The British Home Office announced on Monday the opening of the “Ukraine Family Scheme” to allow Ukrainians fleeing the conflict with Russia to enter the country.

“The UK Government’s Ukraine Family Scheme is the first visa scheme in the world to launch since President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine,” the Home Office tweeted.

Also read: Russia proposes ceasefire in 5 cities, Ukraine yet to officially agree

“It gives Ukrainian people the freedom and means to support themselves while they are here in the United Kingdom, […] that includes immigration security, the right to work and free access to healthcare, education and housing,” the tweet said.

According to the Home Office, 8,900 applications have been submitted under the scheme so far, with 300 visas approved.

According to the Home Office, it has “surged staff” and expanded the number of appointments at its visa application centres in Rzeszow, Warsaw, Bucharest, Budapest, Chisinau, and Prague.

Also read: US ‘not prepared’ to impose no-fly zone in Ukraine, tells NATO

Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated on Monday that the UK will not relax visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees. The Conservative Party leader’s remarks came as the United Nations estimated that more than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia’s incursion.

Johnson stated that the UK was a generous country, but that it needed to keep track of who was coming in.

Also read: Zelensky to address UK House of Commons amid Russia-Ukraine war on Tuesday

“We are a very, very generous country. What we want though is control and we want to be able to check. I think it’s sensible given what’s going on in Ukraine to make sure that we have some basic ability to check who is coming in,” Johnson told reporters.

On Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will deliver a “historic” speech to the British House of Commons.

According to a news release issued by the House of Commons on Monday, Zelensky will address members of parliament via video link – “the first time they have done so in the Chamber,” while regular parliamentary business will be postponed.