Ukraine: Visa to bring family to Cumbria 'took most of the day'

Alla Stoica has experience of completing visa forms for her parents' visits to the UK

A Ukrainian woman living in the UK says trying to get visas for her relatives caught up in the war with Russia has been overly complicated and too slow.

Alla Stoica, from Carlisle, Cumbria, submitted applications for her sister-in-law and nephew in Kyiv nearly two weeks ago but has heard nothing since.

"It's not straightforward at all," the 40-year-old former nurse said of the government's Ukraine Family Scheme.

The Home Office said it was "moving as quickly as possible".

Ms Stoica, who is originally from Kyiv but moved to Carlisle 16 years ago, said: "I've got a little bit of experience because the process is similar to applying for a tourist visa and I've applied for those for my parents in the past.

"But, still, to do two applications for my sister-in-law and my nephew, it took most of the day."

The Ukraine Family Scheme is for those with close relatives living in the UK and has issued 22,800 visas out of 31,200 applications, the Home Office said.

Only 2,700 visas have been issued out of 28,300 applications made under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, in which strangers can offer sanctuary to refugees.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We have streamlined the process so valid passport holders do not have to attend in-person appointments before arriving in the UK, simplified our forms and boosted caseworker numbers, while ensuring vital security checks are carried out."

Fighting has continued on the road to the Ukrainian city of Makariv, west of Kyiv

Fresh efforts are under way to evacuate civilians trapped by Russian forces in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

Ms Stoica, who is married to a local restaurant owner, said she did not believe Russia's pledge to reduce military action around the capital in order to "boost mutual trust" in peace talks.

"I don't think anyone believes [it]," she said.

She said any scaling down was due to Russian forces being pushed back by Ukrainian troops, not because of negotiation.

"They know they've got no chance to take Kyiv," she said.

"I spoke to my brother this morning and there was still heavy shelling and there were still explosions last night and the night before."