Unlike EU countries, Britain has not opened its borders to Ukrainian war refugees, which has drawn much criticism from the government.

With her "Homes for Ukraine" program, she now wants to pave the way for a new escape route — in addition to making family reunification easier — to the United Kingdom.

But after the details that the ministers announced on Monday, the most important question remains open.

How quickly can the bureaucratic program help refugees in need?

Jochen Buchsteiner

Political correspondent in London.

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In the course of this week, Britons who are willing to accept will be able to register online for the first time;

at a later date also companies, public institutions or charities.

According to surveys, twenty percent of Brits are considering making one or more rooms available, and nine percent are determined.

The Minister responsible, Michael Gove, expects at least "tens of thousands" of Ukrainians to enter via the program.

He spoke of a "national effort".

In order to be able to register, however, applicants must provide the names of the refugees.

How they find out about this is not clearly regulated.

The government is working with refugee workers in Poland, where more than a million war refugees are already staying.

These helpers provided names of Ukrainians who want to wait in the kingdom for the end of the war, it was said on Monday.

Brits who are willing to accept refugees are also called upon to find out the names of interested refugees through friends or social networks.

The prerequisite is that the refugees were registered in Ukraine when the war began.

Refugee organizations could later serve as mediators, it said.

12,500 euros per refugee

Before the "sponsorship" is approved, the hosts are said to be security checked — most of the refugees are children and women.

Ukrainians are also to be screened, although this can also be done after arrival to speed up the process;

Biometric fingerprints and passport photos are common.

Home Secretary Priti Patel recently warned that the escape routes could be exploited by people intent on harming the kingdom.

After approval of the sponsorship, the Ukrainians should receive a "Permit to Travel" document as a PDF file.

The travel permit is valid as a visa for an initial period of three years.

The refugees receive a work permit and access to the health and social system.

The government will transfer EUR 12,500 per refugee to the receiving municipality.

The sponsors, who have to make the room available for at least six months, receive just under 420 euros per month.

The money is intended to cover the additional costs for heating and food, but also to provide an incentive.

The amount is linked to the address, not to the number of refugees, and is initially paid out for twelve months.

Not everyone is convinced of the program.

Britain's "Refugee Council" complained that it was less generous than the EU regime, calling it a "managed migration route unsuitable as a response to a humanitarian crisis".

The "Homes for Ukraine" program supplements the recently relaxed family reunification scheme, which according to the government has made around two million Ukrainians eligible for visas.

However, the application process, which requires showing up at one of the overcrowded UK visa centers in Europe, is tedious.

Only 4,000 Ukrainians have successfully completed it since the beginning of the war.