An elderly couple who arrived in the United Kingdom as child refugees following World War II were recently denied boarding on a Ryanair flight back to the UK due to post-Brexit travel regulations, leaving them temporarily stranded in Poland. Maria Krupa, 85, and her husband, Czeslaw, 92, had lived in the UK for nearly eight decades but were unfamiliar with the new travel requirements introduced after Britain’s departure from the European Union.

The Krupas traveled to Poland in May to visit family but were prevented from boarding their return flight because they lacked proof of the right to reside in the UK and had not obtained the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), a new requirement for non-British tourists entering the country. Maria Krupa described the experience as “a big shock,” expressing concern for her husband, who relies on medication following a spinal cord stroke and uses a mobility scooter.

Originally from areas that were then part of Poland—Czeslaw from Lviv and Maria from what is now Belarus—the couple arrived in Southampton in 1947 and 1948 as dependents of displaced Polish servicemen who fought alongside Allied forces during the war. Their families were associated with General Władysław Anders’ Polish army, which contributed significantly to the fight against Germany.

Despite living in the UK for decades and traveling abroad without prior issue, the Krupas’ longstanding “aliens’ registration cards” and Polish citizenship no longer provided sufficient documentation under current UK border controls. Maria recounted efforts to explain their family history to Ryanair staff, who cited potential fines as the reason for refusing them boarding.

Faced with the situation, the couple returned to the airport the following day after obtaining an ETA but had to navigate the system by presenting themselves as tourists residing in Poland, as the online application would not accept their British address. After seeking assistance from Citizens Advice, they were connected with Settled, a charity that helps UK residents navigate post-Brexit immigration rules.

Kate Smart, chief executive of Settled, said the organization handles similar cases frequently, noting that many elderly individuals with established UK lives remain unaware of new requirements tied to the EU Settled Status scheme introduced in 2019. The scheme was designed to provide EU citizens with documentation to maintain residence and travel rights following Brexit.

Thanks to intervention by Settled and cooperation from the Home Office resolution center, the Krupas were granted settled status last week through a no-time-limit application. Smart called for a streamlined process at border points to better address such issues as they arise.

The Home Office declined to comment on the specific case.