United Kingdom: Following the Russian invasion, Ukrainians who arrived in the UK can apply to extend their visas by 18 months, according to the government. Since the invasion, which marks its second anniversary next week, around 200,200 Ukrainians and their family members have arrived in the UK.
New arrivals are allowed to stay for three years, meaning their first visa will expire in March 2025. The earliest visa holders will be able to remain until at least September 2026. The government stated that, it would provide people with “certainty and stability.”
The extension will apply to all three visa schemes established after the invasion, including the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the Ukraine Family Scheme, and the Ukraine Extension Scheme. People enrolled in the program will retain access to work, benefits, healthcare, and education. From early 2025, visa extensions can be applied for within the last three months of the current visa.
Tom Pursglove, the Migration minister stated that, “Families across the country have opened their homes and their hearts to the people of Ukraine, showing extraordinary generosity, including offering shelter to those fleeing from the horrors of war.”
“The UK will continue to provide a safe haven for those fleeing the conflict,” he added. As well, the government stated that “the extension underlines its strong belief that Ukraine will be safe again and the hope of the Ukrainian government that its citizens will “eventually return to the country when it is safe to do so.”
Eduard Fesko, charge d’affaires at the Ukrainian embassy in the UK, said that “it was a clear signal that the UK backed Ukraine. We appreciate all the help and assistance that our UK friends so generously provide for the temporarily displaced Ukrainians.”
The announcement comes during the Munich Security Conference, where senior political figures from around the world are discussing the biggest challenges facing global security. While speaking at the conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urgently appealed for more weapons, stating that they would prevent a “catastrophic” situation in Europe.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron commented that, “Britain was absolutely in the lead in providing support to Ukraine and urged all of Ukraine’s allies, particularly the US, to maintain their own support.” Currently, Republican members of the US Congress are refusing to pass a $60 billion package of air transportation for Ukraine until more steps are taken to secure the US-Mexico border.
Further, he added that, “If you add up our economies, we outmatch Russia 25-to-one. We’ve got the ability to give that diplomatic military, economic, moral support. We have just got to make that difference count.”
POPULAR | David Cameron’s 1st visit to Falkland Islands as cabinet minister
