Hundreds of desperate Ukrainian refugees who have fled the horror of war in their own country have been met by an “insulting sign” as they wait to be processed.
The Home Office says just 300 visas have been issued from 8,900 submitted applications with a total of 17,700 started.
More than 1.5million people have left Ukraine since the start of the invasion by Russia last month, most into neighbouring Poland.
There has been much confusion and frustration over the UK's refugee process - with families left stranded in Calais after fleeing the Ukraine warzone with little but their clothes on their backs.
More than 600 Ukrainian refugees - hoping to make it to the UK - are currently in Calais.
Among them are families with small children and babies, as well as elderly women who have fled the war and crossed a continent.
Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday first said her department had set up a visa application centre in Calais but then swiftly backtracked.
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But The Mirror has seen a sign on the main noticeboard of a youth hostel in Calais making it clear no visas are available in the town, with people directed towards Paris or Brussels to reach the UK.
It says simply: "No visas delivered in Calais.”
No British officials have been seen either yesterday or so far today by Mirror chief reporter Andy Lines who is in the French town.
Care4Calais chief Clare Moseley told the Mirror: “So many ordinary people are doing incredible things to help but this government is continuing to put policies and paperwork over people.”
Amid desperate scenes, more and more people have been arriving at the centre in Calais hoping for quick access to the country but have been met with more red tape.
Families face months of separation before they can be together as a result.
Among those facing the crisis is Ukrainian-born British citizen Victoria Perebeynis, 53, who 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 their applications were rejected and they were told to apply to other countries.
Victoria said: "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."
Patel said on Monday: “We have staff in Calais, we have support on the ground.
“It is wrong to say we’re just turning people back, we’re absolutely not, we’re supporting those that have been coming to Calais."
The UK has come under fire for so far allowing so few of those in need of refuge into the country.
Defence secretary Ben Wallace says the Ministry of Defence is to help the Home Office process the applications.
He told Sky News: “The question really relies on how many checks we do once people reach a safe space.
"So, no-one is stopping those people getting across their borders into a safe space.
"The first and foremost duty for all of us is to make sure that people get to safety.
"Once they've got to safety, making sure we just check their identity before they come to this country, it is incredibly important that we do that.
"It shouldn't take time.”
Labour's Diane Abbott earlier tweeted: "Such a disgrace. Home Secretary Priti Patel deliberately misled MPs this afternoon. There is NO visa centre in Calais.
"Patel’s hatred of migrants outweighs any concern for desperate Ukrainian refuges."
