Visa help- Ukraine

[VisaQuestions]

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.

www.gov.uk/guidance/support-for-family-members-of-british-nationals-in-ukraine-and-ukrainian-nationals-in-ukraine-and-the-uk

Apologies if this has already been posted but this page will take you to the most up to date advice regarding how to obtain entry to the UK.

@lonelySam they are adults, this won’t apply to many. Few send their under 18 children here alone, or leave them and if you are a carer you will be with the person you are caring for.

@VisaQuestions yes, I agree of course. Good luck with the visa applications.

Have you seen today's announcement? It looks like the visa scheme has been extended to include parents and adult children of those settled in the UK.

I hope this means that you can get your step child to you as soon as possible.

It’s good, but I’d already paid loads out

Sorry to detail I really hope you manage to get them to the UK. Even if it’s not a long term solution it is probably the best short term one.

Did you get something sorted OP?

Just dragging, waiting for post this week

Still waiting on the application.

I presume these 50 they’ve apparently approved haven’t actually received the info either.

We have over 2000 already arrived in Ireland at this stage. The government has taken over a load of hotel rooms and other facilities to house them and people are volunteering rooms in their homes too.

Hopefully the applications will get sorted soon but if they need to leave Poland in the interim for whatever reason, Ireland would still be a good option.

Believe me. I’m not only considering Ireland for them, but all of us moving there. Seriously.

The problem is now they don’t have passports. They haven’t go them back with the visas, so they have to wait.

@VisaQuestions

Believe me. I’m not only considering Ireland for them, but all of us moving there. Seriously.

You would be very welcome here.

@VisaQuestions

The problem is now they don’t have passports. They haven’t go them back with the visas, so they have to wait.

That's terrible. As they're safe in Poland, they presumably wouldn't be able to travel here without a passport now.

That’s one thing that had me flummoxed. The only way to leave Ukraine is foot, car or train. I thought you had to claim asylum in the first safe country? I didn’t quite understand how to go to Ireland, and pass through safe countries?

I must admit though the term ‘safe’ is annoying as a concept, it’s more than ‘not being shot at’.

@VisaQuestions

That’s one thing that had me flummoxed. The only way to leave Ukraine is foot, car or train. I thought you had to claim asylum in the first safe country? I didn’t quite understand how to go to Ireland, and pass through safe countries?

I must admit though the term ‘safe’ is annoying as a concept, it’s more than ‘not being shot at’.

Ireland has removed the requirement for a visa so once they are here, they can then apply to remain.

I think the way it works is that if you are in the EU, the Dublin Regulation means a country can send asylum seekers back to the first country they arrived in. However, it also says no country should shoulder an excessive burden of responsibility so there is a sense of everyone taking a fair share.

You don't have to claim asylum in the first safe country. You can travel further. The UK might not let you in, but other countries don't have that restriction in place.

@LegallyBlende

You don't have to claim asylum in the first safe country. You can travel further. The UK might not let you in, but other countries don't have that restriction in place.

And if you get in to the UK, the UK no longer have the right to send you back to the EU country you came through.

Hope you’ve things sorted OP

No. It’s becoming a bit of a nightmare

I’m pretty angry, I’ve phone around so much and they’ve been in and out in Poland but they are in limbo.

Some visas take days, it’s like a lottery.

On the back other family don’t want to risk leaving now.

We’ve decided Ireland is the only option.
It’s getting hard to get money there, the family hosting are struggling in Poland and they can’t stay.
It looks like they can leave the passports and go without.

Good luck Ireland is lovely. Can you not host them under the new scheme?

They’ve been homeless in Poland since 25/2, entitled to visas and with an application in.
They can’t live like this any longer. A new application under a new scheme, if we cancel this one, could easily take as long or longer to process.
They can’t exist without money, a roof etc forever. Still working but they can’t withdraw money even in their situation and the order area is feeling more and more unsafe.