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Original poster

Visa help- Ukraine

106 replies

VisaQuestions · 25/02/2022 07:40

Please excuse the name change- I foresee this getting personal. I think MNHQ can verify me if need, but I hope not needed.

Does anyone have experience of opening visas for family no longer in their home country?

My adult step child is in Poland, having left in a hurry from Ukraine. Obviously I’m seeking advice from many quarters and will try to phone later directly.

I also have my own parents still in Ukraine who may leave.

I have the means and space to support them, and ideally obviously I’d like to bring them here. I’ve had a UK passport for over 10 years, my husband less but has one too now.

Urgent routes are best as they have no means or place to go now they’ve left home, they just went to the border. I’ve only ever opened visitor visas/ sent invites through Kyiv. Is it possible in a third country? They hold no other passports.

OP posts:
123ZYX · 25/02/2022 08:42

I don't have any advice, but I wanted to bump this for you.

I hope you step daughter and parents find the support they need.

FunnyInjury · 25/02/2022 08:45

Hi OP, if you have the means to get them across I believe Ireland have relaxed any requirement for Ukraine passport holders to enter the country. Might be easier to deal with if they are closer? You can travel freely to see them in Ireland 😊

Original poster
VisaQuestions · 25/02/2022 08:57

@FunnyInjury I will look into it now thank you

OP posts:
NobodysGonnaKnow · 25/02/2022 08:59

❤️

ThisIsGroundControl · 25/02/2022 09:00

Ukrainian embassy in Poland? I've used my native embassy in a third country to obtain a visa, albeit not under such dreadful circumstances.

theemmadilemma · 25/02/2022 09:01

Good luck OP, sincerely.

JanBabiesBrummyMummy · 25/02/2022 09:01

Good luck OP, I hope you are reunited with your family soon

Original poster
VisaQuestions · 25/02/2022 09:03

@ThisIsGroundControl we’ve found a centre in Warsaw, been told around three weeks. Which is obviously good, but it’s where a 20 year old is going to go for three weeks. We have kind Polish friends who we are relying on… but it’s a long time

OP posts:
Herja · 25/02/2022 09:05

I do not have advice (thoughFunnyInjury's seems a good start if you can find nothing more concrete). I just wanted to express my huge sympathy to you and your family. I wish you luck, from the bottom of my heart; I hope you get to see your family soon. Flowers

SouthOfFrance · 25/02/2022 09:05

I was going to suggest the Ukrainian embassy in Poland would be worth a try.

Good luck and hope you all get reunited soon Flowers

Jokaline · 25/02/2022 09:05

The Home Office has set up a specialist team for the Ukraine situation

Call 0300 3032785 and select option 1.

Original poster
VisaQuestions · 25/02/2022 09:06

@jokaline thanks, I’m getting them to call directly so they can make appointments etc if they need to.
From what I can read being a bit over 18, not a spouse or in medical need they aren’t offering much.

OP posts:
OchonAgusOchonOh · 25/02/2022 09:15

@FunnyInjury

Hi OP, if you have the means to get them across I believe Ireland have relaxed any requirement for Ukraine passport holders to enter the country. Might be easier to deal with if they are closer? You can travel freely to see them in Ireland 😊
I was just going to say the same thing. No visas are required for Ukranian passport holders and as a UK passport holder, you have freedom of movement under the common travel area. There are direct flights from Poland to Ireland so your step child would be able to get here immediately. Your parents could do the same if they can get out of Ukraine.
123ZYX · 25/02/2022 09:18

I'm sure your Polish friends will be happy to help - I suspect most people wish there was something practical to help everyone in Ukraine.

Could you afford to pay for a hotel for your step child for a few nights to break up the stay?

Does your step child have access to their bank account? If necessary, you could look into using the Moneygram service at the post office to get cash to them. (My mum used it to send cash to me when I lost my bank card at uni, years ago, and it's really straight forward)

There is a small charge for it, so if you can do a bank transfer to your friends in Poland and trust them to pass the cash on, it might be cheaper

PinkPlantCase · 25/02/2022 09:19

Just popping in to wish you all the best OP I hope your family is okay and can be closer to you soon.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 25/02/2022 09:20

Also, if you do get them to Ireland, the Association of Ukrainians of Ireland might be able to help - www.ukrainians.ie/en/

It's not very active but there are some phone numbers and email addresses that might be useful, as would the Ukranian embassy in Dublin.

MaizeAmaze · 25/02/2022 09:21

Is the Warsaw place the UK Visa application centre?
ie these guys? pos.tlscontact.com/waw_en/
That is the official route. Can your son move further west, into a country with less immediate demand on services? Although then he would loose the family friends, so maybe not a great plan.

I hope you get him to the UK soon, and your parents can follow safely.

Hoppinggreen · 25/02/2022 09:24

Im sorry I can’t offer practical help but I wish you and your family all the best and will be thinking about you x

heldinadream · 25/02/2022 09:24

I have no practical knowledge but I'm sending you and your family love. I hope you get them here. I hope your parents can be made safe whether or not they decide to leave.
Mostly I hope Putin just drops dead from his own blood pressure, and fast.
And I hope the whole world comes together on this one in the best way we can.

Gotmyprincecharming · 25/02/2022 09:26

There's a Facebook page called Ukrainians in ireland..some good info on it and people willing to help from here and in Poland. Still trying to convince husbands family to leave ukraine and come to us but they're not very enthusiastic about leaving their home, not yet at least.

Original poster
VisaQuestions · 25/02/2022 09:42

Parents and other family cannot leave now, the border is blocked and men under 60 cannot leave now anyway.

No bank account access, but can transfer to Polish friends. There’s no realistic other places to stay for various reasons. I don’t really want to send on journeys that deplete reserves.

Tbh, I’m now wondering about long term in Ireland and supporting them in an expensive area. Here I can obviously house them, but I can’t fund a house there too. It’s a good temporary move, but they’ve left their flat in the city and jobs.

OP posts:
littlesnowdropfairy · 25/02/2022 10:08

Hi @VisaQuestions I read yesterday that the government here (I'm Irish, in Ireland) were making plans to remove visa requirements for anyone travelling from Ukraine. You could get your family to come here and then you
Could visit them here freely. Hopefully the UK government will make the same provision soon too.
I hope your family are safe and able to get here.

Janek · 25/02/2022 10:39

Sorry if I'm being dim, but could they travel to Ireland then go to the Ukrainian Embassy there and get a visa for the UK?

Original poster
VisaQuestions · 25/02/2022 10:49

@littlesnowdropfairy thank you, but I think we simply don’t have the means to support them in an expensive country.

I think we are simply going for a visitor visa for now

OP posts:
Original poster
VisaQuestions · 25/02/2022 10:49

The application from Poland seems practical, we’ve spoken to them at the centre

OP posts: