This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Provide Ukrainian refugees with settled status to enable a stable life in the UK
Provide Ukrainians on Ukraine visa schemes with settled status. This will help to bring stability to their lives, which is threatened by the time limit of the schemes and uncertainty of when the war is going to end.
More details
Ukraine schemes are limited to 3 years and thousands of visas are set to expire in 2025. The schemes’ duration depends on the end of the war which is unknown. This uncertainty creates lots of pressure for already stressed refugees and makes long-term planning and commitments impossible, which can significantly reduce the quality of life. Alternative visa routes to settle could be costly and not fit for all Ukrainians, putting them at risk of eventually having to leave the UK or stay in the UK illegally.
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months
Government responded
This response was given on 20 September 2023
Our schemes provide Ukrainians with three years’ temporary sanctuary in the UK, until it is safe to return to Ukraine, as we believe it will be. We keep these temporary routes under constant review.
The UK, together with our allies and partners, stands in solidarity with Ukraine and we condemn in the strongest possible terms the Russian Government’s war against Ukraine.
The UK Government established three bespoke schemes to enable Ukrainians to come to the UK, or to extend their existing leave in the UK, for sanctuary. Under all three schemes, which are free to apply for, Ukrainians are granted three years’ permission to remain in the UK - with the first set of visas not due to expire until March 2025 - with entitlement to work, and access benefits and public services.
As of 12 September 2023, 240,000 visas have been issued with 186,600 (as of 11 September 2023) Ukrainians having arrived in the UK. A further 28,300 (12 September) applicants have also been granted permission to remain extensions meaning more than 214,000 Ukrainians have found sanctuary in the UK thanks to these generous schemes:
• The Ukraine Family Scheme – allows for both immediate and extended family of Ukrainian nationals in the UK to join them in this country.
• Homes for Ukraine – where any household in the UK can sponsor Ukrainians fleeing the war if they can commit to providing at least 6 months’ accommodation for them.
• The Ukraine Extension Scheme – enables Ukrainian nationals already in the UK with permission to enter or stay (or where they held permission which expired on or after 1 January 2022) to continue their stay in the UK.
We firmly believe that Ukraine will be safe again and recognise that the country of Ukraine will need the return of its citizens, from around the world, to help recover and rebuild their economy and infrastructure.
Therefore, the Ukraine schemes were created as routes for temporary sanctuary and are not routes for settlement. Ukrainians living in the UK on our Ukraine schemes can also apply for other types of leave, where they are eligible, for example study or work visas.
We are also keeping the need for a possible extension of permission to remain for those who are here on our Ukraine schemes under constant review. We do this while engaging closely with the Ukrainian Government, as well as with our counterparts globally, including governments within Europe who are hosting Ukrainians under the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive (or similar), which is currently confirmed until 4 March 2024, with the possibility of extension to March 2025.
Home Office
Related activity
Merits of extending the Homes for Ukraine Scheme debated by MPs
MPs debated the potential merits of extending the Homes for Ukraine Scheme on Tuesday 6 February in Westminster Hall. The debate was led by Pauline Latham MP. Tom Pursglove MP, Minister for Legal Migration and the Border responded to the debate on behalf of the Government.
During the debate MPs discussed the need for certainty for people in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme over whether their visas will be extended. MPs also discussed the challenges for Ukrainians who want to continue their education in the UK, but didn't know if their visa would be extended.
At the end of the debate, the Minister said that the Government was considering whether visas would be extended, and said that all Ukrainians in the UK under the Ukraine schemes will be informed of the options available to them, well in advance of their visas expiring.
What is a Westminster Hall debate?
Westminster Hall is the second chamber of the House of Commons. Westminster Hall debates give MPs an opportunity to raise local and national issues and receive a response from a government minister. Westminster Hall debates are general debates that do not end in a vote.
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