Beyond immediate family, extended family members entitled to the visas are grown-up children or their parents, grandparents, grandchildren or partners’ grandchildren, and brothers and sisters. Some other categories such as stepchildren and foster children are also eligible.

Anyone who had applied but has not yet been accepted will be given three years’ leave when they get their visa. Officials are still working out a transitional plan for those who were already accepted.

Ms Patel has also allowed visas to be granted for “exceptional reasons” such as where a large family group might be split up because half were ineligible due to lack of links to the UK.

It is unclear, however, how many will come to the UK although the Government has calculated it could be as many as 200,000 based on the numbers with potential family links to the UK.

Any Ukrainians will not be able to “jump the queue” to get local authority accommodation ahead of the 12,000 Afghan refugees currently being put up in hotels. Ministers are hoping the majority will have access to relatives’ accommodation but they will be entitled to housing benefits and income support.