LONDON: An 18-month visa extension scheme has been announced for Ukrainians who sought sanctuary in the UK in the aftermath of Russia's invasion, reported German news agency (dpa).
From early 2025, those in the UK under one of the Ukraine visa schemes will be able to apply to stay for another 18 months, the Home Office said.
The first visas which granted three years leave in the UK under programmes, such as Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Extension Scheme are set to expire in March 2025.
The move comes as the two-year anniversary approaches of the invasion which Legal Migration and the Border Minister Tom Pursglove (pix) described as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “unprovoked, premeditated and illegal war against Ukraine”.
The extension means those who came on the first visas under one of the Ukraine visa schemes could now stay in the UK until September 2026 and have the same rights to access work, benefits, healthcare and education.
Pursglove said: “Almost two years on from the start of this brutal war, over 200,000 Ukrainians and their family members have arrived in Britain.
“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.
“This new visa extension scheme provides certainty and reassurance for Ukrainians in the UK on their future as this war continues, and we will continue to provide a safe haven for those fleeing the conflict.”
Eduard Fesko, the charge d’affaires at the Embassy of Ukraine to the UK, described the extension scheme as “a clear signal of the continuous support” by the government.
He added: “We appreciate all the help and assistance that our UK friends so generously provide for the temporarily displaced Ukrainians.”
A £11.8 billion (US$14.8 billion) UK package of military, humanitarian and economic support for Ukraine is also in place. -Bernama
