Andrew Griffith MP welcomes 18 month extension for Ukraine refugee visa scheme

The Government have announced they will be accepting applications for 18-month extensions from early 2025 onwards to ensure that Ukrainians who have been given safety in the U.K. from the war in their homeland have peace of mind and certainty.

Andrew Griffith MP has supported Ukrainians and their host families since the conflict began two years ago. As Minister for Policy at the time the war started he was one of the architects of the innovative Homes for Ukraine scheme and he and his wife are hosting a Ukrainian family.

Across his South Downs constituency - where host take up has been some of the highest in the whole country - Andrew has helped them to secure their visas, connected them with local support services, and provided assistance where needed for matters such as vehicle and licence registrations.

The MP also hosted a ‘thank you’ garden reception at Wilton Park in Wiston last autumn for host families and their guests.

The UK is hosting more than 200,000 Ukrainians, where new arrivals were initially granted three years to remain. The extension to the visa scheme will allow them to stay longer and the first wave of visas were due to expire in March 2025. Now they will have certainty that they can continue to access work and stay in the U.K. until at least September 2026.

Andrew Griffith Andrew Griffith MP said: “This will be welcome news for the many Ukrainians now living and working in West Sussex and their generous British host families. At a time of terrible war by Russia on European soil, providing a safe haven for women and children is an important contribution. It is also a good example of how we can simultaneously be firm on controlling who enters this country, whilst being generous of spirit to those in proven need.”