated into Ukrainian using the accessibility tools at the top of the page, or you can visit nationalrail.co.uk/ukraine .

You will not need a permit to travel. Show your passport and travel document to a member of our staff at the station or on board the train to confirm that you’ve travelled from Ukraine, and you’ll be allowed to travel.

We’ve got generous luggage allowances, and we’ll take your situation into account when you travel. You can find out more about what’s allowed on our trains on our luggage information page .

Any visas or legal documents required to enter the UK will have been checked before you arrive in the UK by Border Force personnel, and you won’t be asked to show it again by our colleagues on board. You’ll need to present your Ukrainian passport and a ticket or boarding pass showing when you arrived in the UK.

Engineering works will affect your journey

You need to enable JavaScript in your browser to see Live train arrivals and departures through this website� (and also instructions on how to enable JavaScript)

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Local transport

Transport Secretary extends scheme helping Ukrainian evacuees reach safety in the UK

The onward travel scheme for Ukrainian refugees will be extended for 6 months.

• Ukrainian evacuees arriving in the UK continue to be offered one free journey to reach their final destination
• over 2,900 Ukrainian evacuees have benefitted from the scheme, so far
• this scheme makes the incredibly difficult journey for evacuees fleeing Ukraine, in some part, easier

The Transport Secretary has today (18 December 2022) announced the extension of a travel scheme helping Ukrainian evacuees reach safety in the UK.

For a further 6 months, the free onward travel scheme will continue to grant all Ukrainian evacuees arriving in the UK one free journey either by rail, coach, tube or bus to reach their final destination.

The Department for Transport is working closely with operators to ensure support for Ukrainian arrivals is in place across the country.

The scheme is providing vital support to those who need it the most and today’s extension means passengers will continue to be protected should the situation in Ukraine escalate any further.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

We know, for those who have had to flee their homes in Ukraine and find sanctuary in the UK, this support has been vital, making the difficult journey to safety in some part easier. We will continue to do all we can to stand with Ukraine and Ukrainians, and this scheme is an important first gesture on their arrival in our country.

So far, over 2,900 Ukrainian evacuees have used the vital scheme, which has made it easier for Ukrainians fleeing war to reach safety and sanctuary in the UK.

The Transport Secretary is writing to rail, bus and coach operators to thank them for their generosity in facilitating the scheme and for their willingness to continue offering it.

The department has been widely informed by scheme partners that onward travel is a commonly requested area of support for refugees and the free onward travel scheme has made a huge difference for those fleeing Ukraine, following the illegal Russian invasion.

The scheme, which was launched in March 2022, provides Ukrainian arrivals with a single no cost onward public transport journey within 48 hours of arrival at major English entry ports to their final destination in the UK.

News desk enquiries

Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

Switchboard 0300 330 3000

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

• Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)
• Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Related content

Invasion of ukraine.

• UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals
• Move to the UK if you're coming from Ukraine
• Homes for Ukraine: record your interest
• Find out about the UK’s response

Is this page useful?

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.

Map: Which countries are accepting Ukrainian refugees?

More than 520,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighbouring countries in the wake of Russia’s invasion, the UN has said.

More than 520,000 people have fled Ukraine into Poland and other neighbouring countries in the wake of Russia’s invasion, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has said.

The latest and still growing count had 281,000 people entering Poland, more than 84,500 in Hungary, about 36,400 in Moldova, over 32,500 in Romania and about 30,000 in Slovakia, UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo said. The rest were scattered in unidentified other countries, she added.

Keep reading

Russian regulator warns local media over coverage of ukraine war, romania on edge as russia invades ukraine, ukraine: a view from a city ‘frozen in horror’, russia’s invasion of ukraine: key moments from day three.

Most of the arrivals have been women and children. All men aged between 18 and 60 have been prevented from leaving Ukraine to stay and fight.

Poland , which was already home to an estimated 1.5 million Ukrainians before Russia’s invasion and which has expressed steadfast support for Ukraine, has so far seen the bulk of those fleeing Ukraine cross into its territory.

Global visa requirements for Ukrainians

On Friday, Ireland announced it was immediately lifting visa requirements for Ukrainians. The UN said the number of people seeking refuge outside of Ukraine to other countries could rise to five million. Several European countries are preparing for an influx of Ukrainian refugees and have offered humanitarian help. The US said it was providing emergency aid but signalled that Europe should be their primary destination.

Ukrainians can travel to some 140 countries and territories without the need for a visa or with a visa on arrival. The map below shows the visa requirements for Ukrainians as of February 26.

Closed airspace and cancelled flights

Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights on February 24, citing a high risk to safety. Russia also closed its airspace for civilian flights on its western border with Ukraine and Belarus. Several airlines have cancelled flights to Kyiv. The European Union said it would restrict exports of aircraft parts to Russia.

In recent weeks, dozens of countries have urged their citizens to leave Ukraine. Many airlines have generally avoided flying over eastern Ukraine since 2014, after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over separatist-held territory. All 298 people on board, 198 of whom were Dutch citizens, were killed.

The map below shows the flights over Europe on February 26.

Ukraine’s main population centres

Ukraine has an estimated population of 44 million – the seventh-largest in Europe. The country comprises 24 regions, known as oblasts. The country’s population has declined since the 1990s with fertility rates among the lowest in the world. As of 2020, Ukraine’s fertility rate was just 1.2. For context, in order for a population to remain stable, an overall total fertility rate of 2.1 is required.

Ukraine is the second- largest country in Europe, after Russia. At 603,550sq km (233,031sq miles), Ukraine is a bit smaller than the US state of Texas, about three times smaller than India, half the size of South Africa and about two and a half times the size of the UK.

The map below shows where the country’s inhabitants are concentrated.

Conflict at a glance

After months of tensions and intense diplomacy, Russian forces launched a “ special military operation ” in Ukraine on February 24. Explosions were heard across the country. Kyiv declared martial law, saying Ukraine will defend itself.

On Saturday, fighting reached the streets of Ukraine’s capital as Russia presses ahead with its invasion. Below is a summary of the conflict at a glance.

Support to Ukrainian refugees comes in different forms: Online groups, financial aid, housing

More than 1.2 million  Ukrainian refugees have crossed the borders looking for safety after the Russian invasion last week, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

As the world watched the conflict unfold, many took to social media to offer solidarity with the Ukrainian people  – and some, to offer their homes.

Online spaces like Host a Sister , which started in 2019 as a safe space for female travelers to connect and find (or offer) places to stay, quickly pivoted to a community of women helping refugees. Though group membership is limited to women and people who are nonbinary, some members also host families.

Host a Sister's founder is encouraging others to reach out.

"It has been overwhelming and sad to read some of the posts, to feel helpless being far away, but seeing how some women and children are already receiving help and shelter makes me happy that there is a platform such as Host A Sister for people faraway to help however they can," she told USA TODAY. 

READ THE FULL STORY:   'I left all my stuff, all my dreams': Refugees fleeing Ukraine find help, housing online

HELP UKRAINE: Want to support the people of Ukraine? These apps and websites can help you send money

Support for Ukraine: Housing help

Here are some other online resources for refugees seeking lodging or assistance: 

• The Accommodation, Help & Shelter for Ukraine  Facebook group is full of people across the globe offering Ukrainian refugees a temporary home, whether it's their couch or a spare bedroom.
• Natalia Szulczewska, a member of Host a Sister, started the group Transport a Sister  specifically to help refugees from Ukraine.
• Kayra Martinez, an American who has been volunteering with refugees in Europe for the past seven years, founded the group Love Without Borders for Refugees in Need , which helps refugees in Greece express and financially support themselves through art while educating others about the refugee experience. 

Do you know of other resources? Help us create a larger list by filling out this form . 

Airbnb offers housing to Ukrainian refugees

Airbnb and the independent nonprofit Airbnb.org offer free  short-term housing to up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine . The stays will be funded by Airbnb, donors to Airbnb.org Refugee Fund and Airbnb.org hosts. 

Free flights from neighboring countries for Ukrainian refugees

Wizz Air is offering free seats and a cheap "rescue fare"  through March.

"We are committed to helping as many Ukrainian refugees as possible to get to a safe place, which is why we will be offering them 100,000 free seats from the border countries and special rescue fares on all other flights," József Váradi, chief executive officer of Wizz Air, said in a statement.

The free tickets apply for selected flights departing in March 2022. One carry-on bag is included, the airline says.

Ukrainians can also book €29.99 "rescue fare" tickets to those who have already moved away from bordering nations and are stranded in other locations. The price applies to all flights not included in the free seat option, excluding flights to the United Arab Emirates, Iceland, and the Canaries.

Both price options apply only to bookings made through  https://wizzair.com/#/rescue

CORE distributing hygiene products, COVID tests and more to refugees

Community Organized Relief Effort, or CORE, is in Poland "supporting the immediate needs of people fleeing Ukraine in the wake of a massive humanitarian catastrophe," according to its website .

A statement from the emergency response nonprofit founded by Sean Penn said it is distributing hygiene products, providing cash assistance and supporting testing and vaccination efforts in accommodation sites to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among refugees.   

"As the needs evolve on the ground, CORE’s efforts will continue to adapt to support the refugees as they relocate away from their homes in Ukraine," CORE's website reads. 

Those interested in donating or learning more can visit CORE's website at  www.coreresponse.org .

Nations accepting Ukrainian refugees

A number of nations are accepting Ukrainian refugees, including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Germany. 

Ukrainian nationals who hold a biometric passport can access EU countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, according to a spokesperson for the European Union Agency for Asylum.

Help Ukraine with donations to these apps and sites

A handful of vetted nonprofit organizations have been shared by journalists for those looking to help. Websites, apps, social media pages and crowdfunding initiatives are raising money for various charities and platforms.

Find the list here , which includes the Red Cross and Bitcoin donations to Kyiv-based Come Back Alive Foundation.

Contributing: Marc Saltzman

Advertisement

‘You Just Have to Open the Door and Help People’: Poland’s Tourism Industry Aids Refugees

As Ukrainians flood into Poland, the travel industry has become part of an effort to supply transportation, accommodations and more to people fleeing the Russian invasion.

• Share full article

By Ceylan Yeginsu and Magdalena Chodownik

• March 10, 2022

Tourism in Poland’s historic city of Lublin was in a deep off-season lull last month when Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine , sending tens of thousands of people fleeing across the country’s eastern border, about 60 miles away.

Suddenly, rooms filled up at hotels as busloads of bleary-eyed refugees — mostly women and children — arrived in the town’s center looking for food and shelter.

The crisis has local travel workers and companies in Lublin swept up in an effort to supply transportation, accommodation and food to ensure that every refugee is provided with decent living conditions when they arrive. Bus companies are offering free rides, hotels have pledged to provide temporary free housing and workers are rounding up basic necessities for refugees who often had to leave everything behind.

Their efforts are part of a huge grassroots movement across Poland — and beyond — as individuals and businesses scramble to raise funds, collect donations and volunteer their time to aid Ukrainians who have fled Russia’s invasion of their country.

