Britain: Government simplifies procedure for entry of Ukrainian refugees

The British government has announced that it will simplify the process of entering the UK for Ukrainians leaving their war-torn country next week, following much criticism of the complexity of existing procedures.

“From next Tuesday, [μπορώ να ανακοινώσω πως] “Ukrainian passport holders will no longer have to go to a visa application center to provide their biometrics before coming to the UK,” Home Secretary Priti Patel told the House of Commons today.

He clarified that they will be able to obtain the permission online in order to come to the country and will give their biometric data when they arrive in the United Kingdom.

“This means that visa centers in Europe will be able to focus their efforts on helping Ukrainians without passports,” he added.

This is a change of government under pressure from the opposition, Conservative MPs, as well as the Ukrainian and French governments, to simplify the family reunification system and return Ukrainian refugees to reunite with their relatives in the United Kingdom.

In a letter to his British counterpart on Saturday, March 5, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanen criticized the UK’s “completely inappropriate response” and the UK’s “lack of humanity” in its treatment of Ukrainian refugees entrance.

“We have to look at the details but this seems (hopefully) a very significant change to a place of refuge first, and then documents,” Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sterzon wrote on Twitter, describing it as “deeply embarrassing” so far. position of the United Kingdom.

Labor MP Yvette Cooper described the new approach as “welcome”, albeit belatedly, she said.

“Why do we have to wait until Tuesday for this new system to take effect, what will happen to the whole world in the meantime?” wondered, proposing to deploy troops to set up emergency centers and speed up the entry of Ukrainian refugees into the United Kingdom.

The British government announced this week the creation of a visa application center for Ukrainian refugees in northern France.

A visa processing center will open in Lille today and another tomorrow, Friday, in the county of Aras, the French Interior Ministry said.

SOURCE: AMPE

Source: Capital

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