Hero British businessman blasts refugee visa shambles
EXCLUSIVE: Hero British businessman blasts refugee visa shambles after driving 1,300 miles across Europe to rescue his Ukrainian wife only for her entry to UK to be denied by clipboard-wielding bureaucrats
Steve Lucas, 65, travelled through five countries to rescue wife Anastasia, 51Her apartment in Kyiv was ‘shaking all the time’ from Russian attacksHe drove to Lviv to get her, where she was being housed by volunteers Couple devastated she will not be allowed back into Britain because she has no visa Face weeks of waiting for approval at British consulate in Krakow or a drive to Paris or Brussels for paperwork
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A British businessman who drove his Citroen van 1,300 miles across Europe to rescue his Ukrainian wife has blasted red tape bureaucracy keeping him from taking her home.
Steve Lucas, 65, travelled through five countries after wife Anastasia, 51, called to say her fifth floor apartment in the capital Kyiv was ‘shaking all the time’ from Russian bomb and missile attacks.
The floor fitter and part time chef grabbed some things from his home at Magor near Chepstow and in two days drove to the western Ukraine city of Lviv, where she was being housed by volunteers.
After spending 31 hours including a freezing night in the van – queuing to get back into Poland – the couple were devastated to learn Anastasia would not be allowed into Britain because she has no visa.
They now face weeks of waiting for approval at the British consulate in Krakow or a torturous drive to Paris or Brussels for paperwork after friends warned them they would be blocked in Calais.
Steve Lucas, 65, (pictured) travelled through five countries after wife Anastasia, 51, called to say her fifth floor apartment in the capital Kyiv was ‘shaking all the time’ from Russian bomb and missile attacks
The couple and their cat, Lucky, were finally reunited after Steve’s arduous journey. They are currently in Poland and hope to return to the UK soon
The floor fitter and part time chef grabbed some things from his home at Magor near Chepstow and in two days drove to the western Ukraine city of Lviv, where she was being housed by volunteers. Pictured: Steve and Anastasia
Steve, who met Anastasia seven years ago, said: ‘It’s unbelievable when you think about it.
‘Anastasia has been through hell and now she can’t even come home with me because she can’t get a visa.
‘Ok, there is paperwork and I understand that but she and others like her have been through a nightmare. Can’t Boris Johnson just let us in and sort all this out when people are back home?
‘I drove 1,300 miles to pick her up and I’m more than £2,000 out of pocket and who knows when I will be able to get us back.’
The couple have been married two years but Anastasia has been denied a tourist visa twice by the UK and hasn’t even been able to visit Steve after the Home Office suggested she would ‘stay on’.
This was despite the couple having a marriage certificate, photos of them together, proof of return ticket and documents showing she had an apartment and elderly mother in Kyiv.
Speaking of his red tape nightmare Steve added: ‘We’ve been told they won’t let Anastasia in when we get to Calais and after what she has been though it will push her to the edge.
‘If you are married like we are, why can’t this all be sorted out back in the UK ? Why do we have to drive to Paris, Brussels or Krakow ?
‘I don’t want her to have any more stress. I think if we get to the border and she is turned away at Calais it will finish her. She has been through hell.
‘When I told her we may have problem she was absolutely distraught – she hasn’t got hardly any clothes and she’s been traveling for almost a week.
‘I just want to get her back and worry about paperwork later.’
After spending 31 hours including a freezing night in the van – queuing to get back into Poland – the couple were devastated to learn Anastasia would not be allowed into Britain because she has no visa. Pictured: The couple
The couple are now safe in a hotel at Kombornia, Poland.
Steve said: ‘I don’t think our Government really understand how bad the situation is on the ground for the Ukrainian people.
‘They are broken and they just want to feel safe – Anastasia doesn’t even know is she has a flat standing and the Government are treating refugees appallingly.
‘Sort the visas out in Britain, stop giving these poor people any more stress.’
Traumatised Anastasia told MailOnline:’I spent a week in Kyiv and decided I had to leave. Every day it was shooting or bombing every day boom, boom, rat a tat tat. It was horrible.
‘I tried to go shopping one day and a solider, well he was more like a young boy, stopped me and said I couldn’t go down the street.
‘I said I need food and he said ‘Are you prepared to see lots of dead bodies?’
They now face weeks of waiting for approval at the British consulate in Krakow or a torturous drive to Paris or Brussels for paperwork after friends warned them they would be blocked in Calais. Pictured: Steve at the Polish border on Sunday on the way to rescue his wife
‘So I went home and cried. How can Russia be doing this to us ? We are brother nations and they are attacking us.
‘Ukraine and Russia fought against Fascism and Putin says we are Nazis, he’s mad. He’s a dictator and his team of cronies just follow his orders. It needs someone to stand up to him from within.’
She added: ‘I have also learnt a new word in English, refugee because apparently that’s what I am now.’
Anastasia fled her home last week and took a taxi to Kyiv station, before boarding a packed train to Lviv where she was put up in a stranger’s house as there was no accommodation.
On Sunday MailOnline had met Steve, at the Korczowa border crossing, as he waited to get into Ukraine, in his 12-year-old van which has done 230,000 miles.
The couple have been married two years but Anastasia has been denied a tourist visa twice by the UK and hasn’t even been able to visit Steve after the Home Office suggested she would ‘stay on’.
It took him seven hours into to get across and Steve revealed how after driving a few miles into Ukraine they were stopped at a checkpoint and offered a weapon.
Steve said: ‘As I went through I picked up a Ukrainian guy who was heading to Lviv and who lived close to the apartment where Anastasia was staying.
‘We had only driven a few miles when there was a roadblock and I was asked if I wanted a gun and I said I didn’t and the bloke next to me said he would get one when he joined the civilian defence.
‘We then had a joke because when I said I was from Wales he gave me a thumbs up because we beat Russia in the 2016 Euros.
‘I had to go through five checkpoints before I got to her and when I saw her we just hugged for ages.’
On Sunday MailOnline had met Steve, at the Korczowa border crossing (pictured), as he waited to get into Ukraine, in his 12-year-old van which has done 230,000 miles
Anastasia said: ‘When I saw Steve I was so relieved. We hugged but I couldn’t cry as I have used all my tears up this last week watching what is happening in my country.
‘All I want to do is be safe and I want to be with Steve. How can the British Government not let me in ? What do they expect me to do ? Go back to Kyiv where there are tanks and bombs in my district ?’
As she cuddled her cat Lucky, Anastasia added:’I don’t even know if my apartment is even there anymore. I just had time to pack my documents a few clothes and put my cat Lucky in a carry case.
‘I have nothing else in the world at the moment just Steve. All I want is for me and Lucky to be safe with him.’
It took him seven hours into to get across and Steve revealed how after driving a few miles into Ukraine they were stopped at a checkpoint and offered a weapon. Pictured: The Polish border with Ukraine