“We have a whole army here, a network of hotel connections that works as a crisis team 24 hours a day, communicating fast with each other to check the availability of rooms and sending Ukrainians to one another,” said Marta Koman, the director of the Arche Hotel Lublin . Arche Hotels, a Polish hotel chain, has pledged more than $1 million to provide free temporary housing for Ukrainian refugees across its 16 locations in Poland.

“Such help requires a lot of money, but these are special situations. I hope we will not have to escape also,” she said, referring to the prospect of the war spilling over to Poland.

Pitching in as translators and child-care workers

The scene at the Arche Hotel is emblematic of the situation at large in Lublin and in other towns and cities along the Polish border.

Employees there have been thrust into new roles, working around the clock as translators and child-care workers, handling logistics or simply providing emotional support for the arriving refugees. They say they are unable to think about the war’s impact on their livelihoods.

“I don’t think about tourism, you just have to open the door and help people,” said Anna Kurkowska, a server at the Arche Hotel Lublin. In addition to serving food to incoming Ukrainians, she is also helping to watch their children.

Among the refugees who have been staying at the hotel: a group of children from a Ukrainian orphanage. The Arche turned one of its conference rooms into a playroom where they screened fairy tales on the television and played games like hide and seek and tag.

Witalij Proszyn, a server of Ukrainian origin, has also been working as a translator. He said many of the people arriving were emotional and under great distress, with the staff scrambling to help.

“I do not know if it is still a hotel, it sure is, but it is also now a single-family house,” he said. “That’s how I feel.”

Not all hospitality companies have joined the effort, and some hotels have raised their prices during the crisis. At the Hilton Garden Inn in Rzeszów, not far over the Polish border from the Ukrainian city of Lviv, rooms that were going for about $80 suddenly cost more than $200, according to the hotel’s website; at the Victoria hotel in Lublin, rooms that usually cost between $40 and $60 now cost more than $140, according to its website. Governments have also block-booked hotel rooms and transport services for their staff, who often do not show up, which has caused accommodation shortages and contributed to price hikes.

Andrei Kuskovec, a 14-year-old from Ukraine’s Rivno region who is now being housed at the Arche, started breathing heavily as he described the moment he fled from his home with his mother and three siblings. They had to leave his father and one brother behind. (The Ukrainian government has mandated that men aged 18 to 60 are not allowed to leave the country.)

“Dad came over and said, ‘get dressed, in five minutes you’ll be leaving,’” Andrei recalled. “He could come with us, but he did not want to leave my brother behind who is 22 years old. If they decide to let men go, my brother will come, too, but for now, it is as it is.”

In the Arche Hotel lobby, a Ukrainian woman was shaking and crying. She had been on the phone with her parents in Ukraine when she heard an explosion over the line and the connection was lost. She had not been able to reach her husband and daughter for more than a day, and was unsure whether they were alive. When Ms. Koman, the hotel director, approached her, the woman showed her pictures on her phone and said, “this is my home, this is my home,” pointing to a Russian tank next to her house.

“We are professionals, but also we are people who have emotions, feelings, and seeing these people in pain and being fully professional is really very hard, but I think you have to adapt to the new situation,” Ms. Koman said.

‘War stopped everything’

One month ago, travel operators and local tourism boards had started voicing optimism about a post-pandemic recovery, receiving inquiries from international group tours and business travelers interested in visiting Poland after a two-year hiatus. Tourists spent more than $110 million in Lublin in 2019, according to the Central Statistical Office of Poland. Now, many fear that the war threatens any prospect of a rebound this spring and summer. They are bracing for an uncertain future, even as their present focus is on the plight of refugees.

“The outbreak of the war stopped everything,” said Krzysztof Raganowicz, the director of the Lublin Metropolitan Tourism Organization. “As a city and a region, we always lose when something disturbing happens beyond the eastern border of the country, even though it is completely safe in our city. Tourists prefer to choose places far from any dangers for a quiet vacation.”

As the war approaches a third week, some travel operators are exploring ways to assist refugees over the coming months. A local initiative run in collaboration with the tourism organization aims to start “guided city tours” to show newcomers core institutions of the area, including hospitals, schools and local government buildings. They also plan to organize cultural trips for children to local museums, galleries and other sights.

FlixBus, a German company that offers intercity bus service in Europe, has been offering free rides for refugees arriving at the Polish-Ukranian border. Free travel is also available for those arriving from Bucharest, the Romanian capital.

“Our priority is to help people coming from Ukraine and to help where it is the most urgent,” said Michał Leman, the managing director of FlixBus in Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

“Currently, most of our buses on routes from Przemyśl and Rzeszów are fully occupied, partly by passengers who bought tickets before the free travels were available, and partly by people who applied for such a ride,” he said. “We are closely monitoring the situation and will increase the number of connections for free travel if necessary.”

The Ilan Hotel in Lublin, in a building that once housed a yeshiva, was converted into a hotel by the Jewish Religious Community of Warsaw, which manages it. The hotel has blocked off all 40 of its rooms for refugees and is using its facilities to collect household items that will help them get settled.

“We are from a completely different industry, but at the moment we are fully focused on helping refugees,” said Agnieszka Kolibska, the hotel manager. “At the beginning, it was about immediate help for a few days, but now, we are also thinking about long-term help like finding jobs for people.”

“They really need everything from panties to socks and shoes, because the suitcases they had with them had to be left because there was no space in the train for their bags,” Ms. Kolibska said. “It’s not like they come with a suitcase and bags — they have two buns in black plastic bags and that is it.”

Sending help from farther afield

Larger travel companies have also joined the effort to offer facilities and services to refugees. Airbnb, in partnership with its nonprofit arm Airbnb.org, has been working with hosts to supply free temporary housing for up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine to neighboring countries like Poland, Hungary and Romania.

Thousands of people around the world have also booked and paid for Airbnbs within Ukraine, with no plans to travel there, in efforts to send money to Ukrainian homeowners. Between March 2 and 3, more than 61,000 nights were booked in Ukraine, 34,000 of them by people in the United States, the company reported.

Paige Holden, 43, an interior designer from Los Angeles, was at first skeptical about the initiative, concerned that if she booked an Airbnb property the hosts would not be able to access the funds. But after reaching out to some of them and seeing their desperation, she immediately booked an apartment in a Kyiv property, which sent $4,700 to a family of five.

“After I sent out an inquiry, a woman in Kyiv sent me a picture of her three young children, huddled in a cold, dark basement filled with other distraught families,” Ms. Holden said.

“You have to remember that these people lost everything overnight, their homes, their incomes, they have nothing left but to fight for their lives,” she said.

Over the past week, Benjamin Wagner, 27, a part-time tour guide and history student based in Berlin, has been driving refugees from that city’s central train station to host families across the city, volunteering through a WhatsApp group.

“At this time, it doesn’t matter where you are from, what you do or where you work,” Mr. Wagner said. “We all have one collective responsibility to help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. This humanitarian crisis affects us all, and tomorrow we could be in their shoes.”

Magdalena Chodownik reported from Lublin, Poland.

52 Places for a Changed World

The 2022 list highlights places around the globe where travelers can be part of the solution.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places for a Changed World for 2022.

Ceylan Yeginsu is a travel reporter. She was previously a correspondent for the International desk in Britain and Turkey, covering politics; social justice; the migrant crisis; the Kurdish conflict, and the rise of Islamic State extremism in Syria and the region. More about Ceylan Yeginsu

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

President Biden and Ukraine’s allies have invoked a sense of urgency over weapon deliveries. But there are logistical hurdles , and Ukraine has little time to lose.

The United States has accused Russia of using chemical weapons , including poison gas, “as a method of warfare” against Ukrainian forces, in violation of a global ban on the use of such weapons.

Russian troops have captured or entered around a half-dozen villages on Ukraine’s eastern front, highlighting the deteriorating situation in the region  for Ukrainian forces as they wait for long-needed U.S. military aid.

Signs of Trauma: As Ukrainian prisoners of war return with physical and psychological wounds stemming from torture by their Russian captors, they are being sent back to active duty — often without adequate treatment .

Patriotism or Survival: As the war drags on, communities in western Ukraine that were steadfast  in their commitment to the war effort have been shaken by the unending violence on the front line.

Resuming U.S. Military Aid: Weapons from the support package, considered “a lifeline” for Ukraine’s military , could be arriving on the battlefield within days . But experts say it could take weeks before there is a direct impact on the war . What would $60 billion buy ?

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

Filed under:

• World Politics
• Europe’s embrace of Ukrainian refugees, explained in six charts and one map

Data shows why Ukrainian refugees are being treated differently than others fleeing violence.

Share this story

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on Twitter
• Share this on Reddit
• Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: Europe’s embrace of Ukrainian refugees, explained in six charts and one map

More than 3 million people have fled Ukraine in the weeks since the start of Russia’s invasion . Europe hasn’t seen an exodus of this scale and speed since World War II. Equally unprecedented is the welcoming attitude that countries neighboring Ukraine have had toward these refugees.

Race, culture, and religion certainly play a role in the warm welcome fleeing Ukrainians have received. But recent history is another factor. Though Ukraine isn’t part of the European Union, the ease with which Ukrainians have been able to work and travel to EU countries have made them fixtures in the bloc, and that — perhaps even more than geography — has contributed to a sense that they are Europeans currently in need of aid from other Europeans.

In the weeks since the start of the invasion, all of Ukraine’s borders except those with Russia and Belarus have remained open. Most refugees used one of the 31 border checkpoints in western Ukraine and entered Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. Poland took the majority, close to 2 million as of March 18 .

The governments of these nations — and non-governmental groups — quickly worked out emergency plans to help those fleeing the Russian invasion. The EU announced on March 4 that Ukrainian citizens (who, pre-war, didn’t need a visa to stay up to 90 days in the EU territory) would be entitled to the newly enacted temporary protection directive —permitting them to live, work, and study in EU member states for up to three years.

The exact implementation may differ from country to country, and some plans may still shift. For the five neighboring countries that opened borders to let Ukrainians in, all except Moldova are EU members.

Non-Ukrainians, however, didn’t get the same rights or legal protection. In the first few days of Russia’s invasion, there were incidents in which Ukrainian citizens were allowed to cross the border while non-Ukrainians faced obstacles to doing so . Now, at least on paper, people can cross the border regardless of nationality. Poland issues a 15-day temporary permit, Romania a 90-day transit visa, and Hungary a 30-day residence permit to non-Ukrainians. Officials expect them to go back to their home countries before those permits expire, or apply for asylum if they wish to stay longer.

The disparity between how Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian refugees are being treated is stark. It brings to the fore longstanding debates about what makes someone European, and who is worthy of Europe’s protection. It’s also key to understanding why Ukrainians have been met with open arms by the rest of Europe.

