Ministers have been urged to grant Ukrainian refugees automatic visa renewals – as thousands face looming expiry dates.
Many Ukrainians who have lived and worked in the UK for nearly three years are now facing uncertainty over a complex visa extension process which leaves them struggling to prove their right to work and secure housing.
And children have been left not knowing where – or whether – they’ll be able to sit exams.
Unrealistic document demands, unclear visa lengths and the lack of a clear pathway to citizenship mean families who have built their lives here could be forced to leave.
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker met with families on Friday, and has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper asking her to look again at the system in place.
He has called for visa renewals for these families to be made automatic, and for a route to citizenship to be introduced.
During the meeting he read out a letter he’d been sent by one refugee, Valeriia Kamma.
“I don’t want to make my children go through all of this trauma again, it would break us completely,” she wrote.
“We have no sense of stability. We cannot plan for the future. The constant uncertainty is draining us emotionally and mentally.”
Another refuguee, Olesya, was forced to leave her home in Donetsk with just a single suitcase and her four-month-old daughter when Putin invaded in 2014.
After moving from place to place, she settled in Kyiv and things were going well – until Russia invaded once again forcing her and her two children to flee to Britain.
“The sounds of war are something you never forget as an adult,” she said. “But they leave deep scars on your children. Having to lie to your children about what happened to us and what is coming, when you don’t know what tomorrow will bring was the hardest part.”
She said: “The kindness of the British people gave us hope. We were welcomed here by people who became our family. Their kindness gave just he chance to start again, to rebuild our lives, and for a moment we felt secure.”
Olesya’s daughter, now 11, is a talented artist and horse rider, and her son, who was just 5 when he arrived in the UK, now speaks English as his first language. He dreams of one day representing Great Britain in the Olympics.
But the complexities of obtaining renewed visas is creating heartache for her family.
“Unfortunately, the current situation with our status in the UK forces me to lie to my children again when they ask about the future or making plans. I tell them everything will be OK, but that’s not true, as we could be forced to go nowhere at any moment.”
Anastasiia is from the city of Dnipro – which today is on the frontline of the conflict.
She came to the UK with her two sons – aged 3 and 13 – and her mother.
“My children consider the UK their home and often ask me: ‘Mom, will we have to move again?” She said.
“My younger son now speaks, reads and writes in English better than in Ukrainian. Even my 86-year-old grandmother is learning English.
“But we don’t know what the future holds…I humbly ask the UK government to allow us to continue building our lives here.
“We are deeply grateful for the safety, opportunities, and support we have received. We want to stay, contribute to society, work, learn, and give back to the country that has given us so much.”
And Olga Popova said her family’s lives were “shattered” when she had to escape Kyiv with her six-year-old son, her mother and their cat, leaving everything behind.
“We have lost everything in Ukraine – not just our belongings, but our sense of safety and our faith in a secure future there. History has shown that Russia does not stop. They invaded in 2014. They launched a full-scale war in 2022. And with no end in sight, I fear for the future of my son. I cannot bear the thought that one day, he could be sent to fight in a war that has already stolen too many young lives.
“Here, in the UK, we have built a new life from the ashes of our old one. My husband and I both work. We rent our own home. Our son speaks fluent English and thrives at primary and musical school…We are not just surviving; we are contributing. We are part of this society!
“But despite all this, the fear remains: What happens when our visas expire?
“In just 18 months, everything we have worked for could be taken away again.”
Richard Parker told the Sunday Mirror : “Britain made an offer of of security, safety and stability to Ukrainians fleeing war – we must continue to keep that promise. Ukraine is still at war and as instability grows around the world, we need to reaffirm our commitment to those who came here. I’ve met families who are worried about housing, employment, healthcare and education because they’re struggling to prove their right to live here.
“Where other countries are wavering the UK must lead by example and provide a clear path. Those who came here through the Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Family Schemes have put down roots and their children are growing up here. They are part of our communities and deserve absolute clarity about their futures.”
He added: “I know the Government wants to do the right thing and the Prime Minister has shown strong leadership in his response to the global instability, so let’s cut the red tape, remove the uncertainty, act quickly and make it clear that those Ukrainians who have made Britain their home are welcome to stay.”
A government spokesperson said: “We are fully committed to supporting Ukraine in their fight against Putin’s illegal war, while also providing a safe and secure haven for those fleeing the conflict. We have offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families.
“The Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme continues to provide certainty and security for Ukrainians, allowing those with permission to remain in the UK under one of the existing Ukraine schemes to apply for a further 18 months. Given the unpredictable nature of this conflict, we continue to keep our Ukraine schemes under review.”
