The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

GALYNA Grynkiv and Inna Ostrovskaya say it has been unnerving living safely and comfortably in The Bahamas knowing their relatives in Ukraine fear death amid violence and bombing that continues to bear down on the Eastern European country from Russian forces.

“My family is sitting at home hoping not to die with bombs, planes and shelling. It’s a war,” Ms Ostrovskaya said of her relatives who live just outside of Kyiv.

“We wake up and we go to bed with just one thought: are my relatives safe?” Mrs Grynkiv added.

The women are a part of a small Ukrainian community residing legally in The Bahamas.

They and others are advocating for the Bahamas government to relax tourist visa requirements for people in Ukraine to escape the war that began last month so that they can take refuge with their relatives living and working here.

Both made it clear that this was not a plea for financial assistance or refugee status, but simply an appeal to temporarily make it easier for Ukrainians to get visas for The Bahamas to stay for up to 90 days.

Currently, there is an exhaustive list of requirements to obtain visas.

The process involves completing an application from, submitting that form along with supporting documents, appearing in person at the nearest Bahamas Consulate or Embassy and a Bahamian citizen who wishes to sponsor a foreigner to visit them in the country must apply for the Bahamian visa in person at the Bahamas Consular Division in Nassau.

The supporting documents include a valid passport with more than six months before expiry and a return ticket. There must also be two passport photos on a white background, a job letter or business licence, an original bank reference letter or statement, a police report, flight itinerary or ticket copy, copy of invitation letter and copies of previously held visas.

Children’s birth certificates to prove parental relations, copy of valid work permit for companies applying for a foreigner to take up employment in The Bahamas and all foreign marriage, birth, and death certificates submitted in support of a visa application must be legalised/apostilled in the country of origin before submission.

At best, people applying will wait a few weeks for approval.

“So, we are simply asking to temporarily lift the requirements or requirements for obtaining a tourist visa for citizens of the Ukraine,” Ms Ostrovskaya told The Tribune yesterday. “Only because it is physically impossible for people who are running from a war zone to collect all of the necessary documentation now to follow the normal requirements for the tourist visa and really that’s it. Just to simplify the process for them to literally evacuate a war zone so that they can just come here and be with their families and friends and be safe and secure.

“Whoever it is, the sponsors, they would fully be responsible for any kind of financial obligations or well-being of these people. So, it’s not any kind of special status that we are hoping to get. It is pure administrative steps that we’re asking to temporarily lift to make it easy for these people and most importantly fast because if you can imagine timing is of the essence to be reunited with friends and family.”

She said that as it stands, her relatives in the Ukraine are simply sitting and waiting in hopes that they won’t die.

“They are sitting at home hoping not to die with bombs, planes and shelling, it’s a war. Just like what you’re seeing on TV they hope to get to the border but it’s so dangerous to leave your house in certain areas.

“My family is outside of the city and so the Russian army is coming from the outskirts and they’re trying to circle.

“They’re right outside of Kyiv, the capital and so the Russian army is trying to circle the city to basically suffocate it. So, they’re coming to all these suburbs and villages and country sides and that’s where my family is.”

Any attempts to leave she said would be thwarted by paperwork.

“Paperwork stops them. Number one they have to get to the border but once they do and if they do it’s the paperwork that stops them from being safe. Like all they want to do right now is just be safe and not have to worry about a bomb falling on their heads or a Russian soldier passing by and shooting people,” Ms Ostrovskaya said.

For her part, Mrs Grynkiv said waiving the visa requirement would mean less stress for relatives.

“We are not asking for refugee (status) or financial help, we are asking about waiving the visa requirements. That’s it and we think it will be a help making it easier to arrange the travel.

“Basically, since February 25 when the invasion began, we feel so bad. We wake up and we go to bed with just one thought: are my relatives safe where there is bombing raids and air raids are right now? It’s like what we are all thinking about.

“It’s hard for us to enjoy our everyday life because it’s the only thought that we have.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell told The Tribune last week that currently officials were not considering relaxing visa requirements.