Why refugees from Ukraine have been treated differently

European countries haven’t seen such a large number of displaced people in this short period of time in recent history. It took three weeks for 3 million to leave Ukraine. While at least a couple hundred thousand Ukrainians have returned home , that’s still an overwhelmingly fast flow of people. When 3 million Syrians fled their country due to the war, it took two years to reach that milestone , and an even longer time for Syrian refugees to reach Europe.

To put the size of the population fleeing Ukraine into perspective, nearly 6 million people applied for asylum in European Union countries from 2013 to 2021. About 2.5 million sought asylum during 2015 and 2016.

Syrian refugees saw a very different reception than the Ukrainians currently fleeing Russia’s assault have — one that’s more reminiscent of the welcome non-Ukrainians have received, and consistent with the experiences other refugees of color have faced when trying to reach Europe. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called arriving migrants fleeing the Syrian war a Muslim invasion in 2015 and built border walls to fence them off. Last October, Poland entered a state of emergency when thousands of refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq attempted to cross the border from Belarus into the European Union.

Polls across the EU reflect a deep wariness about certain immigrants. Generally, European countries are less welcoming to immigrants of races and ethnicities that differ from their predominantly white populations. And people in eastern European countries, including Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland, are less likely to think immigrants should be allowed in than their western counterparts, according to the latest European Social Survey , conducted across the bloc in 2018.

A push to repatriate refugees has led to efforts like Denmark working to send its Syrian refugees from Damascus back home . Across Europe, far-right parties have expanded their power , both in individual nations and the EU parliament, partially on an anti-immigration platform.

The different treatment toward Ukrainian refugees is rooted in a sense that, although Ukraine isn’t in the EU, its citizens are European. People from European countries see themselves in the Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. That has been clear from their public statements, including those tinged with racist and xenophobic ideas about what it means to be European.

“These people are Europeans,” Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said . “These people are intelligent. They are educated people. ... This is not the refugee wave we have been used to, people we were not sure about their identity, people with unclear pasts, who could have been even terrorists.”

While refugees from Middle Eastern, African, or Asian countries are seen as “others,” the geographic proximity, similar skin colors and religions, as well as the social-economic ties to the EU states all contribute to the identification of Ukrainians as “us” — Europeans.

An increasingly unified European identity has formed among the eastern European countries that joined the EU in the 2000s. Most citizens of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania see themselves as citizens of the European Union.

While Ukrainians aren’t EU citizens, they have enjoyed visa-free travel in the EU member states since 2017. By 2020, they were the third-largest group of non-EU citizens living in the bloc, behind citizens of Morocco and Turkey.

Before the war, most Ukrainians in the EU came for work. More than half of Ukrainian migrants residing in the EU got their residence permits through work. In 2020, 86 percent of the Ukrainians who applied for residence permits for the first time received their permits for employment-related reasons, the highest among all other nationals.

Ultimately, Ukrainians want their country to join the EU . Four days into the war, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted an application for EU membership, an act then mirrored by former Soviet states Moldova and Georgia. The EU application and linkage processes take a long time, and western members of the bloc have rebuffed Ukraine’s request to fast-track its approval. But after years of roadblocks, the path is “ open for them to take .”

Will you support Vox today?

We believe that everyone deserves to understand the world that they live in. That kind of knowledge helps create better citizens, neighbors, friends, parents, and stewards of this planet. Producing deeply researched, explanatory journalism takes resources. You can support this mission by making a financial gift to Vox today. Will you join us?

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via

In This Stream

Russia-ukraine crisis.

• Ukraine is finally getting more US aid. It won’t win the war — but it can save them from defeat.
• What it’s like to flee Ukraine

The longshot plan to end the war in Gaza and bring peace to the Middle East

Why america’s israel-palestine debate is broken — and how to fix it, what the backlash to student protests over gaza is really about, sign up for the newsletter today, explained, thanks for signing up.

Check your inbox for a welcome email.

Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again.

These Travel Companies Are Helping to House and Transport Ukraine Refugees

Travel companies including marriott bonvoy, airbnb, holland america, and uber continue to find ways to help those fleeing ukraine..

• Copy Link copied

Holland America Line’s “Volendam” is housing Ukrainians in the Netherlands.

Photo by Shutterstock

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the refugee crisis associated with it, have tugged at the heartstrings of people across the world, whether they’ve visited the eastern European country or not. According to the United Nations , as of April 28, more than 5.4 million people have fled Ukraine.

We’re now more than two months into a war with no end in sight—and those refugees still need a helping hand. From the beginning, many travel companies have been supporting those who have been displaced in the best way they know how: by providing a place to stay or a ride out of harm’s way.

Here are just a handful of the many travel-related companies that continue to provide aid to those escaping the violence — along with some ways you can help, too.

Marriott Bonvoy

The hotel group is encouraging loyalty program members to donate their points to offer aid to people in Ukraine and its neighboring countries. The two organizations Marriott Bonvoy has partnered with thus far are World Central Kitchen (providing meals and supplies) and UNICEF (getting the children of Ukraine access to safe water, nutrition, health care, education, and more). Every 2,500 points are equal to $10 cash to the organizations. The brand will match donations point-for-point for up to 100 million points.

“To date, over 46 million Marriott Bonvoy points have been donated,” the brand said in a press release on April 7, adding, “We are undertaking relief efforts of our own, including many of our hotels providing accommodations and supplies to refugees fleeing their homes. Our hotels and associates have raised over $1.7 million in cash and in-kind donations. More than 80 of our hotels in neighboring countries have signed up to provide free hotel stays for refugees through Hospitality Helps , donating over 11,000 free room nights to date.”

Airbnb’s nonprofit arm, Airbnb.org , is helping provide free temporary housing for as many as 100,000 refugees from Ukraine. To do so, it has partnered with International Organizations for Migration , HIAS , Nova Ukraine , Save the Children Sweden , and the government of Germany to pair those in need with places to stay.

As of April 20, more than 11,000 displaced people had received accommodations in Europe.

“While Airbnb.org collaborates with organizations that are supporting all refugees, regardless of nationality, race, ethnicity, or how they identify, these nonprofits which with Airbnb.org is now working are specifically dedicated to assisting people from marginalized communities who are fleeing Ukraine, including African students, people with rare diseases and their families, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+,” Airbnb.org said in its latest press release.

Anyone interested in supporting Airbnb.org’s initiative can donate directly on the site or sign up to offer free or discounted stays on Airbnb.org/help-Ukraine . As of April 20, more than 28,600 people worldwide had signed up to offer their homes.

Another option that’s been popular with Airbnb users has been to book stays in Ukraine. Even if they have no intention of going, the funds still get into the hands of locals.

Holland America

At the start of the war, the Netherlands committed to accommodating 50,000 people fleeing Ukraine. Some, at least temporarily, will call Holland America Line’s Volendam home. The vessel will dock in Rotterdam and will house and feed 1,500 displaced people for three months.

“We are in a unique position to accommodate the immediate need for food and housing, so we felt it was very important to work with the City of Rotterdam and charter this ship,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line, in a statement . “Our company was founded in Rotterdam around the mission of helping immigrants find a better life. So today, we’re proud to be a small part of a similar mission for Ukrainians who have tragically been displaced.”

The ship was supposed to set sail for voyages in Norway, the British Isles, and Iceland on May 15 but canceled sailings until July 3 to accommodate the three-month commitment. The ship will be docked at a cargo port on the River Maas. Those aboard will have use of all facilities.

Holland America Group has also set aside $1 million for an emergency assistance fund for its own Ukrainian employees.

The ride-share company recently launched an in-app donation button to allow riders to make donations to the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian organization that helps those whose lives are touched by major crises to recover and rebuild. The app will match donations of up to $1 million. It also made an additional “$500,000 donation to the International Federation of Red Cross and World Food Program USA in support of the UN World Food Programme’s humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and neighboring countries,” Uber said in a press release .

Miles4Migrants

While not technically a travel company, this nonprofit organization uses travel benefits to help refugees in need.

Miles4Migrants accepts donated miles from frequent fliers for refugees who need flights to safety. Since its inception in 2016, the company said it has redeemed more than 370 million miles and has helped more than 30,000 people travel. For the war in Ukraine, the company is booking flights for those in temporary housing in border countries to help them reach longer-term homes worldwide.

Those looking to help can donate miles from any airline on the Miles4Migrants website . The organization is also looking for donations of cash and flight vouchers, which will be used to pay for award taxes and fees.

>>Next: Cruise Lines Skip Russia and Head to These Beautiful Ports Instead

Britain’s train operators offer free travel for Ukrainian arrivals

Operators will provide free onward train travel for Ukrainians on arrival in the UK.

Train operators are working together to provide support to Ukrainian arrivals by offering free onward travel to their final destinations in Britain .

The scheme will be live from Sunday 20 March 2022, and complements offers made by the European Railway Family, to provide safe and free passage for Ukrainians.

Trade body Rail Delivery Group has worked across the industry and Government to make sure the scheme is as simple as possible, so that:

• Ukrainian arrivals who have entered the UK will be able to travel for free on the national rail network by showing their Ukrainian passport and a boarding pass or ticket showing arrival into the UK
• they will have 48 hours from arrival in the UK to complete their journey; and
• the scheme applies to all train operators in Britain, and many bus and coach operators are also offering free onward travel to final destinations.

Jac Starr, chief executive at Rail Delivery Group, said: “We have all been shocked by the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine. As an industry we know this is the right thing to do, making sure families affected by this tragedy can be reunited as quickly as possible, and helping others get to safety.

“Similar schemes have been launched on the continent so I am proud that we are standing alongside our European Rail family and doing what we can to help.”

Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary, said: “We are working tirelessly to help Ukrainians travelling to Britain fleeing conflict.

“It is hugely welcome that the transport industry has come together to offer free rail, tram, bus and coach onward travel from any international port, airport or train station.

“The UK stands with the Ukrainian people and those fleeing Putin’s brutal invasion.”

Rail Delivery Group

Information about the scheme on the National Rail Enquiries website

Travel Information for Ukrainians

Travel can be expensive in the UK; some areas are helping out by giving free bus passes to Ukrainian refugees. Check with your local council to see if they offer such a scheme. Children and older age people can also usually get free or cheap transport.

On this page

Getting to your initial destination on arrival in the uk, booking travel online, getting around in london, free bus travel in wales, coach travel, money-saving railcards.

• ‘Split and save’ train tickets

Pensioners / older people

Travel discounts on universal credit, train and tube service disruptions.

The Government has instructed travel operators to provide free transport for the first 48 hours , in order to enable you to get to your initial destination in the UK (either to your family member or your host). This means you can use any and all means of public transport (such as bus, train, Underground) to get to your destination.

You just need to show your Ukrainian passport and ticket showing date and time of arrival. Note: there does not appear to be an option to pre-book travel online for free.

See https://www.gov.uk/guidance/welcome-points-and-travelling-to-your-sponsor-homes-for-ukraine for more information.

Sometimes, it can be cheaper to pre-book travel online.

