Minister confirms fast-tracking of family visas for Ukrainians

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has advised an Australian with family trapped in Kyiv that her relatives are eligible for visa fast-tracking.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has personally intervened to advise an Australian with family trapped in Kyiv that her relatives are eligible for visa fast-tracking.

The move came after The Australian made it known to the government that Melbourne barrister Karina Popova had written in desperation to the Prime Minister on Saturday, pleading for special visa arrangements for her aunt, her cousin, her cousin’s husband, their 10-year-old daughter and others in their situation.

The Department of Home Affairs has been fast-tracking visas since last week and has talked publicly about concessions; word also went out through the Ukrainian community, to which Ms Popova has no ties.

She emailed Scott Morrison after going to the website and seeing complicated forms for refugee and humanitarian applicants.

Ms Popova then spread the word through social media.

She ­received no response from Mr Morrison but someone tagged her federal member of parliament, Tim Wilson, on Instagram.

A woman holds her sleeping child while sitting on the ground at Lviv central train station in Western Ukraine. Picture: AFP

Mr Wilson responded, in part: “Ukrainians can apply for a humanitarian visa. But we can’t have people applying on their behalf if 1. it isn’t clear they intend to leave … 2. They’re limited so if we grant one to a person it reduces the numbers for others that may be in like circumstances … Their claim would have to be assessed by either an Embassy or the UNHCR for resettlement anyway. This is the process for all people.”

Mr Wilson was contacted for comment but referred the inquiry to the Department of Home Affairs. Ms Popova also appeared briefly on ABC TV on Sunday.

It is understood that with the government prepared to fast track applications for Visitor visa (subclass 600) from Ukrainians who wish to leave the country, that the main bottleneck is now crossing the border safely.

Ms Popova’s family members, who don’t have a car, had arranged for one to collect them, then realised the queues to the border were prohibitively long and the least dangerous option was to sit tight.

They have no family or connections elsewhere in Europe. In any case, only the women and little girl would be able to cross the border, because all men between 18 and 60 years old have been ordered to stay.

Ms Popova said it had been inconceivable to her family that Russia would invade, let alone that war could visit Kyiv, where they live in a two-room apartment.

“Effectively the conflict has been going on since 2014, with things like cyber attacks and troops on the border,” she said. “

To them, nothing appeared to have changed. When they went to bed, things in Kyiv were absolutely fine. They woke up to bombings.

“They are sitting with the lights and television off, so they don’t draw attention to themselves.

“My cousin’s husband went out twice on Saturday – once to remove a tag from the front of the building which they suspect was put there by saboteurs to show they have a gas supply, which would make it easy to blow up.

“The other time was to get bread but with curfew approaching, the bakery was asking people not to keep queuing, to give the bakers time to get home.”

The family had checked bomb shelters, but finding them without electricity, heating or ventilation in the dead of winter, withdrew to their apartment, where the plan is to shelter in the bathtub if their building is attacked.

Ms Popova, who would not reveal the names of her family for fear making them targets, left Ukraine when she was 10, but came to Australia at 15 with her parents and sibling.

She took an honours degree in law at Monash University and a masters degree at the University of Melbourne.

While her own family emigrated in 1995, the Kyiv family had remained, visiting Australia regularly but never planning to stay.

“They are optimistic people,” Ms Popova said. “They always hoped that Ukraine would get better and they didn’t want to turn their back on their country.”