LONDON (Reuters) - The niece of poisoned former Russian spy Sergei Skripal has been denied a visa to come to Britain, the UK Home Office (interior ministry) said on Friday.

Viktoria Skripal had planned to travel to Britain to take Sergei’s daughter Yulia back to Russia.

Sergei and Yulia are being treated in an English hospital after being found unconscious on March 4 after an attack with nerve agent, but both are recovering and are no longer in critical condition.

“We have refused a visitor visa application from Viktoria Skripal on the grounds that her application did not comply with the Immigration Rules,” a Home Office spokesman said.