A mother has been granted a visa to finally settle in Wales after escaping Russia's invasion of Ukraine but is unable to do so because the same clearance has not been given to her nine-year-old son. Alina and Gleb, from Odesa, managed to escape Ukraine and are currently staying in a hotel in Moldova, however complications from the Home Office's Homes for Ukraine scheme means they are stuck.
The mother and son are set to move to Rowen, Conwy, with the help of Stuart Kato and his wife, but cannot legally do so. The Katos first connected with the pair in March and hopes that they could move to North Wales were raised when Alina got a visa - but then quickly dashed when Gleb's failed to be secured.
Mr Kato has now enlisted both the help of politicians and the media to correct the issue and get the young family to safety. He told NorthWalesLive: "My wife Rachel and I live in Rowen with our three children George, seven, Iris, six, and Ernest, four. We got in touch with Alina and Gleb through Facebook on March 16.
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"I posted on a Ukrainian page stating that we would like to help. We applied for a visa under the 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme within four hours of the portal opening (in March)."
As Gleb did not hold a Ukrainian visa, he had to visit a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to have his fingerprints, photograph and other biometric data taken. The closest available VAC to Odesa was in Moldova. Stuart added: "I am unsure why this is a requirement for a child."
The mum and child had to make the long journey from Odesa to Moldova by public transport as this was considered the safest way to travel. Stuart explained: "We were told that the visa would be issued in seven to 10 days from the biometric appointment at the VAC. At this point Alina and Gleb are staying in a hotel in the Moldovan capital Chișinău.
"As you can understand there has been limited work available in Ukraine since the Russian invasion, nobody has been paid. We happily agreed to support Alina and Gleb and helped with accommodation costs etc and booked a flight for them the following week - in line with the 10-day expected turnaround (as advised by the VAC). While we were waiting for the visa and flight we set to work trying to arrange their new temporary life with us."
Support hasn't just come from the Katos however, with local pub Ty Gwyn offering Alina a job once she arrives - having worked in hospitality in Odesa and once serving President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it's a role that will be well-suited. Arrangements have also been made for Gleb to enrol at the same school as the Kato's children, with language lessons and support also available.
However, it has now been 41 days since their applications were submitted and the pair are still stuck. Stuart said: "The mother's visa to travel has been issued but what use is that without the child’s visa? Sadly I believe that the scheme has been designed to frustrate applications so that the numbers admitted are reduced."
Meanwhile, Alina told Mr Kato in an online message translated into English that her plight was deteriorating: "Our situation is getting worse every day, while our bridge is quietly but not very calmly blown up. It is a strategic object that connected Odesa with the region, through a large sea estuary. Now we are cut off from this direction."
Alina added: "On the part of Moldova, the situation is also heating up. They have an unrecognised state of Transnistria controlled by Russia. There are also explosions. It is unclear how things will develop. Unfortunately, the war is not over, but is gaining momentum."
The Home Office couldn't comment on an individual case but a UK Government spokesman said: “Thanks to the generosity of the UK public, more than 71,800 visas have been granted with 21,600 Ukrainians arriving safely in the UK. The Home Office has made changes to streamline the application process so that thousands of visas are now being granted every day. All applications from families are normally processed together, but cases differ in complexity and it is vital that robust safeguarding processes are in place to protect children from trafficking and other risks.”
The UK Government has boosted staff numbers processing visa applications from Ukrainians. It has also made other improvements including introducing a "simplified" application form and extra training for case workers. This is helping to speed up decision-making and improving the system "considerably", while ensuring vital security checks are carried out. Some 21,600 Ukrainians have travelled to the UK. Get all the latest news from WalesOnline sent straight to your inbox with our free newsletters. Sign up here.
