Questions on end of Ukraine visa scheme
MINISTERS are facing calls to “urgently explain” why a scheme offering visas to Ukrainians fleeing war was shut down and is no longer accepting applications.
The Home Office closed the Ukraine family scheme at 3pm yesterday. The decision was among a series of changes to immigration rules set out in a policy document published without warning earlier in the day. It also confirmed a visa extension scheme will close on May 16.
The move comes as the two-year anniversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion approaches and a day after the Home Office announced plans for people who sought sanctuary in the UK to be able to extend their visa by 18 months from 2025.
The Ukraine family scheme allowed applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK, and the extension scheme meant Ukrainian nationals and their immediate relatives could apply for permission to remain in the country.
Labour said the move “sends the wrong message” about the UK’s “willingness” to stand by Ukraine while campaigners raised concerns that one of “few safe routes” created to allow families to reunite amid the conflict was “closing at such short notice”.
The opposition party’s shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said: “It was vitally important for the UK to play our role in supporting those fleeing Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine, especially mothers and children, to find a new home.
“The numbers arriving on visa schemes have already dropped but many that are coming are often in very desperate personal situations.
“Restricting family rights at a time when Ukrainian troops are under heavy fire in Donetsk sends the wrong message to the people of Ukraine about our willingness to stand with them.
“Ministers must urgently explain the justification for these measures and how they will ensure vulnerable Ukrainians are not put at risk by these changes.”
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “The lack of options for Ukrainian and other families separated by war and persecution is already a huge problem. It’s concerning that one of the few safe routes created for families to reunite will be closing at such short notice.
“This is a reminder of the disadvantages of bespoke, one-off visa schemes that support refugees in the short term but leave people in limbo, anxious and uncertain about their future.”
The document, entitled statement of changes in immigration rules, said: “The Ukraine family scheme (which was available to eligible Ukrainian nationals with an eligible UK based family member sponsor) closed to new applications at 15.00GMT on February 19 2024.”
The Government website about the scheme now says: “You can no longer apply under this scheme.”
The number of people granted a visa who arrived in the UK having fled the war in Ukraine has now topped 200,000, figures published last week showed.