Temporary visa regime changes in the UK for the Ukrainian nationals (visa concessions)
Visa concessions for Ukrainians in the UK. On 24th February Home Office announced temporary visa concessions for Ukrainian nationals in the UK. All those on valid visas, including visitor visas and temporary schemes, for example seasonal worker visas will be allowed to apply for other visa categories from inside the UK without the need to return to the home country first.
That means the people on a visitor visa and temporary scheme visas, can apply for other visas, for example a skilled worker visa, or family/spouse visas without leaving the UK first.
Full list of concessions:
- Ukrainian nationals on an existing points-based system route can extend their leave in the UK
- Ukrainian nationals on an existing visitor visa can exceptionally switch into a points-based system immigration route without having to leave the UK
- Ukrainian nationals on an existing visitor visa can apply under the family route for further leave without meeting the immigration status requirement, provided they meet the requirements for leave based on exceptional circumstances
- Ukrainian nationals on an existing seasonal worker visa will have their leave in the UK extended to 31 December 2022
- Ukrainian nationals in temporary HGV/pork butcher jobs will have their leave in the UK extended to 31 December 2022 and will also be allowed to apply to the skilled worker route
Current situation for Ukrainian nationals
At present most UK consular activities in Ukraine are suspended. The consulate in Lviv is still working and dealing with British nationals and their dependants in Ukraine. UK consular services in neighbouring countries (Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary) also can be used by those applicants.
There is still no clarification from the Home Office on the fate o those Ukrainian citizens who were in the process of applying for UK visas and their applications are now in a limbo due to the closure of biometric centres in the country.
The concession has now been updated and includes dependants of Ukrainian citizens holding valid visas in the UK. They can now apply for visas from visa application centers in countries bordering Ukraine.
[…] previously wrote on this topic in our blog on 26 February. A new scheme is being launched for those Ukrainian nationals who are family members of British […]