On 19 February 2024, the UK Government made changes to three visa schemes it had established in the wake of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. This blog summarises these changes and how they relate to the Scottish Government’s support for displaced people from Ukraine.
Please note: This blog was updated on 6 March 2024 to include information on a letter from the Scottish Government to the UK Government.
Background
Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 resulted in millions of people being displaced, both within Ukraine and across Europe. In response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis, the UK Government established three visa schemes for displaced people from Ukraine:
- a Family Scheme for those with family members in the UK
- an Extension Scheme for those who held a valid UK visa on or after 1 January 2022
- a Sponsorship Scheme through which displaced people from Ukraine can be sponsored by hosts that offer them accommodation for at least six months. The Scottish Government acted as a supersponsor for the scheme but applications to the Scottish scheme have been paused since July 2022.
Through these schemes, 200,900 displaced people from Ukraine have arrived in the UK (as of 26 February 2024) and 31,500 who already were in the UK have been granted permission to stay (as of 27 February 2024). Up until 19 February 2024, visas issued under the schemes were valid for three years. Visa holders are able to enter (or remain in) the UK and access public services.
Scotland-specific data is only available for Sponsorship Scheme visas. As of 27 February 2024, 26,705 displaced people from Ukraine have arrived in the UK with a Scottish sponsor. Of these, 20,871 were sponsored by the Scottish Government and 5,834 by individual hosts. Please note that, because visa holders can move freely within the UK, these figures may not reflect the number of displaced people from Ukraine currently in Scotland. The Scottish Government provides quarterly statistical updates on the operation of the Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland.
Changes to Ukraine visa schemes
On 19 February 2024, the UK Government announced changes to all three visa schemes.
- The Family Scheme was closed to new applications with immediate effect. Visas already issued under the scheme are unaffected. The UK Government website points those who would have been eligible to apply under the Family Scheme to the remaining two schemes.
- The Extension Scheme will close to new applications on 16 May 2024 with one exception: children of visa holders born in the UK after 18 March 2024. Visas issued before the scheme closes are unaffected.
- The Sponsorship Scheme remains open, but visas issued under it will now be valid for 18 months (as opposed to three years previously). The application website also contains new documentation and sponsorship requirements, for example that sponsors must have a permanent right to live in the UK.
In addition to these changes, the UK Government also announced a Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. This will allow current visa holders through any of the above schemes to apply for an 18-month extension to their stay and retain the same rights they had before. Visa holders will be able to apply within the last three months of their existing visa, meaning applications will open in early 2025.
The UK Minister for Legal Migration and the Border, Tom Pursglove MP, stated:
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.
In a written statement, the Minister explained that the changes to the existing visa schemes are intended “to ensure they remain sustainable and meet the needs of those seeking temporary sanctuary in the UK.”
Reactions to the visa changes
The House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee published a report on the Sponsorship Scheme on 23 February 2024. With respect to the announcement of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, the Chair of the Committee, Dame Meg Hillier MP, stated:
It is welcome to see the Government acting in line with our recommendations in this area through its extensions to visas. We look forward to hearing how much more certainty it is able provide to those staying in the UK, particularly in light of the recent closure of the Ukraine Family Scheme.
With regard to the closure of the Family Scheme, the Refugee Council posted on X (formerly known as Twitter):
The lack of options for Ukrainian and other families separated by war and persecution is already a huge problem. It’s concerning that one of the few safe routes created for families to reunite will be closing at such short notice.
Responding to the Family and Sponsorship scheme changes, the Scottish Refugee Council posted on X:
So, the UK gov has decided to mark the 2nd anniversary of Russia’s war against Ukraine by… making it harder for Ukrainians to seek safety in the UK
What is the Scottish Government’s view?
Though new applications to the Supersponsor Scheme have been paused since July 2022, the Scottish Government has sought to ensure an active role in the operation of the scheme, including through the provision of accommodation to displaced people from Ukraine. A previous SPICe blog provides more information.
On 27 September 2023, the Scottish Government published a strategy paper entitled ‘A Warm Scots Future’ which “outlines the transition from an emergency response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, to a long-term and holistic approach that supports the integration of displaced people from Ukraine.” A previous SPICe blog summarises the strategy.
One of the five strategic priorities set out in the strategy is to “Pursue clarity on routes to settlement, family reunification and repatriation”. Under this heading, the strategy states that uncertainty about future immigration status is negatively impacting the ability of displaced people from Ukraine to make decisions about their future and integrate into Scottish communities – and that this uncertainty is having a negative impact on the ability of local authorities and third sector partners to plan service provision in the longer term. The strategy states that as part of delivering this strategic priority, the Scottish Government and its partners will “seek urgent clarity from the UK Government on options and support available to displaced people after the three-year visa period ends”.
In a letter to the UK Government dated 5 March 2024, the Scottish Government stated that it welcomed the announcement of the 18-month extension scheme but expressed concerns about funding allocated to Ukrainian resettlement in Scotland.
Annie Bosse, SPICe Research
Blog image: “Lost” by toniwbusch is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.