Roman Abramovich in visa limbo as UK stalls in accepting renewal application

Chelsea owner and Russian magnate Roman Abramovich has been forced to leave the UK following complications in the renewal of his visa.

The process of renewing Abramovich’s visa is understood to be taking longer than usual after it expired nearly a month ago.

The billionaire – who is the 13th richest person in the UK with a net worth of £9.3bn, according to this year’s Sunday Times rich list – was not spotted at Saturday’s FA cup final between Chelsea and Manchester United, which his club won 1-0.

Home Office security minister Ben Wallace said: “We do not routinely comment on individual cases.”

Abramovich’s absence has prompted speculation that he may have fallen foul of a government crackdown on Russian oligarchs in London following the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March.

The incident ruptured diplomatic relations between Russia and the UK, with both sides expelling 23 diplomatics in a tit-for-tat war.

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