Mother's anguish over visa delays for daughter who escaped Ukraine

Ukrainian-born Natalia Scott, 44, from Colindeep Lane in Sprowston, applied to the UK government online for the official documents for her child Vika Kleomites, 22, on March 4.

But despite Miss Kleomites giving her biometric details, handing over her Ukrainian passport in Dublin on March 9 and her mother providing relevant documents, the application process has stalled.

As a result Miss Kleomites has been stuck in Ireland for a fortnight.

The 22-year-old, who was training to be an English translator at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, escaped Ukraine by car and crossed the Romanian border leaving behind her fiance.

Mrs Scott said: "I cannot believe Vika made this route across the border, stayed with random people in Romania and is now one hour from me and I still cannot get to her.

"The system is very complicated. It is very challenging for people. I don't know how to get help and how to proceed or push for it. I don't know where to address questions to or what phone numbers to call.

"Vika feels abandoned and cannot get to me. I want her here, safe with me."

Former hotel receptionist Ms Scott was born in Kyiv and has lived in Sprowston since 2017 after her husband Gordon - originally from Glasgow - was offered a job at Ikea.

Vika Kleomites, 22, who lived in Kyiv in the Ukraine, and has fled the country (Image: Natalia Scott)

She thought that the visa application system would be easier in her daughter's case because she had a direct relative living in the UK.

The student, who wants to return to Ukraine after the conflict, also got a tourist visa to visit her mother in Sprowston three years ago.

She said was also worried about her 72-year-old mother's situation in a Russian-occupied village, 62 miles from Kyiv, and had not heard from her in approximately two weeks.

Mrs Scott added: "I wish for peace in Ukraine."