A Ukrainian man has revealed how his family was forced to separate by heartless British immigration officials who prevented him and his sons from boarding a ferry for the UK, just days after they fled their warn torn country.
Edward Zarbubaiko, 42 arrived in Calais last Friday after escaping Ukraine and undertaking a gruelling three-day drive to get to Calais, hoping to reach the safety of Britain. He was accompanied by his wife Halyna; daughter Karina, 18 and his two sons; Artem, 8 and Sviatsolav, 15.
The family used to live in Britain when Mr Zarbubaiko’s wife and daughter secured the right of residency, but he and his two sons did not. They all returned to live in the city of Chernivtsy last year.
As they attempted to board a ferry last week at Calais port, Mr Zarbubaiko was told that the family would have to split up and that he would have to go to Paris to secure visas for him and his sons but his wife and daughter would be allowed to continue their journey to Britain.
He told MailOnline: ‘It was heart breaking waving goodbye to my wife and daughter while I’ve had to stay behind with my sons. I thought that having lived in Britain and with some of the family granted residency last year, the British would welcome us. I wasn’t expecting to be treated so harshly and turned away like a criminal.
‘The British immigration officials said to me that I would have to go to the embassy in Paris, apply for visas and then wait to see if I’ve got them. We’ve gone through enough pain and this is just adding to the stress and misery.’
Mr Zarbubaiko is one of 130 Ukrainian refugees staying at a youth hostel in Calais who are waiting to travel to the UK.
