In the past four weeks, Poland has provided shelter from the highest number of Ukrainian refugees. Nevertheless, thousands are expected to travel further to the United Kingdom. While the UK government is working on expanding tailored visa schemes for Ukrainian citizens, many reports have suggested that the visa application process has been perceived as “traumatic” and “humiliating”. The UK Home Office and the Prime Minister have expressed the need to cooperate with Poland and neighbouring countries to provide better humanitarian aid to the incoming Ukrainian refugees fleeing through Poland to the United Kingdom.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has ignited an international outcry. Polish authorities and civil society have been praised for exceptional support during the crisis, especially for eagerly receiving millions of Ukrainian refugees forced to flee from their homes. According to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, over two million refugees crossed the Polish border within the first three weeks of the conflict. As a result, Poland became the largest recipient of refugees from Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Poland has not been the final destination for some Ukrainian refugees who are expected to travel further towards Western countries, including the United Kingdom. During a Parliamentary Debate in the House of Commons (16.03), Members of Parliament discussed the travel conditions of Ukrainian refugees fleeing through Poland to the UK. 

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The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, ensured that he is currently working with “close allies” in Poland and Ukraine to support the travel of Ukrainian citizens to the UK. However, concerns were expressed over prolonged visa procedures and the unnecessary separation of families.

The British government hopes to provide support through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme

During the Wednesday debate, Stuart C. McDonald, SNP Shadow Home Secretary, explained that the UK government shares the responsibility for providing support with the most significant influx of refugees since the Second World War. In particular, the government aims to expand the Ukraine Family Scheme,  which offers a visa to accompany UK-based family members, as well as the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which allows Ukrainians with no UK-ties to obtain visa sponsorship. To that end, individual families and community groups, as well as charitable organisations and businesses, can sign up to sponsor a single Ukrainian or an entire family, offering them suitable housing in the UK. As of mid-March, over 120 thousand UK citizens and organisations signed up for the scheme. 

While the UK government has devised ambitious support programmes, severe flaws in the visa system have been pointed out. During the debate, MP Stephen Kinnock said:

“We are still hearing stories from Ukrainians who have made it to Poland, Hungary and other bordering countries that they are having to wait for days on end to be granted a UK visa” (MP Stephen Kinnock, 16 March)

MP Alison Thewliss mentioned her constituent Valentyna, who “has been a British citizen for 17 years [and] wants to bring her family to safety in Glasgow, but she feels as though her family are going round in circles in Poland and not getting anywhere with regard to visas, and they have nowhere to stay”. Over the course of the debate, more similar cases have been mentioned in the context of slow and complex bureaucratic procedures.

Complicated visa procedures lead to backlash on Twitter

Ukrainian refugees hoping to travel to the UK are expected to “complete a complicated online form in English; upload documents that prove that they were resident in Ukraine before the invasion, and then prove a family relationship; and wait for a decision”. Increasingly, the UK Government has faced pressure from Labour and some Conservative MPs to waive or limit the visa requirements. Many policymakers took to Twitter to express their opinions on the matter.

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Decreased travel restrictions have already been adopted by the European Union, which offers Ukrainian refugees a residence permit for at least a year under the Temporary Protection Directive. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, suggested that waiving the visa requirements would constitute a significant security threat.

After his visit to Poland, Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, criticised the lack of UK governmental personnel offering advice to refugees crossing the border. He wrote a letter addressed to the Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, and the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, to urge the government to offer free airlifts for the refugees and open reception centres in the United Kingdom.

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Additionally, the problematic situation of unaccompanied children in Poland has ignited a controversial debate between the Members of Parliament.

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Although it is unlikely that the government waives all visa restrictions, the process is expected to become easier in the upcoming weeks. Additionally, the government is deploying financial resources to offer sufficient support for those refugees who have already settled in the UK. The funds will cover a variety of social provisions, including mental health support and education. According to MP Tom Pursglove, the government is committed to working further with Polish and Ukrainian authorities in order to devise effective solutions.

Author: Marta Kąkol 

Marta has recently graduated from Utrecht University, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Thanks to her interdisciplinary education, she can apply multiple perspectives to complex political issues. She vocalizes her interest in public affairs in a multitude of ways, from journalistic writing to organising speaker events. She hopes to gain funding for her Master’s at the University of Oxford in 2022.

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