ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:
A passport valid for six months beyond the planned date of travel is required. According to Ukrainian Presidential Decree #1008, dated June 30, 2005, U.S. citizens traveling to Ukraine on short-term tourist, business, or private travel do not need a visa to enter Ukraine . (Visas are still required of other categories of travelers including those who intend to study, reside, or work in Ukraine .) Any requests for extension of stay due to extenuating circumstances should be directed to the Ministry of Interior's Department of Citizenship, Immigration, and Registration (formerly known as OVIR). Extensions are not automatic, however, and are valid only for continued presence in the country. It is not possible to depart Ukraine and return on the extension, nor can an adjustment to visa status be made from within Ukraine .
Visas may be obtained from the Consular Office of the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington , D.C. , or from Ukrainian Consulates General in New York , Chicago , or San Francisco . For additional information about Ukrainian visas and related policy, please contact Complete Travel and Visa Center 1-212-233-3332
The Government of Ukraine does not issue visas at the point of entry into Ukraine . Travelers whose purpose of travel puts them in a category that requires a visa must obtain the correct Ukrainian visa prior to arrival. Otherwise they will be turned back to the United States or will have to travel to another European country to obtain a visa.
Please check your visa carefully upon receipt and pay careful attention to validity dates. Each traveler is responsible for understanding the type of visa issued and the provisions of the visa. Frequently, American citizens are refused entry to Ukraine because they thought they possessed a multiple entry visa, but in fact their visa was valid for only a single entry.
Alternatively, Americans try to reenter Ukraine after using their single-entry visa, believing they have unlimited travel for six months. In some cases, Americans attempt to enter Ukraine before their visa becomes valid. This is a common mistake, since in Ukraine the date is written day-month-year, not month-day-year. Thus, a visa issued on 01/05/05 is valid from May 1, 2005 and NOT from January 5, 2005. These travelers have been detained at the airport, refused entry and placed on the next available flight. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv is unable to assist travelers in these situations.
Ukrainian law requires that foreign residents of Ukraine register with local authorities. American travelers entering Ukraine under the visa-free regime do not have to register any stays of 90 days or less. Travelers entering Ukraine on a visa must register after six months' stay in Ukraine . Registration is done at the local offices of the Department of Citizenship, Immigration, and Registration. |