A couple who drove over 3,300 miles from their home in England to rescue their 15-year-old Ukrainian niece and became stranded in Paris have slammed the UK's “shameful” visa mess. William Heylend and his Ukraine-born wife Natasha set off for the wartorn country at 9am on Saturday, February 26 from their home in Winchester, Hampshire.
The couple, both aged in their early 40s, drove for 36 hours in their 15-year-old Mercedes Vito van to the Moldovan border. There they collected Natasha’s brother’s youngest daughter, who fled with family and just a carrier bag of clothes, reports MirrorOnline.
William said: “The bombs started falling and they evacuated. We made the decision the following morning. We threw clothes into a suitcase and set off.”
Natasha’s brother returned to Ukraine while his new partner and her daughter, have gone to stay with relatives in Italy.
William and Natasha, who have two daughters – Rose, 18 and Nikita, 19 – said their trip via France, Belgium, Germany and Austria, Hungary, Romania paled into insignificance against their niece’s terrifying ordeal.
“It was nothing in comparison to the dangers faced by our family fleeing central Ukraine. Travelling through roadblocks, avoiding blown bridges and worrying about having enough fuel to reach the border,” William said.
After finding their niece at 2am on the Monday, they stayed in a hotel before driving to a family member’s farm in Romania over dangerous icy roads in the Carpathian mountains – which William said they were “woefully unequipped” for. They then continued west, reaching Brussels on Wednesday.
On Thursday they applied for a standard visa and stayed with a friend of a friend before heading to Calais on Monday, only to be turned around as their application had been deferred.
They are staying in an Airbnb in Paris until an extended family visa is approved.
Of the process, William said: “It’s very confusing. English is my first language and it was difficult.
“It’s heartbreaking. There’s no working system. It’s impossible, shameful and a disgrace.”
A Government spokesman said: “A new sponsorship route, which will allow Ukrainians with no family ties to the UK to be sponsored to come here is being brought forward.”
Diary of an epic trip to the Ukrainian border
Saturday, February 26 William and Natasha Heylend left Winchester at 9am and drove 36 hours straight to the Moldovan border with Ukraine via the Eurotunnel.
Sunday, February 27 Arrived at the Moldovan border at 11pm where they used the Geozilla app to track niece.
Monday, February 28 Picked up their niece at 2am. Next morning they drove to the farm of Will’s relation in Romania.
Tuesday, March 1 Travelled across the Romanian/Hungarian border to a hotel on the border with Slovenia.
Wednesday, March 2 Cut across Slovenia and into Germany, then Belgium, arriving in Brussels at 11pm.
Thursday, March 3 At the visa application centre.
Thursday-Monday am Stayed in Brussels with a friend of a friend waiting for visa.
Monday, March 7 Headed to Calais but at UK border were told to go back to the visa application centre. Held at border for two hours.
Since Tuesday, March 8 Went to the visa center in Paris. staying in an Airbnb waiting for visa to be approved.
