‘We’re not allowed to bring our baby from Ukraine’: Refugees refused after sudden UK rule change

7 comments

1. > A Ukrainian refugee couple who fled to the UK have been refused permission for their two-year-old daughter to join them **after the government suddenly changed its sponsorship rules**, The Independent can reveal.
   > But after finally overcoming the hurdles of **finding accommodation and setting up their own marketing business in the UK**, the couple’s submission in April for the toddler to join them was refused by the Home Office, after **rules for the schemes allowing Ukrainians to do so were tightened overnight in February**.

   In a two years from a dependent refugee to a contributing one and treated like a shit.

   > **While previously Ukrainian refugees could sponsor family members, now only British and Irish citizens or those with permanent leave to remain can do so**. Announcing the changes on 19 February, the government said it had eschewed the typical implementation period of 21 days to avoid a “misplaced surge of applications”.

   > But despite their application for Anna stating they were her parents, **the refusal letter Oleksandra and Yaroslav received 11 days later on 26 April said Anna was not eligible because – as per the new rules – her “sponsor does not meet the requirement that they must be a British or Irish citizen or have no time limit on their stay in the UK”**.

   Talking about cruel…

2. Afraid to say that given how the war may be going, stories like this are not going to decrease.

3. Oh dear how sad never mind
   That bad they left their kid behind. Are these the people who go back for a holiday/get their teeth fixed

4. Why would you flee from war but leave your baby behind…?

5. > Naqeeb Sadiq, a senior immigration adviser at the charity Settled, which helped with Anna’s visa application, said he feared the new legislation – which served to close the Ukraine Family Scheme, and tighten both the Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Extension scheme rules – may have created “unintended consequences” now keeping families apart.
   >
   > “Earlier in the scheme, the government had to make amendments to the policy because of issues relating to minors – that was within six months of the scheme being announced,” said Mr Sadiq. “So it may be the case that they’ve just overlooked it again.”

   It looks like this is could well be one of those cases where legislation is drawn up but when actually implemented doesn’t always go as planned. This happens quite often and legislation needs tweaking because the legal team which drew up the wording has a different opinion to those who implement it.

   https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65ccc3c21d9395001294665e/Ukraine+Family+Scheme+Guidance.pdf is the document in question, Ukraine Family Scheme Version 6.0.

6. It’s odd that they left their bambino back there but really, small children should be the priority when it comes to refugees!

   Edit: sorry, seems my comment wasn’t worded to convey what I meant! It was more a pop at the government at refusing the baby because let’s be honest, little kids should absolutely be the priority when it comes to refugees!

   By no means was I intending to bash the parents, I’m sure they wouldn’t put the wee bab in harms way but in my melty brain I also trying to say I hope she’s not stuck in a war zone either.

7. It’s the same in germany as well. Refugees who want to do everything right by law and integrate are treated like shit, while convicted criminals, islamists and terrorists run around freely and nobody deports them. Instead they are pampered with welfare.