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Parents, grandparents, children over 18 and siblings of Ukrainian islanders will now be able to apply to join them in Jersey after the visa scheme was widened.
External Relations Minister Senator Ian Gorst announced said in the States Assembly this afternoon: "This lunchtime, the UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has widened UK visa eligibility for people wishing to join family members.
"It will now include adult parents, grandparents, children over 18 and siblings – in addition to the immediate family members who had previously been eligible.
"A new visa sponsor route will also be created to let British businesses bring Ukrainians to the UK.
"I’m pleased to announce that Jersey will mirror these changes.
"We are maintaining ongoing discussions with the UK Home Office, and look at the best ways to assist these families.
"There is an existing immigration route to enable Ukrainian nationals who are the immediate family members of British nationals to come to Jersey, but we are examining further options to assist these families."
It comes after many Ukrainian islanders expressed concerns about the safety of their wider families and hurdles they were facing in the visa application process.
Some also told Express that they wished to help their aunts and cousins, but that they were ineligible under the previous definition.
Deputy Louise Doublet asked the Minister about the possibility of allowing members of Ukrainian islanders' more extended family to come.
Senator Gorst said he believes the definition of "eligible" family members provided by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel "remains too narrow".
However, he added: "It's far easier for me to stand in this place to say that because we have few Ukrainian nationals - we have probably less than 50, therefore a broadening for them to bring family members and cast the family definition wider is something I believe islanders will support."
Ms Patel's original visa scheme allowed for 100,000 Ukrainian nations to cross into the UK, while it's estimated that 100,000 more will be welcomed under the broadened criteria.
Whether there is capacity to expand the definition of family further "is yet to be seen", Senator Gorst said.
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