Home secretary Priti Patel has promised a streamlined online visa application system for Ukrainians seeking to flee the war with Russia in response to criticism of her approach to the crisis.
It comes as the Daily Mail has published the full list of the hoops Ukrainians need to jump through to get a Visa to come to the UK.
Patel told MPs the changes will come in from Tuesday following assurances from the security services that the UK can still be protected from Russian efforts to infiltrate the country by posing as Ukrainian refugees.
The Home Office has come under pressure from opposition and Tory MPs – as well as the Ukrainian government – to simplify the system which allows family members of people settled in the UK to join their relatives.
Last night Liam Thorp tweeted that a visa centre being set up will not have its exact location made to the public. He wrote: “Orwell couldn’t have dreamt this one up.”
He then followed that Tweet up writing: “The UK government finding itself somewhere between Orwellian and Kafkaesque.”
Victoria Derbyshire has tweeted what Ukrainians need to do to apply for a visa to come to the UK.
As you can see it is not exactly making it easy for people who have had to flee their homes due to a war on their own soil.
She then tweeted: “Labour’s Ed Miliband has just told @BBCRadio4 that Lab would also require visas for Ukrainians – but he says they back ‘12 month emergency visas’, which wld still involve biometric checks. He says he believes that wld be quicker than the current system.”
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