Commercially owned websites such as The Trainline allow you to plan your journey between destinations and they also show you options for coaches, not just trains. You can choose to have your tickets emailed to you as e-tickets, or pick them up from the station at ticket collection points before you travel.

Whilst these websites are convenient, they will charge you a small booking fee for their service, whereas you can book directly with the train or coach service provider to save this. So for example, you can search on the public website National Rail for the same train journey, you will be redirected to the website of the train company to book your ticket and you shouldn’t be charged a booking fee.

If you don’t have a debit card yet, buy an Oyster card (Transport for London card) from any local shop and add some money on it. The card itself will cost £5 but you can get this refunded when you no longer need the card. The disadvantage of this is that you need to have enough money on the card to pay for your journeys, so you need to keep ‘topping it up’ by buying more credit in local shops.

You can also use a contactless debit card to pay for travel; this takes the money direct from your bank account so you don’t need to ‘top up’ and is easier to manage.

The system is clever enough to work out what is the right price to charge you so that it doesn’t charge you more for a day’s travel than a travelcard would cost. Always remember to use the same card to ‘touch out’ when you finally exit at the very end of your journey as the one you used to start with, or you may be charged the wrong (highest) fare, as it assumes the worst case scenario to decide what journey you actually made.

You should register your contactless card on the Transport for London website, using this link: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/contactless-and-oyster-account . You can then see all the journeys you have made using that card. If for some reason, you believe you have been charged the wrong fare (maybe you forgot to ‘touch out’ to complete your journey), you can request up to 3 refunds per month. You can register your card even after you have made the journeys, as it will track the last 12 months of journeys.

Buses are cheaper than the Underground tube, which is in turn cheaper than trains. For the Underground, if you need to change lines to get to your final destination, it is ‘one journey’ as long as you do not exit the barriers.

Transport for London have a journey planner which includes buses, Docklands Light Railway and the Underground.

For refugees in Wales, a free bus ticket called the ‘Welcome Ticket’ is available until 24 July 2023, when it will be reviewed again. For more information, please see https://www.traveline.wales/free-bus-travel-scheme-for-refugees-welcome-ticket/ . A large number of bus and coach companies are signed up to this.

National Express provide comfortable coaches that can be significantly cheaper than trains for travel between different cities.

Coachcards are available for young, senior and disabled people, saving you money on standard coach fares.

If you are a young person, disabled, a family, or over 60, and plan to use trains often to travel between different cities, it may be worth buying a railcard. You pay an annual fee for the railcard, and then use it to get a significant discount on what you would normally pay on the train fare, subject to the conditions of the railcard. Thus, overall, if you travel enough, this may work out to be more economical for you. Rememer to carry your railcard with you when you travel, as you may be asked to show it to the ticket inspector.

See the full range of options available and apply here: https://www.railcard.co.uk/ .

‘Split and Save’ train tickets

Sometimes, if you are travelling from one city to another, you can save money by splitting your journey into segments, where the sum of all the individual segments adds up to less than the whole journey.

You don’t need to change trains, but you will have multiple tickets issued. E.g. if you are travelling from A to B, via C, then you may have a ticket from A to C, and then a separate ticket from C to B, on the same train.

See https://support.thetrainline.com/en/support/solutions/articles/78000000442-splitsave for how it works. It’s not available for all journeys, or on all train booking websites, so it’s worth checking a website that offers the option (like https://www.thetrainline.com/ ).

If you are over 60, you can get free or discounted travel, especially on buses. Check what is available in your local area. For example, in London, you can get free travel on the underground and trains after certain times – 60+ London Oyster photocard – Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk) You will need a letter from a bank as a proof of address.

If you are on Universal Credit, you can apply for a Jobcentre Plus travel discount card, for 3 to 9 months (or 18 to 24-year-olds) or 3 to 12 months (over 25s).

You can apply for this through your Job Centre Work Coach and local Jobcentre Plus.

Children usually travel for free or discounted rates. For example, in London, children aged 11 to 15 can get a ZIP card which offers free and discounted travel: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/11-15-zip-oyster-photocard

Always check before travelling that there are no disruptions to the timetables. These could be because of:

• Industrial action / strikes by workers (these can be called at relatively short notice, and then also called off, usually just as you’ve rearranged your plans to avoid travelling!)
• Planned engineering works (these usually take place at weekends, and there may be special ‘rail replacement buses’ laid on by the rail operator between the railway stations that the trains would have serviced, but of course, a bus is much slower than a train so you would need to allow more time)
• Unexpected delays (e.g. fatalities on the railway line)

See the following links for information on train and tube services:

• https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/travel-information/industrial-action/ for planned strikes on the train network
• https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/status-and-disruptions/ for status updates on train networks, including strikes and planned engineering works, as well as any unexpected delays
• https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/strikes for a list of planned strikes on London tube and train networks
• https://tfl.gov.uk/tube-dlr-overground/status/ for live status updates including strikes and planned engineering works on the London transport network, as well as any unexpected delays (usually rare)

Stay Informed & Support Us

Sign up to stay informed about important updates and see how you can help us to support more people

Privacy Overview

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Ukraine’s refugees: how many are displaced and where will they go?

More than 1 million people have already crossed the border, with numbers set to rise as the Russian invasion intensifies. What has been the response of neighbouring countries?

What is the expected scale of the refugee crisis in Ukraine ?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could see the “largest refugee crisis this century”, the UN refugee agency has warned, with up to 4 million people fleeing the country in the coming weeks and months.

More than 1 million people have already crossed borders since 24 February, when the Russian invasion began.

The 2015 refugee crisis saw 1.3 million people attempt to reach Europe from countries including Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Where are people going?

Domestic civilian flights were cancelled on the first day of the invasion. Since then, people have been heading west into neighbouring countries including Poland, Romania, Moldova and Hungary.

More than half – nearly 548,000 – have fled to Poland which shares a 500km border with Ukraine. A further 133,000 have gone to Hungary, 72,000 to Slovakia, 51,260 to Romania, and nearly 98,000 to non-EU Moldova, Europe’s poorest country. A small number, just over 350, have travelled to Belarus.

What has been the response of neighbouring countries?

In contrast to previous migration waves, neighbouring countries such as Poland and Hungary have opened their borders to everyone fleeing the Russian attacks. However, there have been reports of people of colour trying to flee Ukraine, mostly students from Africa and the Middle East, being pushed back and suffering racial discrimination when trying to cross borders.

At the Polish border, people, mostly women and children, are waiting up to 60 hours to cross. Ukrainian men are not allowed to leave as they are legally obliged to help defend the country. The UN refugee agency says conditions are bleak, temperatures are freezing and many are spending days on the road waiting to cross.

The Polish authorities have offered comprehensive help to refugees, including free train travel and access to healthcare. Poland also dropped its requirement to show a negative Covid test.

Hungary has opened sections of its border that were closed to migration. Moldova already has networks of volunteers providing support and hosting families crossing the border.

Germany and Austria are offering free train travel to those seeking to reach their countries.

What has been the response across Europe?

The EU has reacted with a swift and unified response. By the end of this week, EU member states are expected to have triggered a hitherto unused directive, created in 2001 after the wars in Yugoslavia and Kosovo, known as the Temporary Protection Directive.

Designed to operate when the traditional asylum system is overwhelmed, it is expected to give Ukrainian refugees the right to live and work in the EU for up to three years. Ukrainians will also be able to work, access education and housing without having to claim asylum.

However, the directive will not offer these rights to non-Ukrainian nationals such as temporary workers or students. The European Commission’s original proposal for the directive was also watered down in relation to “third country” [non-EU or Efta trade bloc] nationals who have long-term residence in Ukraine. National asylum laws will apply to them. It is understood that Poland and Hungary were the most vocal in calling for these changes.

What has the UK response been so far?

So far the UK has struck a different tone to its European neighbours. The government has said it could take in 200,000 or more refugees, if they are relatives of British nationals or Ukrainian people already settled here. Businesses will also be allowed to sponsor a Ukrainian person to come to the UK.

• Rights and freedom
• Migration and development
• European Union

Most viewed

• LANGUAGE OPTIONS

Your gift will provide urgently-needed assistance to Afghan refugees and their families as they rebuild their lives in the United States.

Congress Restores Access to Benefits for Thousands of Ukrainians

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) applauds Congress for its vote authorizing Ukrainians who are now arriving in the United States to receive resettlement support and other assistance.

As part of a $95 billion supplemental package signed by President Biden on April 24 , Ukrainian humanitarian parolees who have arrived in the United States since September 30, 2023, are newly eligible for resettlement assistance and other benefits available to refugees.

“This long-delayed vote reaffirms the United States’ commitment to welcome Ukrainians displaced by the war in Ukraine,” USCRI President and CEO Eskinder Negash said. “We are grateful members of Congress finally addressed this harmful lapse in support for newly arriving Ukrainians.”

The Office of Refugee Resettlement will issue a Policy Letter to publish the new eligibility requirements for Ukrainians to receive services under the updated law. That Policy Letter will be shared here upon its release.

In May 2022, Congress authorized Ukrainian humanitarian parolees to receive resettlement assistance and other benefits available to refugees, including cash assistance, federal mainstream benefits, case management, legal services , and more. Generally, Ukrainians were considered eligible for this support if they arrived by parole between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023.

This authorization connected thousands of Ukrainians to services throughout the United States—but it came with a looming cut-off date.

In the fall, Congress did not update U.S. law to grant eligibility to Ukrainians who were newly arriving after September 30, 2023. This lapse had immediate consequences across the country, as Ukrainians arriving in the United States could not enroll in services at resettlement agencies —as their compatriots had, without controversy, for more than a year.

As Negash argued in The (Cleveland) Plain-Dealer , the lapse suddenly left Ukrainians and their U.S.-based sponsors “in limbo.”

Congress also approved $481 million in supplemental funding for the Office of Refugee Resettlement , as well as $9.15 billion in other humanitarian aid.

“For months, we’ve recognized that extra funding was necessary to support the growing needs of domestic refugee resettlement and international humanitarian operations,” Negash said. “At a time of worsening displacement—in Sudan and across the world—Congress met the moment in a key way.”

USCRI believes new authorization language will likely be necessary later this year. The new benefits eligibility window in law now applies to Ukrainians arriving via parole through September 30, 2024. Without another update, newly arriving Ukrainians will be ineligible for support once again starting in October.

“Given current country conditions in Ukraine , it is likely that Ukrainians will continue to seek refuge in the United States as the war continues,” Negash said. “Congress should be ready to act to continue this authorization into Fiscal Year 2025.”

Congress has not authorized an extension of support for newly arriving Afghan parolees, who have been rendered ineligible for benefits since the fall as newly arriving Ukrainians had been. Appropriations bills for the next fiscal year should also address this cut-off, as Afghans continue to arrive in the United States via the humanitarian parole process .

“Lapses in support for parolees once again remind us how the United States must equitably provide access to lasting protection, most centrally through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and its track record of success,” Negash said.

