In a significant policy shift, the UK government has reversed visa changes that previously prevented Ukrainian parents from bringing their children to join them. The decision has brought renewed hope to hundreds of families, including Ivan Vitsyn and his wife, Olesia Aladko, who are now reunited with their children in Kent.
The couple, originally from the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine, left their seven-year-old son, Kyrylo, and ten-year-old daughter, Oleksandra, with Ivan’s parents while they moved to the UK in May 2023. They arrived on seasonal worker visas, taking jobs as strawberry pickers, with the aim of securing a stable home before bringing their children to join them.
Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, they had planned to act as sponsors for their children. However, in February 2023, the previous Conservative government unexpectedly changed the eligibility rules, allowing only British or Irish citizens or those with permanent residency to act as sponsors.
“We worked so hard to prepare to reunite with the kids, and then overnight we were not able to,” Ivan said, speaking through a translator. “The dream was shattered to pieces; we didn’t know what to do.”
Meanwhile, their children remained in Ukraine, living just 50 kilometers from the battlefield, constantly exposed to the sounds of explosions. Desperate to find a British sponsor, Ivan and Olesia encountered scammers demanding large sums of money in exchange for assistance. Eventually, they sought help from Settled, a charity supporting Ukrainians navigating the visa process.
Acting on the charity’s advice, they submitted a visa application naming themselves as sponsors, despite the restrictive rules. However, their application remained in limbo, neither approved nor denied, leaving them unable to challenge the decision.
“Every day we checked our email,” Ivan recalled, describing the waiting period as “painful.”
Then, in January 2024, the UK government reversed the previous changes, once again allowing Ukrainians to sponsor their children’s visas. When Ivan and Olesia finally received confirmation that their children’s visas had been approved, their relief was overwhelming.
“I cannot explain that feeling,” Ivan said. “It was the best feeling in the world.”
With the assistance of Settled, numerous Ukrainian families have now had their applications approved. However, others, hoping to reunite with siblings or parents, remain separated due to the ongoing restrictions.
Although Ukraine has expressed willingness to engage in peace negotiations, with the US pushing for an end to the war, the UK has granted Ukrainians the right to apply for an additional 18-month stay.
While Ivan hopes to one day return to Ukraine, he remains uncertain about the future of his homeland. “Even if the war stopped tomorrow, there is no certainty for our region,” he said.
For Olesia, being reunited with her children has brought a sense of peace. “There is probably no other feeling like having your children beside you,” she said. “You don’t start your day by reading the news about attacks in Ukraine. You fall asleep peacefully and wake up peacefully because your children are next to you, and nothing else is needed.”
The reversal of the visa policy has reunited families and provided a renewed sense of stability for Ukrainians in the UK, though many continue to navigate the challenges of war and displacement.
