News & Updates
Visa concession for Ukrainians - updated 16.03.2022
The Home Office has confirmed that Ukrainians who are on work, study or visit visas in the UK will have their visas temporarily extended or be able to switch onto different visa routes. You can check the full details, but to summarise, the changes cover the following:
- Ukrainian nationals on an existing points-based system route (such as a Student visa or a Graduate Route visa) 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
UKVI has now also published further concession policy on GOV webpage in relation to students:
- The concession also makes a provision for Ukrainian nationals and their dependants to waive the requirement to provide documentary evidence. This concession applies when you are making a permission to stay application and are unable to provide the required documents. If you wish to rely on this concession, the guidance advises that you will need to provide a written explanation as to why you cannot provide the document that you would normally be required to submit to support your application.
- To be eligible under the documentary evidence concession, you must have lawfully entered the UK prior to 24 February 2022, or made an entry clearance application and arrived in the UK after this date.
If you require any visa advice, please contact the Immigration team.