USCRI, founded in 1911, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization committed to working on behalf of refugees and immigrants and their transition to a dignified life.

For inquiries, please contact: [email protected] .

Related Posts

To Displace & Destroy: Sexual...

Content sensitivities: the following policy brief contains detailed language about sexual violence.   An estimated one in three women and...

After a Year of War,...

By Omer Omer and Eskinder Negash Wars in Ukraine and Gaza have rightfully drawn the attention of the world to...

The Situation in Sudan After...

One year ago, Sudan erupted into widescale conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. Since then,...

DYLANNA GRASINGER

VICE PRESIDENT OF REFUGEE PROGRAMS

Dylanna Grasinger is the Senior Director of Field Offices for the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. Ms. Grasinger has over 20 years of experience in helping protect the rights of refugees and immigrants in local communities. Prior to taking on her current role, Ms. Grasinger served as the Director of USCRI Erie. She has also served in various leadership positions throughout the Midwest, United States as well as Bursa, Turkey. She has extensive experience in program development, budget oversight, compliance, and transformational leadership. She holds a B.A. in English from Kent State University, where she also received certification in Teaching English as a Second Language. She also earned an M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution from Creighton University.

TAYLOR MCNABOE

MANAGER OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Taylor McNaboe is the Manager of International Programs at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). In his role, he oversees USCRI’s international programs in El Salvador, Mexico, and Honduras in addition to undertaking the expansion of USCRI’s field offices in Latin America and Africa. He began working at USCRI in 2021 as a Program Assistant for the Reception and Placement (R&P) and Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA) Programs. Additionally, Taylor has prior experience with NGOs in the Middle East and North Africa that deal with migration-related issues. He has an MA in Intercultural Mediation in the Mediterranean Region from Cà Foscari University and an undergraduate degree in French and Chinese from the University of Edinburgh.

KELCI SLEEPER

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Kelci Sleeper is the Associate Director of Communications at USCRI, where she oversees the Communications team and all USCRI communication, including social media, website design and maintenance, public relations, email marketing, branding, graphic design, and more. Most recently, she led the Marketing and Communications team for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Atlanta. Kelci has an MA in Public Relations from the University of Georgia and a BS in Journalism and Mass Communications from West Virginia University.

DIRECTOR OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Wony plans, coordinates, directs, and designs all operational activities of the MIS department, as well as provides high availability and security solutions that enhance mission-critical business operations and continuity. He has over 22 years of information technology experience in both the private and nonprofit sectors. Prior to joining USCRI, Mr. Pak worked as a Network Engineer and System Integrator at various companies including Technology Automation Management Inc., Comstor Inc., and RHI. He completed Local Area Network study at Computer Learning Center and has achieved various IT training and certifications including CNE, MCSE, and CCSA. Mr. Pak holds B.A. in Music Composition at the University of New Orleans.

MATT HAYGOOD

VICE PRESIDENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Matt is responsible for the oversight of USCRI’s Children’s Services including the Home Study and Post Release Services for Unaccompanied Children, READY4Life, and the Unaccompanied Children Resource Center. Matt is a clinical social worker who has been working with refugee and immigrant youth for more than 15 years. He previously worked as therapist with immigrant youth and oversaw housing programs for runaway and homeless youth at the Latin American Youth Center. He later managed the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor program in Washington, DC at Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area. Matt served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic and received his Masters of Social Work from Columbia University. He has been working at USCRI since 2016.

ESKINDER NEGASH

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Eskinder Negash is President and CEO of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), an organization founded in 1911 to protect the rights and address the needs of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide and support their transition to a dignified life. Mr. Negash is a recognized senior executive leader and brings nearly 40 years of proven non-profit management experience on behalf of refugees and immigrants.

Prior to joining USCRI, he served from 2009-2015 as Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), the largest government-funded refugee resettlement organization in the world. With a budget of over $1.5 billion, the ORR plays a critical role in providing essential services to a wide range of vulnerable people through the Resettlement Program, Rescue & Restore anti-trafficking campaign, and the Unaccompanied Children’s Program. Under his leadership, ORR served more than 850,000 people in six years.

Under Negash’s leadership, ORR served more than 400,000 refugees, 150,000 asylees, 125,000 Cuban and Haitian Entrants, nearly 21,000 Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders, 3,200 Victims of Trafficking, over 32,000 U.S. repatriates, and almost 116,000 unaccompanied children, totaling more than 850,000 people during his six years of service.

Prior to his appointment by the Obama Administration, Mr. Negash served as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of USCRI for seven years. He also was the Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the International Institute of Los Angeles for 15 years. Mr. Negash served as a board member with several non-profit organizations, including two years as Chair of the Joint Voluntary Agencies Committee of California, Chair of the California State Refugee Advisory Council, and Board Member of the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA).

In 2016, Mr. Negash served in the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee for Public-Private Partnership considering the formulation of U.S. polices, proposals, and strategies for developing public-private partnership that promote shares value with the private sector worldwide. In 2009, Mr. Negash received an “Outstanding American By Choice” award from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security, which recognizes naturalized U.S. citizens who have made significant contributions to both their community and their adopted country. In 2010, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) honored Mr. Negash as one of ten distinguished men and women whose stories of hope and transformation epitomize the refugee journey.

XAVIER GRAHAM

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Xavier Graham joined USCRI in 2019 as the Director of Finance and Compliance. Prior to joining USCRI, Mr. Graham served as the Executive Director of Finance with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children leading the finance operations. He also served in several leadership positions in New York City and London. He has over 15 years of accounting and finance experience working with private, non-profits and public practice. Mr. Graham is a Certified Accountant and holds a Master’s degree in Accounting & Finance studies.

ANNAMARIE BENA

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

AnnaMarie Bena is responsible for overall management, growth, and quality service delivery of USCRI’s programs for unaccompanied immigrant children, including residential care program, unaccompanied minors post-release and home study services; legal services program; and trafficking survivors support programs. Her portfolio includes USCRI’s policy and advocacy unit. AnnaMarie brings over 20 years of experience working on refugee and immigrant issues. Most recently, she served as the Director of Policy in the Office of Refugee Resettlement. She also has worked for UNHCR, the HHS Office of the General Counsel and CLINIC. AnnaMarie holds a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame and a B.S. in journalism from the University of Maryland. AnnaMarie served for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon.

Associate Director, Center for Refugee and Immigrant Health

Mita Patel is the Associate Director of the Center for Refugee and Immigrant Health. Building on USCRI’s robust legacy of technical assistance, she is working to create a technical assistance, advocacy and policy arm centering the health needs of refugees, immigrants and special populations.

Mita brings over 18 years of experience designing and implementing, training, advocacy and public health programs focused on integrating community-based primary care, mental health and wrap-around services, maternal and child health, health systems strengthening, and human rights.

Her areas of expertise include the use of technology in health preparedness and response, communicable disease control, care coordination, data analysis, and the utilization of CHW models in healthcare. Prior to USCRI, Mita served on the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s Medical team. She earned a Master’s in Public Health with a focus on Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

ALEJITA RODRIGUEZ

DIRECTOR OF EL RINCONCITO DEL SOL SHELTER

With over 25 years of dedicated experience in working with vulnerable youth, Alejita Rodriguez brings a wealth of experience to the field of social work. In 2021, Alejita joined USCRI as the shelter Director of Rinconcito del Sol, a role that highlights her unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children. Alejita earned her Master’s degree from Grand Valley State University where she developed a solid foundation of knowledge and skills to address the complex challenges faced by vulnerable youth. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a profound commitment to program development, ensuring programs are both innovative and effective. This dedication extends to compliance, as she is well-versed in regulatory and legal requirements, ensuring the utmost safety and quality of care for the children under her supervision. Alejita has been a catalyst for youth development, using her experience to create supportive, nurturing environments that enable children to thrive.

JEFFREY KELLEY

Jeff Kelley has spent his career both in public service and in the private sector, focusing on communications, public affairs and government relations. He has worked for both the U. S. government and the private sector in the U.S. and Europe.

Most recently, Mr. Kelley served in the Obama Administration as Director of Public Affairs for the Administration for Children and Families. ACF houses programs such as refugee resettlement (ORR), Head Start, child welfare and foster care, and the nation’s family assistance program (TANF).

Mr. Kelley owned Peer Communications LLC, where he organized conferences on communications strategy for the senior public affairs executives of more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. He worked for more than 20 years for the DuPont Company, first as executive speechwriter for the Chairman, then in several senior management roles, including more than a decade in Geneva, Switzerland, leading the company’s communications and government affairs teams in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Earlier he was press secretary to U. S. Senator Thomas J. McIntyre (D-NH) and in the Carter Administration he was special assistant and speechwriter for Health and Human Services Secretary Patricia Roberts Harris.

Mr. Kelley’s volunteer experience includes six years on the Board of Visitors of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy at Dartmouth College, a nationally acclaimed institutional home for social science research, teaching and experiential learning. In that role he has sponsored and mentored undergraduate interns working for the USCRI. He taught English as a second language at a center for immigrants in Washington, D.C. and volunteers as a National Parks Service guide at Ford’s Theater.

Mr. Kelley earned an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

DIRECTOR OF LEGAL SERVICES

Hila Moss joined USCRI in November 2015 as a bilingual Staff Attorney with the Nuevo Comienzo, unaccompanied minor program, where she represented children in their applications for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, asylum and family-based petitions. In March of 2019, she was promoted to Managing Attorney and implemented a cohesive management structure while obtaining new funding opportunities for pro- and low-bono legal representation of survivors of crime, trafficking, and unaccompanied minors. In April 2022, she was promoted to the Associate Director of Legal Services and expanded USCRI’s legal department to include 14 offices with nearly 40 staff members serving refugees, immigrants and paroled Afghan arrivals. In December 2022, she was promoted to Director of Legal Services and currently oversees USCRI’s legal department. She also serves as the Project Director for USCRI’s government-funded Immigration Legal Services for Afghan Arrivals (ILSAA) contract. She resides in North Carolina with her family and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Appalachian State University and a Juris Doctorate from Campbell Law School

BART BACHMAN

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF TRAFFICKING SERVICES

Bart Bachman is the Associate Director of Trafficking Services at the  U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants  (USCRI), where he oversees administration of the  Trafficking  Victim Assistance Program (TVAP) and the Child Trafficking Victim Assistance Demonstration Program (Aspire). He started with USCRI’s TVAP program in 2017 and previously served as the regional Program Officer monitoring project implementation in ACF Regions 1, 2, 3, and 10. Prior to joining USCRI, Bart worked at the Migration Policy Institute in its International Program, where he published an article in the Migration Information Source entitled “Diminishing Solidarity: Polish Attitudes toward the European Migration and Refugee Crisis.” He holds an M.A. in German and European Studies and a B.S. in International Politics from Georgetown University.

