Ukrainians can bring children to UK as visa changes reversed

Ukrainians can again bring their children to join them in the UK, after the government reversed changes to visa rules.

Last February - without notice - the government restricted eligibility so Ukrainians without the right to live in the UK permanently could no longer sponsor people under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which allows people to host those fleeing the war.

Charities said this left families torn apart, with some desperate parents resorting to illegal routes to bring their children to the UK.

They welcomed the announcement as a "huge relief" for parents separated from their children but warned it will not help those forced apart from other family members such as siblings or parents.

More than 190,000 people have come to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme since it was launched in March 2022, following the Russian invasion.

However, under changes brought in last February under the Conservatives, only British or Irish citizens, or those with the right to live in the UK permanently, have been able to act as sponsors, who provide somewhere for people to live.

This meant Ukrainians living in the UK without permanent residence could no longer sponsor family members to join them in the UK.

At the same time the Ukraine Family Scheme, which allowed Ukrainians to join family members who already had permanent residence in the UK, was also closed.

The government has now announced a parent or legal guardian who is in the UK under any of the visa schemes for Ukrainians can apply to sponsor their child under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Valentyna - not her real name - applied for her 12-year-old son to join her in the UK last August but her application had remained pending because Ukrainians were no longer allowed to act as sponsors.

She first came to the UK before the invasion for seasonal work on a farm and extended her visa when the war broke out.

Her son was staying with relatives in Odessa while she found somewhere permanent to live before applying for him to join her.

Valentyna has not seen her son for six months and became emotional when asked how it felt to be separated from him.

She told the BBC the change in the rules gave her hope they would finally be reunited.

Dora-Olivia Vicol, chief executive of Work Rights Centre, a charity supporting migrants, said: "It will come as a huge relief to those parents who have been separated from their children, and will finally be able to bring them to the UK to reunite in safety."

She added: "However, this action does not help those who have been forced apart from other family members, including siblings, parents or partners.

"We know there are many Ukrainians in the UK who left behind elderly, sick or disabled relatives with the belief they would be able to bring them later. They face a cruel choice: leave the safety of the UK to care for them in Ukraine, or remain in safety leaving their loved ones vulnerable at risk."

The charity says it has heard from hundreds of Ukrainians separated from family members and trying to bring them to the UK.

Settled, another charity which supports Ukrainians applying for visas, said some families had resorted to bringing their children to join them through illegal routes, rather than leave them in danger.

Yuliia Ismail, an immigration advisor for the charity, said: "We ask that the Home Office now acts quickly to decide outstanding applications from children stuck in Ukrainian conflict zones some of which have been in limbo for almost a year."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Under the previous government, a change was made to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which meant that parents could not sponsor their children to join them in the UK even if they had appropriate accommodation.

"We have taken urgent action to resolve this issue, which will now enable parents with Ukraine Scheme visas to sponsor their children to join them in the UK. These will apply to both applications that have already been made, as well as future applications."