Boris Johnson's government is being urged to relax visa laws for Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion.
Only Ukrainians with dependents in the UK can apply for a visa, and there is no refugee route for those fleeing.
The government is being urged to change its stance.
The Home Office has received backlash for not accepting visa applications from Ukrainians with British links.
Ukrainians who are already working, vacationing, or studying in the UK will be able to apply for a visa extension.
There has been no announcement of a scheme to resettle refugees in order to address the humanitarian crisis.
The people responded to the question, "Don't wave the flag, waive the visas."
The truth is that the government is making it incredibly difficult for Ukrainian refugees to come to the UK legally.
The government must waive visa requirements for Ukrainians and work with international partners to resettle people who manage to cross a border into a third country. Red tape shouldn't stop people from reaching the UK where they may want to be with family and friends.
Bell Riberio- Addy, a Labour member of parliament, said it was "shameful" how those who were so loud in talking up the prospect of war went silent when it came to helping the people actually affected by it.
—Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (@BellRibeiroAddy) February 25, 2022
The UK government is shutting the door to Ukrainian refugees, according to a Liberal Democrat.
Over 50,000 Ukrainians have left their country in the first 48 hours of the Russian invasion, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
—Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) February 25, 2022
Ukrainians don't need a visa to travel to other EU countries and the Schengen Zone, where free movement is allowed.
Stuart McDonald told the Financial Times that it was up to the British government to explain why it couldn't follow the example of EU countries.
According to the latest polling, Johnson's government is out of step with public opinion when it comes to not giving sanctuary to the war refugees. According to a poll published on Saturday, a majority of people support introducing a scheme to resettle some Ukrainian refugees.
—Britain Elects (@BritainElects) February 26, 2022
A group of over 50 charities and NGOs wrote a letter asking the British government to help those fleeing war and oppression by allowing Ukrainian refugees into the UK.
The Refugee Council, Save the Children, and Amnesty International are some of the charities that signed the letter.
The Nationalities and Borders Bill, which would make it harder for refugees to seek asylum in the UK, as well as criminalizing those that facilitate undocumented passage to the UK, was spoken against by the charities.
The Home Office did not reply immediately.
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