Calls for Home Secretary to tackle delays in processing Ukraine refugees

Jewish leaders have called on the Home Secretary to tackle “delays” in helping refugees fleeing Ukraine amid reports of a 90-year-old holocaust survivor trying to reach her granddaughter in London.

Marie van der Zyl, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, wrote to Priti Patel asking her to “substantially increase capacity” to provide UK visas to Ukrainian refugees who are “stranded and vulnerable to lack of shelter and malnutrition as well as the dangers of war”.

She highlighted the case of Kateryna Razumenko, who reportedly fled her home and is now in Poland while trying to reunite with family in the UK.

Ms van der Zyl said: “This is a fast-moving situation and I am sure that both the Government and civil servants are working around the clock to ensure that the United Kingdom plays its role in accepting and supporting  refugees.

“Nevertheless,  there  are  inevitable  delays  in  the  process,  leading  to refugees  being  stranded  and  vulnerable  to  lack  of  shelter  and  malnutrition  as  well  as  the dangers of war.

“We  strongly  welcome the  Government’s family sponsorship programme, the intention to establish   a humanitarian sponsorship pathway and your leadership in this   matter.

“Unfortunately, the current process appears to be far too slow.

“The  Jewish community  has been moved in particular by a case of a 90-year-old Holocaust and Holodomor survivor, who is currently living in makeshift accommodation in Poland, but whose granddaughter in London is desperately trying to bring her over to ensure that she has the care and support she needs.

“For that one story we know about, there are likely to be thousands of refugees, of all faiths and none, facing similar circumstances.

“I am therefore asking for you to substantially increase capacity for delivering the family  sponsorship programme and establish the humanitarian sponsorship pathway for which all Ukrainian refugees are eligible as quickly as possible.”

Accord to the Telegraph, Ms Razumenko was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, in 1931 and has left her home country for the first time amid the conflict. Now in Poland, she is waiting to be processed by the UK Government so she can come to London to be with her granddaughter.

It is understood the Home Office has escalated Ms Razumenko’s case and is in contact with the family to get her to the UK as quickly as possible. A visa is expected to be provided within 24 hours.

It comes as the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman called for the Government to speed up visa processing by removing unnecessary delays and bureaucracy and improving resources.

Ombudsman Rob Behrens expressed concern over reports that refugees are facing “chaos and confusion” such as a lack of clear information about the location of visa application centres, personal details being lost, people being turned away and delays.

He said: “It is vital the Home Office acts to correct failings in its handling of visa applications, especially failings we have previously reported and which we are seeing repeated here.

“In this horrendous situation swift action is needed to make sure the process of getting a visa is simple, accessible and quick. Lives depend on it.”

A Government spokesman 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.

“We are protecting appointments for Ukrainians at all our visa application centres, with a 24/7 helpline in place and (have) deployed additional staff across the EU to help speed up the process further.

“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.”