IVAN, 17, CAN NOW JOIN FAMILY AFTER MP STEPS INTO VISA ROW
Blunder had left Ukrainian stuck in Germany
A UKRAINIAN teenager ‘stranded’ in Germany following a visa error has been told he can collect his travel documents to join his family in Stokeon-trent – despite being hit by further ‘blunders’.
Ivan Pavliuk is unable to travel to the UK after his visa was issued with an incorrect date of birth – and had still not been corrected two months later.
Last week the 17-year-old, who is staying with his aunt in Gevelsberg until he can reach his mother and step-father, Svitlana and Jonathan Goodwin in Ball Green, was told to travel to the visa application centre in Dusselsdorf 40 miles away to collect his replacement UK visa in person. However when he got there he was told there wasn’t one waiting for him.
But following an intervention by Stoke-on-trent North MP Jonathan Gullis, the family have now been told that Ivan should return to Dusseldorf where his visa will be waiting – and he will finally be able to join his family 10 weeks after the incorrect visa was issued.
Ivan left the home he shared with his 25-year-old brother Slavik in Ivanofrankivsk when war broke out with just the clothes he was wearing, his birth certificate, passport and his pet dog. He has been living with Svitlana’s sister in Germany ever since. His pet dachshund, Cheze, is already living in Stoke-on-trent after receiving a pet passport in Germany.
Step-father Jonathan said that Ivan showed the staff the printed email sent by the visa application centre to the family’s solicitor on Wednesday, June 15, but was told that he already had his visa and could travel on that despite the incorrect date of birth.
However they gave him nothing in writing and when Jonathan’s solicitor contacted the Home Office for advice she was told that Ivan must not travel on the visa with the wrong details, which had been issued on April 11.
The family say they have checked all the information they supplied when they applied for the Ukrainian family scheme visa on March 18, and that the error lies with the Home Office, who issued the vital document showing Ivan’s correct day and year of birth but the wrong month.
Jonathan said he contacted Jo Gideon, who was his MP at the time as they were then living in Hartshill, on April 30 to ask for help and did not received a response. But after contacting his new MP Jonathan Gullis, left, at the weekend the family were told on Monday that they will soon be reunited with Ivan.
The 55-year-old said: “I just want to thank MP Jonathan Gullis for his speedy response in helping resolve this matter. This has been an unnecessary stress and emotional rollercoaster for months and could have easily been resolved more quickly if someone in the UK Immigration Department just managed to do their job competently.
“This is a huge sigh of relief for me and my wife Svitlana. We are looking forward to welcoming Ivan home.”
Ivan’s case comes as four-year-old Alika Zubets had to return to Ukraine after being denied a UK visa – despite having a sponsor and extended family in North Staffordshire – as she was travelling with grandmother instead of her parents.
Stoke-on-trent North MP Jonathan Gullis said he had contacted the Home Office on the family’s behalf. He said: “I am very sorry to hear how poorly Ivan has been treated to date. I cannot begin to imagine the distress of his mother, Svitlana.
“After receiving contact regarding this case, I contacted Home Office officials and Parliamentary aides to the Home Office about Ivan’s case. My office have spoken directly with the Home Office who escalated the case and in a further update I have been informed Ivan’s rectified visa can now be collected from the visa application centre in Dusseldorf.
“I will be raising this unacceptable situation with the relevant Minister as mistakes which have caused considerable anxiety and stress for this family should never have happened.”