In connection with the current political situation, residents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and a number of other CIS countries are interested in whether a visa to Ukraine is needed. There are several features of visiting this state by foreigners. In order not to violate the law, those citizens who wish to visit Ukraine will need to familiarize themselves with the requirements of the law in detail. The main aspects that foreigners should know when crossing the border will be discussed below.
New rules
Do citizens of the CIS, Europe or America need a visa to enter Ukraine? This issue has become particularly relevant in connection with changes in the political situation in this country. As you know, before moving to the territory of Ukraine, Russian citizens did not need to draw up any additional documents. It was enough to have an internal civil document with you.
Today, this rule has lost its validity. New rules were introduced, not only for residents of Russia, but also for a number of other countries. At least to cross the border with Ukraine you will need to have a passport with you.
Answering the question whether a visa to Ukraine is necessary for the Russians, it is worth answering that this document did not need to be drawn up before. This is also true for residents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and a number of other states. Ukraine and Russia remained visa-free states for each other.
New rules were established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in 2015. They entered into force on March 1, 2015. Now at the border you will need to present a valid passport. The document must be no older than 10 years. Moreover, the passport must be valid for the entire period of stay in Ukraine. For this reason, children cannot enter this country without a birth certificate.
Entry Documents
Do I need a visa to Ukraine for citizens of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus? If you plan to stay here for no more than 90 days, this document is not required. For a longer visit, you will need to apply for a visa.
In order to avoid problems at the border, a number of documents will need to be prepared. In addition to the passport in which the visa stamp will be affixed. Ukraine does not put forward requirements for the reserve period. It is only necessary that during the period of stay it remains valid.
Do Russians need a visa to Ukraine? With a short stay in this country, this document does not have to be completed. But here you need to have other documents with you.
A foreign passport must have a personal signature of the owner. The date of validity of this document should also not be forgotten, otherwise problems will arise at the border.
You should also buy a ticket in advance. It will need to be presented with all documents at the border. Otherwise, representatives of the relevant services on the border with Ukraine may have additional questions.
Another important document is an invitation from a Ukrainian. This is optional, but desirable. The presence of such a document increases the chances of obtaining permission to enter the country. Such an invitation can be issued by both an individual and a legal entity. He must be certified by a notary. The text of the invitation contains information about those who invite a citizen of another country. This is the telephone number and address of residence.
You also need to have documents with you confirming the financial stability of a foreigner during a trip around the country.
Certificate of financial security
Knowing whether a visa to Ukraine is needed for Belarusians, Russians and citizens of other states, it should be noted that a certificate of financial support will be required at the border. To do this, you will have to present certain evidence, which may be:
- Cash in cash except hryvnia. It can be any freely convertible currency.
- Documents that confirm the right to receive money from Ukrainian banks. Moreover, the exact amount should be indicated here.
- Account statement in the presence of plastic cards of international standard.
- Letter of guarantee. This document is the obligation of the host country to assume the financial costs of a foreign citizen during his stay in Ukraine.
- Documents confirming hotel reservation or rental housing. You will also need documents on payment for meals during the entire period of stay in Ukraine.
- Payment for travel services. These documents are submitted by the tour operator.
- If a foreigner does not plan to leave for his own, but for a third country, he must show tickets for the return trip.
Knowing whether citizens of Kazakhstan, Belarus or Russia need a visa to Ukraine, several more nuances should be taken into account. To avoid difficulties at the border, you need to have at least 7530 hryvnias (18 thousand rubles) per person. If this is not done, the foreigner may be denied entry.
Traveling with minor children
Considering the question whether a visa to Ukraine is needed for Kazakhstanis, Russians or residents of other countries, it is worth paying attention to traveling with children. The child can be entered in the passport of one of the parents. If the baby is already 5 years old, the passport should have his photo.
If the child is brought into the country by only one parent, a power of attorney is required. This is an optional requirement. However, it is strongly recommended that this document be prepared. Otherwise, problems often arise when crossing the border.
It is worth noting that children can have a personal passport. If the child’s surname is different from that of the parents, a document proving kinship will be required.
If a child goes to Ukraine without parents at all, official consent is required. Each new trip will require a new consent. This document clearly indicates the dates of entry and exit from Russia. You may not indicate a specific accompanying person, but in this case additional questions may arise. This can be explained by the fact that the child will go to Ukraine with his mother, and return back with his grandmother.
Customs regulations
But do Europeans need a visa to Ukraine? For residents of the European Union, it is also not necessary to draw up a similar document if they plan to stay here no longer than 90 days. This rule applies to residents of many other countries. For example, if you are interested in whether the Americans need a visa to Ukraine, you can get a negative answer.
It is also worth familiarizing yourself with the customs rules that foreigners must comply with. If a person does not carry valuable things across the border that do not need to be customs cleared or to fill out a tax return for them, he has the right to a simplified procedure for making an entry.
