Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion will be given three times as long to renew their visas for the UK as part of an attempt to give them more certainty about their stay in Britain.
Those wishing to extend their stays will now be able to apply up to 90 days before their current permission expires – treble the current 28 days, The Independent understands.
It comes after concerns were raised by Ukrainian communities that the shorter window created undue stress and uncertainty about their legal status in the UK.
The announcement was made as Yvette Cooper travels to Kyiv on Tuesday to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, part of an attempt to show the government’s commitment to safe and legal routes while it tries to clamp down on illegal crossings.
To mark the anniversary, the government has also put together a £5m package to support justice and accountability work in Ukraine, The Independent understands.
The Ukraine Permission Scheme, which has seen more than 300,000 Ukrainians housed in the UK since 2022, was extended by a further two years in September.
Ukraine permission visas to the UK generally last for three years, but holders can apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme to extend their stay by an additional 18 months.
Speaking about the latest changes to the scheme, immigration minister Mike Tapp told The Independent: “The UK stands with Ukraine and we are proud to have offered sanctuary to more than 300,000 Ukrainians since Russia’s barbaric invasion.
“We have listened to the concerns of the Ukrainian community and acted to offer greater peace of mind. This country will remain your safe haven for as long as the war continues.
“Britain will always offer sanctuary to those in genuine need.”
The new funding, which comes in addition to £11.5m of existing support to Ukraine’s own war crimes investigations, will ensure that atrocities committed following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine are fully investigated and those responsible are held to account.
The cash will help provide training for Ukrainian investigators and prosecutors and the documentation, investigation and prosecution of war crimes.
The Foreign Office hopes this will promote international standards within the Ukrainian legal process and rights-based support for survivors and witnesses, including survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.
On her visit to Ukraine, the foreign secretary is expected to call out “Russification” tactics being used by Moscow in occupied Ukrainian territories.
People in the territories are being forced to adopt Russian passports, are prohibited from speaking the Ukrainian language and are arrested on arbitrary charges for expressing pro-Ukraine sentiments, according to the Foreign Office.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is set to convene a coalition of the willing meeting alongside French president Emmanuel Macron to discuss recent peace talks and further support for Kyiv amid the ongoing conflict.
Russia’s bombardment of Ukraine continued over the weekend, with a barrage of missiles and drones killing one person in Kyiv and striking the country’s energy grid.
Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, have said that the next round of talks aimed at ending the war could come as early as the end of this week.
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