Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ukrainian crew members working on cruise ships in the UK will be eligible to apply to one of the visa schemes for Ukrainian nationals, including the Ukrainian Extension Scheme.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Both the Ukraine Extension Scheme and the Ukraine Family Scheme can be applied for by Ukrainian nationals in the UK, who meet the eligibility criteria – which can be found on GOV.UK (UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
Ukrainian nationals seeking to travel to the UK for sanctuary must use either Homes for Ukraine, or the Ukraine Family Scheme.
Individuals are able to contact an independent Immigration Adviser registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) for advice relevant to their own circumstances. Further guidance is available on GOV.UK (Find an immigration adviser: Search for an adviser - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department last reviewed the list of accepted occupations for passport application and photo countersignatories; and whether she plans to increase the number of accepted occupations on that list.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
His Majesty’s Passport Office policy on who can act as a referee is kept under review as part of the general programme of work to transform and modernise the passport application process. Any changes to the policy would be announced to Parliament and reflected in published HM Passport Office guidance.
The list of recognised professions can be found online. This is not a definitive list, and any alternatives a customer provides must be considered. Countersigning passport applications and photos: Accepted occupations for countersignatories - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has provided to passport applicants who do not know anyone who meets the criteria for photograph counter-signatories.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
His Majesty’s Passport Office engages with customers on a case by case basis where they tell us they do not know anyone who meets the criteria for acting as an acceptable counter-signatory. Published HM Passport Office guidance provides advice to passport examiners in considering exercising discretion in these cases. Confirming ID: referees - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Customers can call the Passport Adviceline if they have questions about a passport application.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support her Department is providing to UK visa and biometric residence permit applicants impacted by the closure of the UK Embassy in Khartoum.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Due to the current situation in Sudan, the Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Khartoum is temporarily closed until further notice.
Whilst the VAC is closed, the Home Office is proactively contacting these customers by email to liaise directly on what options and support are available to them.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help reunite UK citizens with close family members who remain in Sudan.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Over 2,000 people have been evacuated to safety in the longest and largest airlift of any western nation during the crisis in Sudan. As well as British nationals, the UK has also evacuated Sudanese clinicians who work in the NHS.
In addition, those individuals who were evacuated from Sudan by other governments who would have met the criteria for evacuation by the UK government will also be able to come to the UK.
We recognise that some people displaced by the fighting may wish to join family in the UK, and where those family members do not have a current UK visa, they can apply for one via one of our standard visa routes, which remain available, and applications can be submitted at the nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC).
Applications can be made at any VAC and we will accept applications which would normally have to be made in the country where the person is living at any VAC from someone who has been evacuated, or self-evacuated, from Sudan.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the response to the Answer of 17 March 2023 to Question 162216 on Refugees: Afghanistan, whether her Department has set a target date for providing people with further information on how they can be reunited with their family members.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Government remains committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan. However, the situation is complex and presents significant challenges, including how those who are eligible for resettlement in the UK can leave the country. This includes eligible immediate family members of those being resettled under the ACRS.
For those evacuated from Afghanistan under the ACRS without their immediate family members, further information will be made available in due course about options for reuniting with them. We are unable to provide a target date at this time.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending visas under the (a) Homes for Ukraine scheme, (b) Ukrainian Family Scheme and (c) Ukraine Extension Scheme for people who enter (i) further and (ii) higher education.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history, with over 220,000 visas issued under Ukraine Schemes; 67,000 through the Ukraine Family Scheme and 156,000 through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
We firmly believe that Ukraine will be safe again and we will continue to support the Ukrainian Government for as long as is necessary in their efforts against Putin.
The Government of Ukraine has been clear that it needs citizens to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so, to help rebuild the country.
Therefore, our approach has been to provide Ukrainians with access to a three-year visa for temporary sanctuary in the UK, providing them with certainty and stability while they are here, to settle into jobs, schooling and accommodation.
Of course, we keep any future need for an extension of leave in the UK under review, in line with developments of the situation in Ukraine.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to provide assurance to those people in the UK under the (a) Homes for Ukraine scheme, (b) Ukrainian Family Scheme and (c) Ukraine Extension Scheme on the longer-term status of their visa; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history, with over 220,000 visas issued under Ukraine Schemes; 67,000 through the Ukraine Family Scheme and 156,000 through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
We firmly believe that Ukraine will be safe again and we will continue to support the Ukrainian Government for as long as is necessary in their efforts against Putin.
The Government of Ukraine has been clear that it needs citizens to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so, to help rebuild the country.
Therefore, our approach has been to provide Ukrainians with access to a three-year visa for temporary sanctuary in the UK, providing them with certainty and stability while they are here, to settle into jobs, schooling and accommodation.
Of course, we keep any future need for an extension of leave in the UK under review, in line with developments of the situation in Ukraine.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of automatically extending visas for people in the UK under the (a) Homes for Ukraine, (b) Ukrainian Family Scheme and (c) Ukraine Extension Scheme, if the war in Ukraine continues.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history, with over 220,000 visas issued under Ukraine Schemes; 67,000 through the Ukraine Family Scheme and 156,000 through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
We firmly believe that Ukraine will be safe again and we will continue to support the Ukrainian Government for as long as is necessary in their efforts against Putin.
The Government of Ukraine has been clear that it needs citizens to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so, to help rebuild the country.
Therefore, our approach has been to provide Ukrainians with access to a three-year visa for temporary sanctuary in the UK, providing them with certainty and stability while they are here, to settle into jobs, schooling and accommodation.
Of course, we keep any future need for an extension of leave in the UK under review, in line with developments of the situation in Ukraine.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending visas under the (a) Homes for Ukraine scheme, (b) Ukrainian Family Scheme and (c) Ukraine Extension Scheme beyond the initial three-year period.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
In response to Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history, with over 220,000 visas issued under Ukraine Schemes; 67,000 through the Ukraine Family Scheme and 156,000 through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.
We firmly believe that Ukraine will be safe again and we will continue to support the Ukrainian Government for as long as is necessary in their efforts against Putin.
The Government of Ukraine has been clear that it needs citizens to return to Ukraine when it is safe to do so, to help rebuild the country.
Therefore, our approach has been to provide Ukrainians with access to a three-year visa for temporary sanctuary in the UK, providing them with certainty and stability while they are here, to settle into jobs, schooling and accommodation.
Of course, we keep any future need for an extension of leave in the UK under review, in line with developments of the situation in Ukraine.