A little girl who was denied a visa for the UK, and then sent back to war-torn Ukraine could now be granted safety.
In a major government U-turn, Alika Zubets, four, would be able to restart her life with her grandmother Tanya, 58.
The four-year-old was turned around from the UK, despite her grandma being granted entry to Britain.
Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, Alika was classed as an unaccompanied minor because she was not with either of her parents.
Government guidance on the sponsorship scheme states that: "Unaccompanied children and orphans are not eligible to apply under the scheme.
"Under 18s applying for the scheme must be applying with their parent or legal guardian, or to join them in the UK."
Shockingly, this meant the little girl was then forced to return to her home in Kharkiv, which the Russian invaders are shelling.
However, af ter the Mirror’s story last week about Alika, the Government announced yesterday it has changed the visa rules and will begin processing applications from unaccompanied children.
Lord Harrington, Minister for Refugees, said: “We have seen the demand for allowing children to travel on the Homes for Ukraine scheme with parental consent.
“We have seen many applications where families want their children to travel to safety in the UK but where parents cannot travel with them."
He continued to say: “We understand families are having to make difficult decisions to separate from their children where it is in their best interest, which is why we have extended the Homes for Ukraine scheme to allow this.
“It is important we took the time to get this right – we have worked across Government and with the Ukrainian government to find a solution to ensure we can continue offering safety to as many Ukrainians as possible while also welcoming more children into the UK.”
Unfortunately, Alika’s parents have to stay in Kharkiv, which is 25 miles from the Russian border. This is due to the fact her father, Dima, is unable to leave the country and mother, Arena, is the sole carer for her own disabled mother.
But they had given written consent for their daughter to leave with her grandmother in March.
Tanya finally arrived in the UK last Friday and is staying with Dr Maggie Babb, 53, from Audley, Staffs, who had sponsored her and her granddaughter.
Speaking about the government's U-turn, their sponsor Dr Babb, a paediatric anaesthetist at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, said: “Of course I’m delighted they [the Government] have finally seen sense but it has taken far too long.
“This issue should not have been there in the first place and it was brought to the Government’s attention in April.
“But it seems that they only really respond to pressure from the media or judicial reviews.”
Tanya is hoping to return to Ukraine in the near future and bring Alika with her to the UK, where they already have an extended family.
Under the new rules, children who have already applied for a Homes for Ukraine scheme visa will be allowed to travel to the UK without a parent or legal guardian, subject to sponsor checks.
