Blunders see Ukrainian sausage dog reach UK before teen owner fleeing warzone
A Ukrainian sausage dog arrived in the UK before its 17-year-old owner, who is stranded in Germany following a series of blunders.
Ivan Pavliuk was unable to his reach his mother and step-father, Svitlana and Jonathan Goodwin, in Stoke-on-Trent after his visa was issued with an incorrect date of birth.
Staying with his aunt in Gevelsberg, Ivan was told to make the 40-mile trip to Dusselsdorf to collect his replacement UK visa in person. When he arrived on Friday (June 17) he was told no such visa existed.
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His pet dachshund Cheze is already living in Stoke-on-Trent after receiving a pet passport in Germany.
Ivan has now been told to return to Dusseldorf where his visa will be waiting, meaning that he'll finally be able to join his family 10 weeks after the initial visa blunder, reports StokeonTrentLive.
Ivan fled his home in Ivano-Frankivsk with just the clothes he was wearing, his birth certificate, passport and his pet dog after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion.
He's been living with this mum's sister in Germany since.
Step-father Jonathan told StokeOnTrentLive 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 despite the incorrect date.
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, 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.
Jonathan, 55, contacted MP Jonathan Gullis at the weekend who told the family yesterday (June 21) that they will soon be reunited with Ivan.
Jonathan said: "I just want to thank MP Jonathan Gullis for his speedy response in helping resolve this matter and giving some common sense to the situation.
"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.
"We are so happy that we will be a family again soon, but will not be celebrating just yet until Ivan has his UK visa in his hand."
Gullis 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.
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"I contacted Home Office officials and Parliamentary aides to the Home Office about Ivan’s case.
"My office have today spoken directly with the Home Office who escalated the case and in a further update this afternoon 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."
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