A single mother who came to the UK after fleeing war in Ukraine says she is worried that an 18-month visa extension might not be long enough to keep her child safe.
The Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme visas were set to expire in March 2025, however the government has recently confirmed they will be extended until September 2026.
Tina Brun said her daughter Mia, six, had only just adjusted to life in the UK, adding that it would be heartbreaking to have to move again.
She said: “Mia already loves this country. She has found friends, her English is better than mine and she has built her little life here.
“When I was nine, I lived in Israel, just when the active phase of the conflict there started, so I know what it means for a child when there are bombs around.
“I promised myself that my child was never going to see any of that. It was because of my daughter that I left Ukraine.
“When our visa ends she’ll be in her fourth year of school and I can’t imagine how hard it’s going to be for her to leave everything.”
Families across the UK have opened their homes to over 200,000 Ukrainians since the start of the war.
Despite the short-term nature of the extension, the 27-year-old says she is still grateful for the additional time to plan for the future.
“I’m grateful I don’t have to worry about visas for next year, especially when the war is still ongoing.
“So many people don’t even have their homes to go back to. Cities like Mariupol, Bakhmut, Avdiivka – the world only knows these cities because they don’t exist anymore.
“As a single parent, I am a father and a mother to my daughter, so when I make decisions, I always think about my child first.”
Despite the worry about the visas, Tina said she was grateful to all the British people for their generosity and help.
“Everyone says Ukrainians are brave, which they are,” she said. “But British people are also very brave, because as one they agreed to help.
“So many people helped and they have never stopped, never said ‘enough’ and never looked at us like refugees, but instead saw the people in us.
“Thanks to everyone who has put something into helping Ukraine, even if it’s one pound, because without you we wouldn’t have lived until this moment.”
Great job you both 👍🏻