Abbots Langley couple stuck abroad after saving Ukrainian family

Steve Billington and his Ukrainian wife, who live in Abbots Langley, travelled to Poland by car to collect his brother-in-law’s wife and two children – aged three and 13 – after they escaped from a Ukrainian village just west to Lviv.

The Ukrainian family were fearful for their lives due to the ongoing conflict with Russia and the daily sounds of sirens, while the brother-in-law was forced to stay behind in Ukraine.

However, after picking up the family on Tuesday (March 8), they all went to Calais in France to enter the UK from there - and the family were turned away.

The Ukrainian family who escaped the country during the conflict

It is intended that the escaped family would be able to live with the couple in their three-bedroom Abbots Langley home, but the family were instead instructed to drive to Brussels and were allegedly promised they would “get the visa in 24 hours”.

Mr Billington explained that the family pleaded with the border control officers and begged them to go through the various documents, birth certificates and such and allow them to go through at this time.

Instead the border control threatened that French police would forcefully remove them and the evacuated Ukrainian members would be refused entry in the future if they did not leave.

A British government notice on a welcome desk at the ferry terminal in Calais. Credit: PA

It now appears they may be stuck abroad for weeks as many other Ukrainian refugees and British families helping home Ukrainians are left waiting for their visas to be approved.

Mr Billington said: “I’m devastated, I just cannot believe that the British government would do this to us, leave us stranded in France trying to get these visas.”

He mentioned that they have been currently staying at various hotels across France, costing a total between 200 to 300 Euros a day.

“If it’s a few weeks, I don’t know how we’re going to manage (financially),” he said.

He questioned: “Why can’t they issue these visas when we’re taken to safety? It’s clear who they are (due to the on-hand documentation).”

Watford MP Dean Russell has contacted the family and is hoping to submit an urgent request to the Home Office to get the family back home.

Other members of a Ukrainian family waiting at the border. Credit: PA

Meanwhile Tory MP Sir Roger Gale has accused the Home Office of “dragging its feet” over visa applications, with many others also turned away at Calais.

A Government spokesperson said: “Last week we announced a new sponsorship route which will allow Ukrainians with no family ties to the UK to be sponsored to come to the UK.

“This is alongside our Ukraine Family Scheme, which has already seen thousands of people apply, as well as changes to visas so that people can stay in the UK safely.  

“The routes we have put in place follow extensive engagement with Ukrainian partners. This is a rapidly moving and complex picture and as the situation develops, we will continue to keep our support under constant review.”

UPDATE:

• Home Secretary Priti Patel has promised today that the online visa application for Ukrainians will be streamlined, coming into effect from Tuesday.

Ms Patel said: “From Tuesday, I can announce that Ukrainians with passports will no longer need to go to a visa application centre to give their biometrics before they come to the UK."