DIYA NIJHOWNE

DIRECTOR OF REFUGEE AND SOCIAL SERVICES

Diya has some twenty years of experience promoting human rights around the world. For over a decade as the Executive Director of the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, Diya oversaw all management, advocacy, and operations functions, working to safeguard education during armed conflict. Previously, Diya served as a child protection officer in emergencies with UNHCR in Ethiopia and with UNICEF in Kenya, implementing programs to register and trace unaccompanied children and provide technical guidance on protecting the most vulnerable. Diya also researched juvenile justice systems with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and worked with several NGOs to build the capacity of local organizations to protect human rights, particularly women’s and minority rights. Diya has an MSW and JD from the University of Toronto.

EARL S. JOHNSON

Earl Johnson serves as a Member of USCRI’s Board of Directors following a decades long career in public service at the federal and state level. Mr. Johnson has been a leader nationwide in promoting responsible fatherhood and economic security issues related to men and boys of color.

He was appointed by the White House to serve as the Director of the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (HHS/ACF). In this position Mr. Johnson oversaw an annual budget of $17.8 billion. In this role, he was the principle policy and administrative manager for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

Before accepting his current position, he was the Senior Policy Advisor and Interim Workforce Investment Board Director for the City of Oakland and Mayor Ron Dellums. Prior to that he was the Senior Program Officer for the California Endowment and the Associate Director for the Rockefeller Foundation’s Working Communities Division. He also served as the Associate Secretary for Planning and Evaluation for the California Health and Human Services Agency.

Mr. Johnson has worked serving families and children for his entire career. He brings this passion to USCRI’s programs for refugee and migrant families and children.

Earl Johnson has a Ph.D. from UCLA’s School of Social Work and Public Policy. He holds an M.A. from the University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy and a B.A. in Political Science from the American University in Washington, D.C. He has also completed Harvard University’s Executive Management Program on Negotiation.

REGIS G. MCDONALD

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR

Regis G. McDonald is an accomplished social service executive with decades of experience in managing and developing cutting edge programs and services for youth and families involved with the child welfare, juvenile justice, child mental health and immigration systems.

Mr. McDonald at the time of his retirement was Senior Vice President for Programs at The Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, New York. The Children’s Village was founded in 1851 in Lower Manhattan as the New York Juvenile Asylum. Today, the Children’s Village is a nationally and internationally respected multi-service human service organization with a staff of over 1,500 and an annual budget exceeding $91M. Mr. McDonald’s work at CV positively impacted and enriched every aspect of the organization, including its work on Undoing Institutional Racism and providing shelter and staff secure care to unaccompanied immigrant children.

At the invitation of the First Lady of Guatemala Mr. McDonald participated in two Central America Regional Child Migration Forums. One in 2013 in Antigua, Guatemala and the second in 2016 in Washington, DC. He served as a member of the United States Department of Justice Interagency Working Group on Separated & Unaccompanied Children in 2014.

Mr. McDonald earned an Associate in Arts degree from Wentworth Military Academy & College. He is the recipient of the Ted Messmore Honor Graduate Award, Wentworth’s highest award. Mr. McDonald was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Missouri State College and a Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University School of Social Work.

Sam Udani has been involved with the immigration community in the USA for most of his career spanning three decades, involving immigration politics and immigration policy and covering all manner of immigration into the USA, including refugees. He has been a tireless advocate for enlightened immigration laws for the USA since ACWIA, AC21/ACTA and continuing from then on.

Mr. Udani currently serves as the Law Publisher and CEO of ILW.COM and Immigration Daily, a position he has held for over twenty years. As Publisher, he directs all activities of the website and newspaper with over 50,000+ pages of free information on immigration law that receives 250,000 visitors per month. Under Mr. Udani’s direction ILW has conducted 600+ CLE seminars, published over two dozen immigration law books and conducted hundreds of immigration events in over a dozen countries. Earlier in his career, Mr. Udani founded an advertising agency and a small company in international trade.

A hallowed name for refugees, and generally for the entire immigration field, is Edith Lowenstein who served as Editor of Interpreter Releases, the first (and for half a century the only) periodical reporting on developments in immigration/refugees – Interpreter Releases was housed within USCRI’s predecessor entity for its formative decades. Today’s Immigration Daily is in direct descent of Interpreter Releases, Mr. Udani is always reminded of this when before Edith Lowenstein’s image in USCRI’s board room.

Mr. Loc Nguyen, a Social Advocate of the Vietnamese American community, served for 41 years as the Director of the Immigration and Refugee Department of Catholic Charities, of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Born in South Vietnam, after college Mr. Nguyen was drafted into the South Vietnamese Armed Forces, where he became a war correspondent for almost three years. In 1975, he was advised to depart Vietnam before the Communists from North Vietnam took over, which he did. Mr. Nguyen fled to the United States and became a political refugee.

As a Director of the Immigration and Refugee Department of Catholic Charities, Mr. Nguyen fought for justice, promoted immigration laws in defending immigrants and refugees’ interests. He’s traveled to numerous refugee camps in the world and has helped resettle hundreds of thousands of refugees as well as helped hundreds of thousands of family members reunite in the United States. Mr. Nguyen became a well-known advocate and activist in the Vietnamese communities, not only in the United States, but worldwide.

Due to his continuing advocacy efforts for the refugee community, Mr. Nguyen has received recognition and awards from US Senators John McCain, US Representatives: Howard L. Berman, Xavier Becerra, Adam Schiff, David Dreier, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Zoe Lofgren…, California Governors Pete Wilson & Gray Davis, California Senate Resolution #341, CA Senators John Nell Soto, Joe Dunn, John Seymour, Lou Correa, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, Asian Pacific Family Center, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services, County of Los Angeles, City of Westminster, Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation, Los Angeles and Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Nguyen’s fundraising efforts includes organizing fundraising activities and important gatherings such as Rock the Vote, and musical concerts to raise funds to build the Vietnamese and American Veterans Memorial in California, Texas, Florida, etc. He’s promoted and helped with the fundraising activities throughout the USA, Canada, and Australia to help Syrian, Afghanistan, Ukraine as well as Vietnamese refugees. Also assisting Disabled Veterans of the former Republic of Vietnam, who still suffer in Vietnam, and to build a Memorial for Victims of Communism in Washington DC.

In 2005, Mr. Nam Loc Nguyen was selected by The Orange County Register as one of the “Thirty to Watch – Leaders of the Future;” and his life was the subject of an independent film, “Green Dragon” based on his experiences as a refugee more than 40 years ago. In 2007, Mr. Nam Loc Nguyen received, along with actress Salma Hayek, the “Immigrant Family Advocate Award” from the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA). Also in 2010, the Office of Refugee Resettlement / U.S. Department of Health and Human Services honored him with the “Excellence in Leadership Award” for his significant contribution and services to the refugee communities throughout the world.

In addition to all the efforts mentioned above, for the past 20 years, Mr. Nguyen uses his innate abilities in assisting his fellow countrymen in numerous weekly Radio talk shows and Television programs on Immigration / Refugee and Social Services.

JOHN MONAHAN

John T. Monahan, JD, is interim dean at the School of Nursing & Health Studies and senior advisor to Georgetown University’s President. A Georgetown community member for many years, he holds Georgetown academic appointments as Professor of Medicine, Senior Lecturer at Georgetown Law, and Senior Fellow at the School of Public Policy, and has taught courses at NHS, Georgetown Law, and the School of Foreign Service.

Over the course of his professional career, the core of Monahan’s work has focused on addressing complex health and social service programs affecting vulnerable populations in the United States and internationally.

In his varied career, Monahan has served as Legal Counsel to US Senator David Pryor; Law Clerk to US District Court Chief Judge John Grady; and is a veteran of numerous political races, including the Mondale and Clinton presidential campaigns. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, he serves on the boards of the National Network for Public Health Law, US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, and Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless.

Monahan holds bachelors and law degrees cum laude from Georgetown University.

KATHARINE LAUD

Katharine Laud’s path has combined finance and non-profit management to provide opportunities to under-served communities, including women, minorities, immigrants and people of color for wealth creation.

Ms. Laud is currently the President of Opportunities Credit Union, the 11th largest credit union in Vermont, which offers innovative and affordable financial services to Vermonters. Before assuming her current position, Ms. Laud was the Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration at the University of Vermont Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to serving the university community. She was the Chief Financial Officer of a non-profit that focused on affordable housing for low-income people. Ms. Laud has served on a number of corporate boards, including the Board of Directors for Provident Financial Services, a NYSE-trading bank holding company, a member of the Audit and Governance Committees and as Chair of the Wealth Management Committee. While serving on the Board of Directors of the First Morris Bank and Trust. She was instrumental in the founding of the Wealth Management Division.

Ms. Laud has used her extensive background in finance to build avenues to wealth creation and management for diverse and under-served communities in Vermont. She has brought corporate efficiencies to non-profit management to promote economic self-sufficiency among low-income people.

Katharine Laud earned a B.A. and an M.B.A. at Dartmouth College.

KEVIN BEARDEN

Kevin Bearden is an accomplished senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in strategic business growth, corporate operations and the management of large performance-based federal programs, including humanitarian solutions, cloud, cyber data analytics and intelligent automation systems.

Currently, Kevin leads the humanitarian solutions portfolio at Cherokee Federal serving as Vice President. His new organization provides influx facility wrap around and direct care services for unaccompanied children as well as refugee support services for newly arrived Afghan parolees. Mr. Bearden previously served in C-suite and other key senior executive roles at The Providencia Group (TPG), SOS International (SOSI) and General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). Before entering the private sector, he was a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corp and served both on active duty as well as in the Army Reserves.

Kevin is very passionate about supporting underserved and vulnerable populations. He’s traveled both domestically and internationally as part of humanitarian missions assessing the plight of unaccompanied Eritrean minors along the Ethiopian border, he’s visited urban refugee processing centers in Nairobi Kenya and has overseen numerous domestic immigration programs supporting HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), DoS’s Bureau of Populations Refugee’s and Migration (PRM) as well as DOJ’s Executive Office for Immigration and Review (EOIR). In his spare time – Kevin volunteers and mentors aspiring young men in local DC based urban education centers.

Mr. Bearden holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins.

JEFFREY METZGER

DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR

Jeffrey Metzger, an attorney who has worked in corporate, government, and private practice, brings to USCRI’s Board of Directors extensive legal expertise in ethics and compliance as well as a personal drive to serve the refugee and immigrant community.

Most recently, Mr. Metzger was Staff Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Unisys Corporation, where he was responsible for the company’s litigation, counseling the company’s government businesses, and directing the company’s federal government contracts organization. He also designed the company’s first ethics compliance program and then served as Corporate Ethics Officer.

Before coming to Unisys, Mr. Metzger served on the professional staff of the President’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Defense Management, where he was principally responsible for making recommendations on defense industry compliance issues. He also served in the Civil Division of the Department of Justice for a number of years, representing the United States in procurement fraud and government contract litigation. Before joining Justice, he worked in private law practice in Washington, D.C., chiefly in the international trade area. Before attending law school, Mr. Metzger worked as issues coordinator in the first Senate campaign of President Joe Biden.

