Free flight home — step by step
If you have no money for a ticket home — the Home Office will pay. It is legal and free. The programme is called the Voluntary Returns Service (VRS). Standard timeline: 8–12 weeks from form to flight. Urgent (within 7 days) — phone only.
First, choose your path
This decides whether you need the online form or the phone straight away.
6 steps from form to flight
Nothing complicated. Each step — what to do now and what to expect next.
- 1Fill in the form on gov.uk
Go to gov.uk/return-home-voluntarily. Enter your email, date of birth, country of return. It takes 15–20 minutes. If something is unclear — leave the field blank, VRS will check later.
- 2Wait for Home Office to get in touch
Within 3 working days they will email or call you. If 5 working days pass with no reply — call 0300 004 0202 and quote your form reference number.
- 3Mention the money (£3,000) and the passport
When you speak to the caseworker, say: "I want to apply for reintegration support / £3,000" and "I have no passport, I need a travel document" (if you have no passport). These are two separate things — do not forget either.
💡 £3,000 is not paid to everyone. Conditions: country of return (Ukraine / Uzbekistan / Tajikistan / Kyrgyzstan — yes; Russia — no) plus one of the grounds (refused asylum, children, homelessness, medical vulnerability and others). Ask the caseworker — they will check your case. - 4No passport? VRS will arrange a travel document
VRS sends the request to your embassy. From you — a passport-style photo and a signature. The document is one-way only — for the flight out, not for coming back. Processing time: 2–6 weeks, depending on the embassy.
- 5VRS books the ticket — you agree the date
They will offer flight options. Choose what suits you. The ticket is direct or with a connection, depending on the country. Baggage: usually 23 kg plus hand luggage. All included.
- 6At the airport — 4 hours before the flight
Your travel document or passport is handed to you at the airport before boarding (at the Home Office Border Force desk). Bring: printed ticket, your ID, any medical papers. The £3,000 on the card arrives after the flight, paid out in the country of return.
Before you apply — please read
After VRS you cannot return to the UK for 2 years (5 years after a refused asylum claim). It is automatic. Keep this in mind.
If your asylum claim is in progress — it closes immediately when you apply for VRS (implied withdrawal). If you change your mind — you start again with fresh further submissions from scratch.
This is called reavailment. Before applying for VRS — speak to a regulated immigration adviser (iaa.gov.uk / sra.org.uk). Free through Legal Aid.
What people usually ask
Is it really free?
Yes. The ticket, the documents, all VRS services — paid by the Home Office. No one will charge you a penny. There are no "fees" or "caseworker payments" — that is a scam.
What if I do not get the £3,000?
The ticket is still free. £3,000 is a separate programme (reintegration support) and not everyone qualifies. Ask the caseworker — they will check your eligibility.
Will I be put on the plane under escort?
No. VRS is a voluntary departure. No escorts, no guards. A normal passenger flight, normal boarding. If you are in detention — that is a different programme, ask the caseworker.
What if I change my mind before the flight?
Before the flight — you can withdraw. Just do not board the plane and call 0300 004 0202 straight away. After the flight — there is no return, the ban kicks in.
Will my family get £10,000 per person?
That is the Enhanced Voluntary Returns pilot (since March 2026). Up to £10,000 per person, up to £40,000 per family. Only for: families with exhausted asylum refusal living in an asylum hotel. First wave — around 150 families. No online form — phone only on 0300 004 0202.