The latest Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, published on 26 November 2024, introduces important updates. Below is a summary of the changes specifically related to the Ukraine Visa Schemes.

Changes to the Ukraine Visa Schemes

• New Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme: Ukrainian nationals and their eligible family members in the UK, who currently hold permission to stay under any of the Ukraine Visa Schemes, will be able to apply for an additional 18 months’ permission to stay under the new Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. This scheme is set to open in early 2025, with the exact date to be confirmed by the Home Office.
• Closure of the Ukraine Extension Scheme: The existing Ukraine Extension Scheme will close at 09:00 GMT on 4 February 2025. While this scheme closed for most new applications on 16 May 2024, it remained open for children born in the UK to apply for permission to stay. With the introduction of the new changes, this provision will end on 4 February 2025.
• End of Permission to Travel (PTT) Letters under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: Changes will end the use of open-ended PTT letters, which allowed travel to the UK by deferring biometrics until arrival, in lieu of entry clearance. The explanatory note to the immigration changes states:

“Some Ukrainians granted under the Ukraine schemes have been issued with permission to travel (PTT) letters as part of a bespoke concession in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, allowing individuals seeking sanctuary in the UK to travel quickly. PTT letters were always intended to be a temporary measure and will now be retired to ensure fairness for new applicants issued with a Ukraine Scheme visa.”

Changes to the Long Residence Route

• Exclusion from Long Residence Qualification: Time spent in the UK under any of the Ukraine Visa Schemes cannot be counted towards the qualifying period for a Long Residence application.
• Impact on Settlement: This change aligns the Immigration Rules with the established policy that permission to stay under the Ukraine Visa Schemes does not provide a route to settlement in the UK.

In practical terms, this means that those who have resided in the UK on visas under any of the Ukraine Visa Schemes cannot include this time when applying for settlement under the 10-year long residence route. For example, if you have spent 7 years in the UK on student visas and the next 3 years on visas under the Ukraine Visa Schemes, the last 3 years will not count towards your 10-year residence requirement. As a result, you would need to spend an additional 3 years on another type of visa to reach the 10-year point required for settlement.