UK Government Reverses Visa Rules, Allowing Ukrainian Parents to Reunite with Their Children

Ukrainians in the UK can once again bring their children to join them after the government reversed restrictions on visa sponsorship.

Last February, without prior notice, the government restricted eligibility under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, preventing Ukrainians without permanent residency from sponsoring their dependents. This left many families separated, with some desperate parents resorting to illegal routes to reunite with their children.

Charities have welcomed the reversal as a "major relief" for parents torn apart from their children but warned that the change does not extend to other family members, such as siblings or elderly parents.

Policy Change and Its Impact

Since its launch in March 2022, the Homes for Ukraine scheme has provided sanctuary for more than 190,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war. However, under policy changes introduced last February, only British or Irish citizens and those with permanent UK residency were allowed to act as sponsors. This excluded many Ukrainians already living in the UK under temporary visas, preventing them from bringing their family members to safety.

At the same time, the Ukraine Family Scheme, which allowed Ukrainians to join family members with permanent residency in the UK, was shut down, further limiting family reunification.

Under the new rules, a parent or legal guardian in the UK under any Ukraine visa scheme can now apply to sponsor their child through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Families Separated for Months

One of those affected was Valentyna (not her real name), who applied last August for her 12-year-old son to join her in the UK. However, her application remained stuck in limbo due to the policy restrictions.

Having originally arrived in the UK for seasonal farm work, she extended her visa when the war broke out. Meanwhile, her son remained in Odessa, staying with relatives while she searched for permanent accommodation before applying for him to come to the UK.

Valentyna has not seen her son for six months and became emotional when speaking about their separation. She said that the policy change gives her hope they will finally be reunited.

Charities Call for Further Action

While the visa rule reversal has been welcomed, charities say many Ukrainians remain separated from family members, with no clear pathway to bring them to the UK.

Dora-Olivia Vicol, chief executive of the Work Rights Centre, said:

"This will come as a huge relief to those parents who have been separated from their children and will finally be able to reunite in safety."

However, she emphasized that the new rules do not apply to siblings, parents, or partners, leaving many families facing difficult choices.

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

The charity says it has heard from hundreds of Ukrainians struggling to reunite with family members.

Another charity, Settled, reported that some families had resorted to illegal routes to bring their children to safety rather than leave them behind in war zones.

Yuliia Ismail, an immigration advisor at Settled, urged the Home Office to speed up applications that have been pending for months:

"We ask that the Home Office now acts swiftly to process outstanding applications from children stuck in Ukrainian conflict zones—some of which have been in limbo for almost a year."

Government Response

A Home Office spokesperson acknowledged the previous policy failure, stating:

"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."

They confirmed that urgent action had been taken to correct the issue:

"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. This applies to both existing applications and future applications."

While the rule change brings relief for many parents and children, many families remain in limbo, hoping for further reforms that will allow full family reunification for Ukrainians displaced by war.