The UK has two visa schemes for Ukrainian refugees: The Ukraine Family Scheme, for people with a close relative living in the UK, and Homes for Ukraine, which allows people to sponsor named refugees, housing them in their homes or buildings.
But thousands of families are being “left in limbo” as a result of bureaucracy, Labour has warned.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs earlier today that the schemes are not working, and went on to give a number of examples.
“A businesswoman who is trying to get her sister and daughter to come here on the family visa scheme is still waiting, 10 days since she applied to the Home Office.
“A constituent of mine in Pontefract who applied under the Homes for Ukraine scheme has been waiting nearly two weeks to hear anything back from the Home Office.
“Another British host who has applied for a visa for a woman undergoing a high-risk pregnancy [has been] waiting 12 days for a reply, despite the Home Office helpline saying she’d be treated as a priority.”
On Wednesday, the UK said it had issued 2,700 visas through the Homes for Ukraine scheme and 22,800 under the Ukraine Family Scheme, which has been running for longer.