More visas approved for Ukrainian refugees in Bedford – amid government processing delay criticism

More visas have been approved for Ukrainian refugees to stay with sponsors in Bedford under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, according to new figures.

They come amid criticism that the UK Government is not granting visas fast enough, leaving families and sponsors in limbo.

The Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, also known as Homes for Ukraine, allows citizens to volunteer to house refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Sponsors agree to offer accommodation for at least six months, with those receiving sponsorship allowed to live, work and study in the UK for up to three years.

Home Office data shows as of last Tuesday (April 26), the number of visas issued for sponsors based in Bedford stood at 232 – up from 60 as of April 6, when local figures on the scheme were first published.

Across the UK as a whole, 51,300 visas had been issued by April 27, equating to around 69% of the 74,700 applications made to that date.

The proportion of people waiting has dropped since April 7, when just 12,500 applications had been issued from 43,600 applications.

But the number of Ukrainians that have come to the UK through the scheme remains low, with the latest national figures showing just 11,100 had arrived by April 25.

Some warn delays in processing are impacting the number of refugees able to arrive in the UK, with reports of families unable to travel due to individual members not having visas granted.

Stephen Kinnock, shadow minister for immigration, criticised the Government’s handling of the scheme, saying issues with processing visas had created a “bureaucratic nightmare.”

Refugees have also been arriving through the Ukraine Family Scheme, which allows Ukrainian nationals to join family members in the UK.

As of April 27, 34,900 visas have been provided under the scheme nationally, of which 16,000 people had arrived by April 25.

A spokesperson for the Government said: “The changes the Home Office has made to streamline the visa system, including simplifying the forms and boosting staff numbers, are working and we are now processing visas as quickly as they come in.”