UK prolongs Ukraine Permission Extension program by 24 months

The UK will extend the Ukraine Permission Extension program for an extra 24 months, British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the UK House of Commons on September 1.

Speaking in Parliament, Cooper confirmed that the government will continue the program, which allows Ukrainians who have received protection in the UK to remain in the country under safe and legal conditions, Caliber.Az reports.

“We will continue to contribute by supporting Ukraine and Ukrainians forced to leave their homes due to the war,” Cooper said.

The UK also reaffirmed its commitment to providing humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict, including medical treatment for children seriously injured in the Gaza Strip and educational opportunities for a new group of refugee students at British universities.

The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) is a UK Home Office scheme that allows Ukrainian nationals (and their families) who already have status under one of the Ukrainian visa programs (Homes for Ukraine/Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Extension Scheme) or a permission to remain outside immigration control to extend their legal stay in the country for up to 18 months.

Applications are free of charge and grant the same rights as the original statuses: the right to work, rent housing, access benefits, and education. Applications are submitted online within 28 days before the current permission expires. The updated status is issued via eVisa, and applicants may be asked to provide biometrics additionally. The scheme opens for applications on February 4, 2025.

By Khagan Isayev