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Written question asked by Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party) on Thursday, 14 April 2022, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 20 April 2022. A holding answer was provided on Tuesday, 26 April 2022. A substantive answer was provided by Kevin Foster (Conservative) on Wednesday, 27 April 2022 on behalf of the Home Office.

Visas: Ukraine

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to enable (a) Ukrainians and (b) Ukrainians with a biometric passport to travel to the UK without a visa.

Answer

The Government has no plans to enable Ukrainians to travel to the UK without a visa.

From 15 March, Ukrainians who are eligible for the Ukraine Family Scheme or Homes for Ukraine Scheme with valid passports have been able to apply and get permission to come to the UK, fully online, from wherever they are; and have been able to give their biometrics once in the UK.

Visas are an important security tool. There is a risk hostile actors or other individuals with links to serious and organised crime or corruption could exploit the arrangement to travel to the UK undetected if security checks are not in place and we will not unnecessarily put the UK’s security at risk. Already, people have presented at the border with fake documents pretending to be Ukrainian.

The visa process also allows safeguarding checks to be preformed in relation to vulnerable adults and children travelling to the UK.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
154020
Session
2021-22
Subjects
Biometrics Passports Refugees Visas Ukraine
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk