The Home Office has scrapped a key visa route used by tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees to flee Vladimir Putin, it has emerged.
Ministers shut down the Ukraine Family Scheme route – which allowed people to apply to join their relatives living in the UK – to “strengthen and improve the sustainability of the schemes we provide”.
Some 71,900 Ukrainians were issued visas through this route.
The unexpected changes came into force at 3pm on Monday.
But Legal Migration minister Tom Pursglove insisted many of the applicants could also bid to come to the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Mr Pursglove said: “The British people have shown incredible generosity and solidarity with the Ukrainian people, opening their homes up to those seeking sanctuary.
“Today, we are making changes to the Ukraine schemes to ensure they remain sustainable and meet the needs of those seeking temporary sanctuary in the UK.
“Under HFU, there are accommodation checks, a minimum accommodation commitment from the sponsor and safeguarding checks, none of which feature in the Ukraine Family Scheme (UFS).
“The UFS was created as an immediate response to the Russian invasion and allowed UK based British citizens and settled persons to act as sponsors for their Ukrainian family members.
“We are, therefore, closing the Ukraine Family Scheme (UFS) to new applications from today. This will strengthen and improve the sustainability of the schemes we provide.”
But lawyers warned the number of family members eligible to come to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme will be curbed by the changes.
The Home Office also extended the visas of Ukrainians who sought sanctuary in the UK by 18 months.
New arrivals were granted three years to remain, meaning the first visas were due to expire in March 2025.
It means those on the earliest visas can stay until at least September 2026.
Cllr Roger Gough, Asylum, Refugee and Migration spokesperson for the LGA said: “Councils work incredibly hard to support asylum and resettlement and have helped communities welcome around 200,000 Ukrainian refugees since the start of the war two years ago.
“However, the pressures of multiple asylum and resettlement schemes are still being compounded by chronic housing shortages. This has resulted in a high number of Ukrainians and refugees leaving asylum accommodation having to present as homeless.
“The Government’s announcement of a visa extension is a positive step, providing much needed certainty to Ukrainians.
“But as the visa schemes were designed to provide temporary sanctuary, the funding arrangements for councils to support arrivals need urgent review as councils continue to provide crucial longer-term support, including integration and housing support as sponsorship arrangements come to an end.”
