The Home Office must waive visas for all Ukrainians

In her statement to the House of Commons yesterday, 28th February 2022, the Home Secretary yet again declined to waive visa requirements for people from Ukraine  , as over half a million people flee the country in the face of the Russian invasion.  

Despite announcing the introduction of a “bespoke humanitarian route” for some Ukrainians which could see the UK welcome up to 100,000 people, it was unclear who these people are, or how they are expected to travel here. We are still waiting for many of the promises made to resettle Afghan refugees to be fulfilled. After the Government’s welcome announcement on Sunday that visa fees would be waived for immediate family members of British nationals in Ukraine, and that various steps would be taken to enable Ukrainians already in the UK to either extend or transfer to other kinds of visa, no further detail has been provided on the “new” route announced today.  

The Home Office’s guidance for family members of British nationals in Ukraine, and Ukrainian nationals in the Ukraine and the UK remains unchanged from Sunday.  

Praxis’ CEO, Sally Daghlian OBE, had this to say: 

It’s extremely disappointing that the Home Office has not taken the opportunity to waive visas for all Ukrainians in line with our EU counterparts. What the people of Ukraine need right now is fast access to safety, not empty promises, bureaucracy and red tape. They cannot afford to wait.  

The unfolding situation in Ukraine also shines a light on some of the flaws at the heart of the Nationality and Borders Bill currently going through Parliament. Under the mean-spirited provisions of this Bill, Ukrainians arriving in the UK under their own steam would be denied refugee status because, with direct flights suspended, they have no choice but to travel through other “safe countries” to get here. What’s more, even if they were recognised as refugees, they’d have severely limited rights because of how they arrived in the UK rather than the reasons for their flight.  

It was encouraging to see peers voting down some of the most pernicious parts of this harmful Bill yesterday. We urge the Government to rethink it now, before any more lives are put at risk.