Mr. Metzger’s interest in refugee issues led him to represent, on a pro bono basis, children who sought Special Immigration Juvenile Status in the D.C. trial courts.

He earned a B.A., magna cum laude, from Amherst College, and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law School.

HELEN R. KANOVSKY

AUDIT COMMITTEE CHAIR

Helen R. Kanovsky’s distinguished career in housing began with her interest in social justice. Ms. Kanovsky has served in the U.S. government, private sector and labor movement, bringing to USCRI’s Board of Directors a wealth of expertise and experience in housing across sectors.

She currently is General Counsel at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), where she oversees the association’s internal legal affairs, compliance and human resources operations.

Prior to joining MBA, Ms. Kanovsky was the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and had served as HUD’s acting Deputy Secretary. Previously, she was General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer at the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust. She was the General Counsel at both GE Capital Asset Management and Skyline Financial Services. Additionally, Ms. Kanovsky worked in private practice and on Capitol Hill, where she served as Chief of Staff to Senator John Kerry.

Ms. Kanovsky is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, the American Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association. She served for three years as the Chair of the National Housing Conference. She has spent her entire career working and advocating for stable affordable housing as a human right.

Helen holds an A.B. degree in government from Cornell University and graduated Cum Laude from Harvard Law School.

GENE DEFELICE

TREASURER & FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR

Gene DeFelice serves as USCRI’s Treasurer of the Board of Directors. He is an accomplished attorney as well as a seasoned corporate executive. His areas of expertise include business management, compliance and corporate governance.

Mr. DeFelice is currently the Managing Director of Novo Strategic Partners, a company specializing in legal and corporate management solutions including compliance; governance; human capital; licensing, mergers and acquisitions; regulatory issues; legislative affairs; and forensic services. Previously Mr. DeFelice served as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Rackspace, a global leader in cloud computing and IT infrastructure with approximately 6,200 employees and $2 billion in revenue. He was Executive Vice President, Corporate Counsel and Corporate Secretary for HMS, a $450 million public healthcare technology, healthcare data analytics and medical services company. He has extensive experience in management, compliance and governance in Fortune 500 companies across a number of industries, including medical technology, healthcare analytics, pharmaceuticals, cloud computing and IT infrastructure.

Mr. DeFelice has sat on the boards of a number of non-profit organizations, donating his time and expertise to improving non-profit management and operations. He served for many years as USCRI’s Board Chairman.

Mr. DeFelice graduated from Rutgers University, earned an M.B.A. with distinction from Webster University in Switzerland, and was awarded a Doctor of Law from Seton Hall University.

KATHARINE CROST

Katharine I. Crost serves as the Secretary of USCRI’s Board of Directors. She brings to the organization wide-ranging experience in the field of securities and corporate finance as well as non-profit leadership.

Ms. Crost is currently Senior Counsel in the Structured Finance Group at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP. Ms. Crost has been rated as a top capital markets and structured finance lawyer by numerous organizations. She has advised the firm’s clients on many innovative transactions in response to the 2008 financial crisis, including housing and financial regulatory reforms. Her extensive portfolio at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP includes serving on the Firm’s Executive Committee, establishing and chairing the firm’s Women’s Initiative and acting as a Practice Group Leader.

Ms. Crost has been a passionate advocate on behalf of immigrants, refugees and global citizens worldwide. She has served as a Board Member of the Women’s Refugee Commission and currently serves as a Member of the Emeritus Board of Indego Africa, a non-profit that works to provide artisan women and young people in Africa training for sustainable livelihoods and access to markets. Her commitment to empowerment and social justice has taken her to refugee camps in Ethiopia and Myanmar. She has represented pro bono clients in researching and preparing a report on shelters for unaccompanied minors and a training protocol for border patrol agents to screen for human trafficking victims. She currently volunteers at USCRI’s field office in Albany, New York.

Katharine Crost earned a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a Bachelor of Music degree from Michigan State University.

DIANN DAWSON

Diann Dawson’s more than 38 years of distinguished public service as a senior executive combined with her leadership in the private sector adds immeasurable value to the work of USCRI’s Board of Directors.

Ms. Dawson is currently President and CEO of DDA & Associates, a human services consulting firm. She is a national and global advocate for children and family strengthening initiatives and serves as a director on several non-profit boards.

Prior to her retirement as a senior executive, she served as the Director of the Office of Regional Operations within the Administration for Children (ACF) and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary on field operations, she provided executive leadership and directions to ACF’s ten regional offices on the integration and coordination of more than 65 human services programs to promote the well-being of children, families and communities.

Ms. Dawson’s extensive experience working at the senior leadership level for ACF led her to become a passionate advocate for children and family issues worldwide. She brings hands-on experience in operations and directions to USCRI’s work, helping the organization run model programs to serve refugee and migrant children and families.

Ms. Dawson earned a B.A. from Bennett College, an M.S.W. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law and is admitted to the D.C. and Maryland bars.

GURSIMRAN GREWAL

DIRECTOR OF REFUGEE HEALTH SERVICES

Dr. Gursimran Grewal is a trained Medical Doctor with a wealth of experience in global public health, specializing in Sexual and Reproductive Health, Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, and HIV/AIDS. Over the past decade, she has provided technical leadership, project management, and financial oversight for large-scale programs across Asia and Africa, in partnership with international NGOs, private sector organizations, and governmental bodies. Her programs have been funded by a range of major donors, including BMGF, USAID, CDC, and others.

Currently, Dr. Grewal serves as the Director of USCRI’s Refugee Health Services, where she focuses on promoting the health and well-being of refugees resettled in the United States. She oversees the development and implementation of culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate health assessments, education, and referrals, working collaboratively with community partners to ensure high-quality care and support for refugees.

J. MICHAEL (MIKE) COBURN

VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

Mike is a non-profit leader and fundraising professional who has worked with refugee and international development organizations for more than 20 years. As Vice President of Strategic Development his team raises support for USCRI’s critical programs from the US government, foundations, corporations, and individual Americans. Prior to USCRI, Mike served as the Executive Director of Ripple Effect US, a charity raising awareness and support in the United States for smallholder farming families in East Africa. He also served as Director of Development at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and spent eight years at the US Association for UNHCR—the UN Refugee Agency—in various roles, including Associate Director and Acting Executive Director. Mike has a MA in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and a BA in International Studies from American University. When he is not performing in his professional capacity, he is performing the duties of a husband and avid sports fanatic, rooting enthusiastically for his favorite football and college basketball teams.

Fill Below Details

Full Name Your email Age Address Phone Number Message

Download Toolkit

First Name Last Name Your email Organization Title City State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Washington DC Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennslyvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Phone Number Are you currently a TVAP provider? Yes No

• Stansted Airport
• Luton Airport
• Heathrow Airport
• Gatwick Airport
• Dublin Airport
• London to Stansted
• London to Luton
• Heathrow to Gatwick
• London to Gatwick
• Luton to London
• London Stratford to Stansted
• Manchester Airport
• Bristol Airport
• Birmingham Airport
• Bristol to London
• London to Bristol
• London to Leicester
• Leicester to London
• London to Manchester
• London to Nottingham
• Bournemouth to London
• Glastonbury 2024
• FA Cup Final - Manchester City travel
• FA Cup Final - Manchester Utd travel
• Taylor Swift Eras Tour
• Boomtown Fair
• Take That in Bristol
• Lost Village 2024
• Foo Fighters in Cardiff
• Download Festival
• Women's FA Cup Final
• Royal Ascot
• England v Iceland
• British Grand Prix
• Vehicle types for hire
• Coach hire for school trips
• Coach hire for events & occasions
• Coach hire for business trips
• Coach hire for sporting events
• Coach hire for airport transfers
• Cheap coach tickets
• Buy a Coachcard
• Using a voucher code
• Student offers
• Group offers
• How to book special offers
• Young Person Coachcard
• Senior Coachcard
• Disabled Coachcard
• Travelling with us
• Our coaches
• Sustainability
• Carbon offsetting
• Customer experience
• Onboard safety
• Accessibility
• Exploring on a budget: Free things to do and see
• Affordable things to do by the beach this summer
• 6 things to do in Leeds in a day
• Live service updates
• Track your coach
• Explore our route map
• View our timetables
• Ukrainian free travel
• Refunds & amends
• Frequently asked questions
• Luggage & lost property
• Safety & security
• About our tickets
• Flexible travel
• Change & go
• Seat reservation
• Ticket & trip insurance
• London Victoria
• London Golders Green
• All Stations
• Manage my booking
• Destinations
• Why we're No. 1

All Airport Transfers

All Destinations

All Coach Hire Options

• Read our blog

All Help & Advice

Ukrainian Arrivals - Free Travel Policy

Choose Your Journey

• Use my current location
• Use our Route Map

Outbound date

Select time, outward journey, return date.

Select a return within 3 months of your outward travel.

Return Journey

Children under 14 years of age are not permitted to travel without being accompanied throughout the journey by a responsible person aged 16 years or over. Children aged 14 - 15 years old may travel unaccompanied, as from 5am, arriving at their booked destination no later than 10pm. Unaccompanied children will be asked for proof of age or a signed letter of permission from their parent/guardian. (sms or chat based messages are not permissible)

One infant aged 0-2 travels free when accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket. Additional infants aged 0-2 must be paid for. If you are travelling with more than 1 infant aged 0-2, please book the additional infant as 'Children (3-15).

Do you have a Coachcard?

Claim your free travel

We're offering free travel for Ukrainian arrivals who arrive in the UK to travel to a destination of their choice.

Free travel can be arranged from a UK arrival point to another location currently served on the National Express network. Individuals are encouraged to contact us in advance to guarantee their journey but we will also accept turn up and go travel (subject to availability).

Individuals will have 48 hours to make their onward journey from arrival into the country.

  Step 1

Use the journey planner above to search for your preferred journey.

Fill in the "travel from" and "travel to" fields, select the date of your journey and the number of passengers, and then select the "Find my journey" button to see what services are available.

  Step 2

Come back to this webpage and fill in the form below with your information and preferred journey details.

Please note, you will be requested to demonstrate eligibility for free travel by providing a copy of the following documents for each passenger :

• Travel itinerary, such as a boarding pass or ferry ticket
• A copy of a Ukrainian passport

  Step 3

After submitting the form, you will receive an email from us, asking you to reply back with one of the example documents in Step 2. Once these are verified we’ll send a ticket for travel to your email address within 1 hour. Please note that our customer service team opening hours are 08.00 - 20.00, 7 days a week.

If you are at a National Express departure point and are about to board a coach service you can speak to a member of our team on site, if they are available, or call our customer service team on 03717 81 81 01. (calls charged at local rate)

Ukrainian Arrivals - Free Travel

Your details, journey details, terms of the travel policy.

