A WEYMOUTH resident has voiced his dismay at delays in processing visa applications for a Ukrainian family that he’s sponsoring.

Paul Whittle, 77, sponsored Alina Filipenko and her two sons Oleksandr and Mykhailo after they fled Kharkiv in early March. Applications for the three of them were submitted on April 21st but because Mykhailo, 5, is travelling on a birth certificate the family first had to submit biometrics at a Visa Application Centre in Budapest.

On May 10th, two weeks after arriving in Hungary, the family were told they’d been approved and their visas would arrive within seven days. Delays have meant the family are yet to receive their paperwork but are legally only permitted to stay in Hungary until May 25th.

Read more: Chris Loder on UK support for Ukrainians

The family don't speak much English and Paul has been communicating with them through Lana Caldwell - a Russian-speaker from Portland. They said that the delays have left Alina feeling anxious and worried. Paul said:

“She’s just distraught. She’s holding it together because she has to but she weeps everyday because of the frustration and the worry. Everything is set up for them here: the house is ready, the schools are primed for their arrival but it’s just constant waiting and being passed around from pillar to post.”

Alina, 34, worked as an oncology nurse in Kharkiv and her ex-husband, Mykhailo’s father, disappeared in the first few days of the war and is presumed dead. Paul said the administration system should treat those suffering “unimaginable hardship” with more sensitivity. He said:

“Where is the empathy? We should not be treating these refugees with so much suspicion: they’re fleeing cities and towns that are on the ground. They need somewhere to live but we’ve got a system that doesn’t care. It’s pure bureaucracy and an administration that doesn’t care very much.”

Read more: Visa system for Ukrainian refugees criticised

Whilst the family continue to wait for their paperwork, Paul said he was looking forward to welcoming them to the Weymouth community when they are able to make the journey. He said:

“It’ll put a spring in my step, I’ve got four grandchildren who are a joy to be with and having some new grandchildren to be around will be great. It’s all a plus, from my point of view, when they get here. I know there’ll be challenges, that’s obvious, but it’s going to bring purpose to my life and a spring in my step.”

The Minister for Refugees, Lord Harrington, previously told the Dorset Echo:

“In as little as two months we have issued over 102,000 visas, helping Ukrainians displaced from their home country to come to the UK to live, work, study and find stability here.

“Our uncapped Ukraine Schemes were set up in record time and are one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history. We have been working hard to streamline the process, including simplifying the forms and boosting staff numbers, and we are rapidly moving towards reaching my aim of processing visas within 48-hours.”