Plans to prolong the duration of Ukraine visa schemes by 18 months

The UK government has announced that Ukrainians who came to the country following the Russian invasion will be able to apply for 18-month extensions to their visas. Approximately 200,200 Ukrainians and their family members have arrived in the UK since the invasion, with the first visas set to expire in March 2025. This extension will allow those on the earliest visas to stay in the country until at least September 2026. The government aims to provide these individuals with "certainty and stability". The extension will apply to all three visa schemes established after the invasion: the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the Ukraine Family Scheme, and the Ukraine Extension Scheme. People on these schemes will retain their rights to access work, benefits, healthcare, and education. Applications for the extensions will open in early 2025, and individuals can apply during the last three months of their existing visa. The UK government's decision reflects its belief that Ukraine will eventually become safe again and hopes that Ukrainians will return to their country when it is deemed safe. The Ukrainian embassy in the UK sees this extension as a clear sign of the UK's support for Ukraine and appreciates the assistance given to temporarily displaced Ukrainians. This announcement coincides with the Munich Security Conference where political leaders are discussing global security challenges. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged for greater weapon support at the conference, while the UK's Foreign Secretary expressed the country's strong support for Ukraine and called on all of Ukraine's allies, particularly the US, to maintain their support. Republicans in the US Congress have currently withheld a $60 billion package of aid to Ukraine until further measures are taken to secure the US-Mexico border.