Support available to Ukrainian residents in extending visas

Around 300 Ukrainian residents who have sought refuge in Swindon since war broke out in their homeland two years ago will be supported by Swindon Borough Council to extend their visa in the coming months.

Following an announcement by the Government, residents who fled the war in Ukraine will be able to begin applications extend their visa from tomorrow (4 Feb) through the Ukrainian Permission Extension (UPE) visa scheme. The Council’s Warm Welcome team will be contacting known residents who may be eligible to support them to extend their stay.

These visa extensions will grant Ukrainians a further 18 months stay in the UK, but they must apply within the 28-day window of their current visa expiring.

The Warm Welcome Team will be readily available to offer help and support to residents throughout this application process.

A total of 172 Ukrainians who have found independent accommodation in Swindon and a further 112 people still in accommodation with hosts under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme will be contacted about extending their stay.

Since the war broke out, the Warm Welcome team has provided wrap-around support to all Ukrainian arrivals in Swindon under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. All arrivals are allocated a caseworker who provides one-to-one support to help with their transition into life within the Borough.

For those households where residents are still in accommodation with hosts, ‘Thank You’ payments will also continue when visas are extended. However, these payments will drop from £500 to £350 for all hosts in April 2025.

Jess Squire, Warm Welcome Team Manager at Swindon Borough Council, said: “For those people from Ukraine who need to extend their visa, we are here to support them through that process. Our dedicated team will be on hand to provide support to both residents and host families to overcome any challenges during this process wherever possible.

“To access help, it’s important that any eligible residents contact the Warm Welcome team via their allocated case worker or email warmwelcome@swindon.gov.uk as soon as they are eligible to apply to extend their visa.”

Councillor Jim Grant, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships, said: “The work of our Warm Welcome team continues to support the Council’s mission to build a fairer Swindon. if you are looking to stay with us here in Swindon for an additional 18 months or are hosting someone who wishes to, please take advantage of their support.

“Initially set up in 2021 to support the arrival of refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, the Warm Welcome team continues to provide a comprehensive support service. The team works with partners across the statutory and voluntary sectors to assist individuals and families arriving in Swindon to navigate through services and systems, offering information, advice and emotional support. Throughout the visa extension process for Ukrainian residents, they are available to support residents through the process and find options which best suits their needs.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in this important work, including families hosting people who fled war, as they have shown how Swindonians have huge hearts in welcoming people from all over the world.”

Residents who need to apply to extend their visa, should do so via https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-to-stay-in-the-uk-under-the-ukraine-extension-scheme