• Free travel applies to single one-way travel (including airports)
• Individuals will have 48 hours to make their onward journey from arrival into the country
• Travel itinerary, such as a boarding pass or ferry ticket.
• This offer can change or be removed at any time
• Available on all National Express Coach services, subject to availability
• No booking fees apply
• Standard luggage allowance is included per customer
• Customers who have not contacted National Express Customer Services in advance of travel may be subject to delay where seat availability is limited
• All tickets are issued and all passengers are carried subject to National Express' General Conditions of Carriage , available online and at all National Express outlets
• Issued by National Express, National Express House, Birmingham Coach Station, Mill Lane, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 6DD

Back to top

Email Sign Up

Subscribe for updates & special offers!

Download Our App!

Book tickets & track your coach anytime, anywhere.

• Career opportunities
• Conditions of carriage
• Cookie policy
• Corporate governance statement
• Gender pay report
• Luggage policy
• Open Return tickets
• Our commitment to the environment
• Passenger rights
• Privacy Centre
• Rail disruption
• Service updates
• Slavery & human trafficking statement
• Student travel
• Terms & conditions
• Youth promise

Call or get in touch online We are here to help

Coach Tracker

Track your coach in real time

National Express West Midlands

Part of Mobico Group

© Copyright National Express Ltd 2024

Open Return Information

Book your return

Your Open Dated Return is valid for 3 months from your outbound journey. To guarantee your seat on your return you need to confirm your ticket before you travel on www.nationalexpress.com/en/help/tickets/open-returns or call 0371 781 8181.

Open Dated Return Information

If your return date is not yet known, open return tickets provide flexibility. When travelling within the UK, the return journey can be made within 3 months of the outward date of travel. To guarantee your seat on your return journey you need to confirm your ticket before you travel by visiting www.nationalexpress.com/en/help/tickets/open-returns or call us on 03717 81 81 81. Lines open 7 days a week, 8am - 8pm (calls to this number are charged at local rate). Valid on any day throughout the year.

Open returns are not available on European journeys.

Wheelchair accessibility

Accessible coaches.

The majority of stops along the routes listed below are accessible to wheelchair users but are subject to change. Please call us to check the latest situation before booking and at least 36 hours in advance of when you would like to travel.

To see a list of accessible coach routes please visit our Accessibility page.

Assisted Travel Helpline

If you are travelling in a wheelchair or require assistance, please call our helpline before booking and at least 36 hours in advance of when you would like to travel.

03717 81 81 81 - ( option 3)  (lines open 8am - 8pm 7 days a week). Calls to this number are charged at local rate.

For more information please visit our Disabled travellers page.

Passengers & Wheelchair accessibility

Passenger descriptions.

Our passenger descriptions are designed to help you choose the right ticket for yourself or your fellow travellers.

Adult (16+) and Children (3-15)

Children under 14 cannot travel alone unless accompanied by an adult (16+). Please note, you may be required to show proof of age at any point during your journey. Failure to do so, may result in the full adult fare being charged.

Children (3-15)

Children under 14 cannot travel alone unless accompanied by a responsible adult (16+).

Disabled Children

Should be booked as Children. If they are travelling in a wheelchair or require assistance, please call our Assisted Travel Helpline.

We strongly recommend that you bring a car seat appropriate to your child's age, but ask you to take responsibility to fit the seat.

Booster Seats

Children aged between approximately 4-11 years old, or up to 150cm tall, may use booster seats. We carry a limited number onboard most coaches.

If travelling with a child, you may be required to show proof of age when buying tickets or at any point during your journey. Failure to do so may result in the child being required to pay the full fare for the journey on that day.

Booster seats

Children aged between approximately 4 years and 11 years or up to 150cm tall may use booster seats, we carry a limited number onboard most coaches along with our comfort fit seat belts.

Disabled children should be booked as children rather than 'Disabled'. If they are travelling in a wheelchair or you wish to book assistance with travel please call our Assisted Travel Helpline before booking and at least 36 hours in advance of when you would like to travel.

You can find a list of accessible coach stops on our Accessibility page .

Please call us 36 hours prior to travelling to check the latest status.

If you are travelling in a wheelchair or require assistance we recommend that you contact us on the following local rate telephone number: 03717 81 81 81 (lines open 8am - 8pm 7 days a week) 36 hours in advance of when you would like to travel.

Adult (26 - 59)

Adult fares are applicable to all passengers aged between of 26 and 59 inclusive.

Child 0 - 12 inclusive

Children aged 12 or under travelling on any European service must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over.

Unaccompanied children will not be carried

Young persons (13 - 25)

Children under the age of 16 are not permitted to travel on any European service unless accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over.

Young persons aged 16 or 17 years can travel alone on European services but only if they have a letter of authority from a parent or guardian.

Senior (60 and over)

Passengers aged 60 and over are entitled to receive a small discount on European journeys. On European journeys a 50% discount is given to carers, please call us on 08717 818177 to book.

Please select your passenger type first and then add your coachcards.

We have three different Coachcards available, each offering savings of 1/3 on all of our Standard and Fully Flexible coach fares all year round.

Prices shown include your coachcard discount, your coachcard number will be required during the booking process.

Adult fares are applicable to all passengers aged 2+. Adults under the age of 16 are not permitted to travel alone on any European service unless accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over or they have a letter of authority from a parent or guardian.

Infants 0-1 Inclusive

Children aged under the age of 2, must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. Unaccompanied children will not be carried.

GOV.WALES uses cookies which are essential for the site to work. Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies.

Free bus and train travel advice for refugees

Free bus and train travel advice across Wales for refugees.

• Buses and concessionary travel (Sub-topic) ,
• Community cohesion (Sub-topic) and
• Ukraine (Sub-topic)

The Welcome Ticket scheme ended on 1 April 2024 and is no longer available. You will now need to pay for travel on bus and train services in Wales.

You may be eligible for one of the free or discounted travel schemes also available if you are: 

• 60 years or over 
• a disabled passenger
• a child or young person 

For further information on these and other discounted travel tickets please see  Traveline Cymru or contact your local bus operator.

For learner transport, further information is available on accessing transport for  statutory school age and  post-16 learners.

First published

Last updated, share this page.

• Share this page via Twitter
• Share this page via Facebook
• Share this page via Email

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Poland will continue to protect Ukrainian refugees, including men without passports, says Interior Minister

Warsaw will continue to provide temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in the country, including military-age men without passports, Polish news outlet Ukrayina.pl reported on April 26.

"We will extend the protection of Ukrainian refugees, which is valid only until June 30. Those who do not have passports will be under temporary protection," he said, adding that Poland will act in accordance with its legislation and will not share the personal data of these men with anyone, including Ukraine.

This follows an earlier statement made by Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on April 24 that Warsaw was ready to facilitate the return of military-age male Ukrainians currently living in Poland to fulfill their civic obligations at home.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas also said that Vilnius would be watching Poland's approach to the issue closely and might follow suit.

German Interior Ministry spokesperson Maximilian Kall said that Kyiv's decision to limit consular services for Ukrainian men would not affect their refugee status in Germany .

On April 25, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson Dmytro Lazutkin said that it was “unrealistic” for Ukrainian military recruitment centers to operate and serve summonses to military-age men abroad.

He also refused to comment on a recent Foreign Ministry decree suspending consular services to draft-eligible Ukrainian citizens abroad .

Once the new law on mobilization comes into effect on May 18 , Ukrainian men aged 25-60 will have 60 days to update their military registration through a dedicated web portal, which can be done both in Ukraine and abroad.

According to the Eurostat database estimates, about 4.3 million Ukrainians are currently living in EU countries, including about 860,000 adult men. Of these, Poland has granted temporary protection status to 950,000 Ukrainians, the second highest number after Germany.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signs new mobilization bill

EU withholds criticism on Ukraine's consular service ban for men

We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron !

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine

Recommended Stories

How to watch the 2024 wnba preseason tonight: caitlin clark’s first indiana fever game time, channel and more.

The WNBA preseason tips off this Friday. Here's how you can catch Caitlin Clark's first game.

2024 NFL Draft grades: Denver Broncos earn one of our lowest grades mostly due to one pick

Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald breaks down the Broncos' 2024 draft.

NFL Power Rankings, draft edition: Did Patriots fix their offensive issues?

Which teams did the best in the NFL Draft?

Formula 1: Miami Grand Prix sends cease and desist letter to prevent Donald Trump fundraiser during race

Race organizers say they'll revoke a Trump fundraiser's suite license if he holds an event for the former president on Sunday at the race.

NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams | Zero Blitz

Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab join forces to recap the draft in the best way they know how: letter grades! Fitz and Frank discuss all 32 teams division by division as they give a snapshot of how fans should be feeling heading into the 2024 season. The duo have key debates on the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and more.

Does castor oil really help with hair growth? We asked the experts, and their answer may surprise you

It's inexpensive, but is it effective? Dermatologists' verdict is in — and it's unanimous.

New details emerge in alleged gambling ring behind Shohei Ohtani-Ippei Mizuhara scandal

It turns out the money was going from Ohtani's bank account to an illegal bookie to ... casinos.

The best RBs for 2024 fantasy football according to our analysts

The Yahoo Fantasy football analysts reveal their first running back rankings for the 2024 NFL season.

CVS stock plunges after earnings numbers one analyst 'did not even believe'

CVS warns it could cede Medicare Advantage market share as reimbursement rates pressure the company.

NFL Draft: Packers fan upset with team's 1st pick, and Lions fans hilariously rubbed it in

Not everyone was thrilled with their team's draft on Thursday night.

EVs are the most expensive vehicles to operate over 1,000 miles, according to iSeeCars

iSeeCars calculated the cost to operate vehicles with different fuel types, finding that EVs are significantly more expensive than others.

Canelo Álvarez and Oscar De La Hoya erupt in heated exchange ahead of title bout with Jaime Munguía

Canelo Álvarez is set to defend his title against undefeated Jaime Munguía on Saturday in Las Vegas.

2nd Boeing whistleblower found dead. Here's a timeline of the company's mounting problems.

This is the second Boeing whistleblower to die in the last two months.

Wide receiver rankings for fantasy football 2024

The Yahoo Fantasy football analysts reveal their first wide receiver rankings for the 2024 NFL season.

Ex-Florida State QB and 1999 Fiesta Bowl starter Marcus Outzen dies at 46

The Seminoles lost 23-16 to Tennessee in the first-ever BCS title game.

MLB odds: Elly De La Cruz on pace for historic season, and his MVP odds are dropping

Elly De La Cruz was a thrill ride in April.

NBA playoffs: Luka Dončić leads Mavericks in blowout win over Clippers to take 3-2 series lead

Luka Dončić singlehandedly outscored Paul George, James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

10 cars with paint problems, according to Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports shares the ten vehicles most prone to paint problems, and they span quite an array of models.

Columbus Crew, MLS' gold standard, does what Messi and Miami couldn't in Mexico

The Columbus Crew went to Mexico and flattened Monterrey to reach the CONCACAF Champions Cup final.

2024 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams

While the Falcons baffled everyone, the defending champion Chiefs looked like champs again.