A Ukrainian family stuck in Calais tonight pleaded with the Government to let them into the UK as British officials turned away desperate refugees.
Families are flooding into the French port after making 1,000-mile plus journeys from their war-torn country in the hope of joining their relatives in the UK.
But, despite a promise by Home Secretary Priti Patel to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the Ukrainians, many are being refused visas as they are not “immediate family”. We can reveal refugees in Calais are being told to apply to other European countries instead.
Tonight Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper branded it “a disgraceful situation” and demanded an explanation from Ms Patel. Refugee charity Care4Calais, which is trying to help families enter Britain, also reacted with fury.
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A spokesperson said: “Our Government must do more. If they want to show solidarity with Ukrainians it will take more than words.”
Ukrainian-born British citizen Victoria Perebeynis, 53, who teaches English, travelled to the Polish border at Krakowiec to collect four members of her extended family.
She planned to take them to her home in Oxford, but said: “The British Embassy told us to fill out application forms, which were rejected. And they have been told they need to apply for other countries.”
The relatives Victoria wants to help are her cousin Valentina, 75, her daughter-in-law Maiia Magda, 46, Maiia’s son Glib, 12, and her mum Ekateria Pergat, also 75 and disabled.
Maiia’s husband and older son stayed in Ukraine to fight the Russians.
The terrified family, from the shelled Energodar region, travelled for four days to reach France.
Victoria said: “Valentina is so distraught and depressed. We couldn’t open the windows on the drive as she was terrified someone would shoot at her. She and Ekateria still think they are being attacked. They have lost everything. They travelled across Europe with one sock between them and one piece of underwear. That’s all they had when they got to the border.
“Their whole lives have fallen apart.”
Care4Calais is helping the family appeal the visa rejection.
There are around 130 Ukrainians at the Centre Europeen de Sejour in Calais. More are expected. But our strict entry criteria only applies to parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and siblings of British residents.
A Government scheme to allow refugees in if they can get sponsored by an individual or organisation is not up and running.
Boris Johnson committed to taking 200,000 refugees. But other European countries have acted faster and pledged to take in many more.
Ms Cooper tonight said: “Families who have fled the Russian bombardment and are desperately trying to find sanctuary with relatives here should not be ending up stuck in Calais because of the Home Office.
“This is shameful. Priti Patel needs to explain this disgraceful situation. People need help now.”
The Home Office said the sponsorship route is “opening soon”. But they could not tell us when it will start.
Meanwhile Ukrainians working here as fruit and veg pickers are panicking over confusing changes to their visas. They have been extended but the pickers can only work for the farmers who sponsored them – who may not extend their contracts.
The Work Rights Centre charity said: “They’re basically stranded.”
