UK immigration rules change: Colombian visitors now need visas as Ukraine schemes updated

6 September 2025

What changed today and who it affects

The UK has brought in a new requirement: all Colombian nationals must now secure a visa before traveling. This applies to short visits for tourism, business meetings, and family trips, and may also affect airport transit depending on your route. The change comes via Statement of Changes HC 334, laid in November 2024, and takes effect immediately.

Airlines will check documents at the gate. If a traveler does not hold the right visa, carriers can refuse boarding. That is standard under UK carrier liability rules. If you are Colombian and due to fly, confirm your status with your airline and review official guidance before you travel.

How to apply? The process usually starts online, followed by a biometric appointment at a visa application centre in-country. You will be asked for a passport, travel plans, and financial evidence. Processing times vary by season and demand. Expect early backlogs while the rule settles in, as applications surge in the first weeks.

There are knock-on effects. Tourists will need more lead time. Small firms planning client visits or trade shows should factor in visa timelines. Universities hosting short-term visitors for conferences or summer programs should support invitees early with letters and clear documentation.

Transit deserves a second look. Some routes require a visa even for airside transfers, others do not, and the rules depend on itinerary and nationality. If your ticket involves a UK airport connection, check whether you need a Direct Airside Transit Visa or a standard visitor visa. Do not assume a through-ticket alone will cover you.

Why the shift? The Home Office typically introduces visas when it judges a sustained risk to border security or when abuse of the system rises. Officials point to migration control and system integrity as priorities. The exact data behind this change has not been published alongside HC 334, but the move fits a broader pattern of tightening entry controls.

For businesses and hosts in the UK, this means more planning. Build in time for invitations, provide clear itineraries for visitors, and warn guests about biometrics and financial evidence requirements. For travelers, keep copies of bookings, employer letters, and bank statements ready to help your case.

• Colombian travelers: start the visa application as soon as you have travel dates; do not book non-refundable tickets until you understand processing times.
• Airlines and agents: update check-in systems and staff scripts to reflect the new rule; expect initial confusion at the counter.
• Event organizers: send visa support letters early and set realistic RSVP cut-offs linked to visa timelines.
• Families: if you rely on frequent visits, plan fewer, longer trips to make the admin worthwhile.

One more practical tip: keep an eye on eVisa rollout. The UK is shifting from physical cards to digital status. If and when your status becomes digital, make sure you can access your UKVI account so you can prove your rights to carriers and border staff.

Ukraine schemes updated: what the new extension route means

Alongside the Colombian change, HC 334 creates the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. In plain English, this is a route to extend permission to stay for people already in the UK under the Ukraine family, sponsorship, or extension routes whose leave is approaching expiry. The aim is continuity and clarity, so people are not forced into abrupt status gaps.

Who is likely to qualify? Individuals granted permission under the UK’s Ukraine pathways who are still living here and remain eligible under the updated rules. The precise eligibility checks and documentary asks will sit in the guidance, but expect identity and security rechecks and proof of residence in the UK. Sponsors may be asked to reconfirm arrangements where relevant.

Rights under the extended permission are expected to mirror what people have had so far: work, study, and access to key public services. Exact conditions, such as access to public funds and the length of the extension, are set out in the Immigration Rules change and will be reflected in Home Office guidance. Keep an eye on the expiry printed on your BRP (if you have one) and any emails from UKVI about switching to digital status.

What should Ukrainians in the UK do now? Check your current permission end date and prepare documents early—passport, proof of UK address, and any sponsor details if you entered via a sponsorship route. If you are an employer or landlord, keep following the official right to work and right to rent check guidance; recheck when permission is renewed to stay compliant.

For public bodies and service providers, expect updated verification steps. Schools, councils, and NHS teams should refresh staff guidance on acceptable proof of status, especially as more people move from physical cards to digital records through UKVI accounts.

This set of changes shows how the Home Office is tightening external borders while maintaining a tailored pathway for people displaced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It also reinforces a broader operational shift to digital status. For travelers, sponsors, and employers, the simplest rule holds: verify early, document clearly, and do not leave applications to the last minute.

If you need one takeaway, it is this: the UK immigration rules have shifted on two fronts at once—stricter entry for Colombian visitors, and a structured extension path for Ukrainians already here. Plan around it now to avoid last‑minute surprises at the gate or the front desk.