UK will Extend the Validity of Visas for Ukrainian Refugees Until 2026

Ukrainians who sought sanctuary in the UK after Russia's invasion will be granted an 18-month visa under a new extension scheme. This was reported by Ukrinform.

The first visas which granted people three years' leave in the UK under programmes such as Homes for Ukraine, the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Extension Scheme are set to expire in March 2025.

The UK Home Office said individuals under one of the visa schemes will now be able to apply to stay until September 2026 and have the same rights to access work, benefits, healthcare, and education. Those who are in the UK will be eligible to apply for the extension within the last three months of an existing visa.

"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," Tom Pursglove, border minister, said.

More than 283,000 Ukrainians have been offered or extended sanctuary since the beginning of the invasion on 24 February 2022. Within months of the beginning of the invasion, many British people offered to open up their homes to refugees who were fleeing the conflict.

For those that successfully registered to become a sponsor and were matched with a Ukrainian guest or family, they receive £350 a month for the first year their guests are in the UK and £500 for the second year.