A foreign citizen can take home from Ukraine wine (up to 2 l), vodka (0.5 l), tobacco products (1 unit), as well as food products with a total value of up to 50 euros (about 3.8 thousand rubles). You can bring the same list from Russia. The difference is only in the amount of vodka. She can bring a liter. Import of 5 liters of beer is also allowed.
It is strictly forbidden to transport explosive, radioactive, dangerous or toxic substances across the border. It is also worth considering that things with Russian symbols are not welcome. This raises additional questions for border guards. Medicines can be entered no more than 5 packs with the same name.
If you need to transport a pet with you, you will need to present a certificate issued by a veterinarian. Otherwise, the pet will not be allowed to cross the border.
Types of Visas
But the answer to the question whether a visa to Ukraine is needed for Russians who plan to stay here for more than 90 days is definitely affirmative. In this case, you need to draw up the appropriate package of documents.
Today, one of three types of visas can be issued for entry into Ukraine:
- Transit.
- Short term.
- Long term.
If a traveler comes from one country and then intends to leave for another, a transit visa will be required. The minimum period of stay in Ukraine on such a visa is 5 days, and the maximum is one year, but only with the appropriate license.
To obtain a visa for 5 days, you will need to present a ticket confirming the move or flight to a third country. There must also be an open visa in order to cross the border with such a state.
A short-term visa is granted to citizens who plan to stay in Ukraine for 3 months. For citizens of Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus this is not required. But for those foreigners who can not enter this country on a passport, this visa is relevant.
To obtain a short-term visa, you will need to receive a written invitation from an individual or legal entity. The trip in this case can be carried out with a guest, study or work purpose. In each case, there are some nuances. If the purpose of arrival is guest, you need to confirm the relationship with those who invite a foreign citizen.
For work, an invitation from the employer is required, and for study - from the educational institution. For tourist purposes, you can stay in Ukraine for no more than 1 month. No additional papers are required for this.
Long term visa
Considering the issue of whether a visa is required to travel to Ukraine, it is worth noting that in case of a foreign resident staying on the territory of this state for more than 3 months, this document will be required. Only students or job seekers, as well as people engaged in other activities, can get it.
To apply for a long-term visa, you need to collect a package of documents. It is necessary to issue a permit in the employment center granting the right to work in Ukraine. A contract is also concluded with the employer, which will need to be presented in case of obtaining a work visa.
If the family of a foreign citizen lives here, you will need to present a marriage certificate with a citizen of Ukraine. The basis for a visa may be the presence of family ties with a resident of this country.
You can get permissive immigration paper, on the basis of which permanent residence is issued. If in Ukraine the relatives of a foreign citizen are in refugee status, you can apply for a visa by obtaining permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country in which the foreigner resides.
To study at a university, you must present an invitation to the institution. If the visa is needed for the clergyman, the invitation is sent to him by the religious organization in which he is a member.
Radio and television broadcasting staff will need to receive appropriate treatment. Other permits and invitations may be obtained in accordance with other activities. In this case, it will be possible to apply for a long-term visa.
Permit cost
Being interested in whether a visa to Ukraine is needed, it is worth considering the cost of such a document. A consular fee will be required. For a single-entry visa, the amount is $ 85 (5.7 thousand rubles). If you need to draw up a double document, you will need to pay 130 dollars (approximately 8.8 thousand rubles). Sometimes a foreigner needs a multiple-entry visa. The consular fee in this case will be 200 dollars (13.5 thousand rubles). If you need to draw up documents urgently, you will have to pay 2 times more.
If the visa will be issued at the border, you will need to pay 1190 hryvnia (2.8 thousand rubles). For some tourists, the cost of such a document will be preferential. This category includes residents of El Salvador, Mauritius, Turkey, Seychelles, Barbados, as well as several other states. For them, a visa will cost only 2358 hryvnias (5.6 thousand rubles).
The consular service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will also need to pay a fee for paperwork, which will amount to 221 hryvnia (530 rubles). If for some reason a foreign citizen is refused a visa, the amount paid by him is not refundable.
No charge
Considering in detail the question of whether a visa to Ukraine is required for foreign citizens, it is worth noting that in some cases there is no fee for applying for this document. Documents are free of charge for children under 6 years of age, foreigners who are of Ukrainian nationality, as well as for their wives or husbands and children.
Payment is not taken from diplomats who are on a business trip, as well as from employees of Ukrainian consulates, representative offices and members of their families. This is also true for employees of international organizations that have headquarters in Ukraine. And also if a person or a member of a foreign delegation was invited by the President, Verkhovna Rada, Cabinet, Foreign Ministry. Also, charitable organizations that provide humanitarian assistance do not pay fees when applying for a visa.
Possible failure
Knowing whether a visa to Ukraine is needed for citizens of different countries, we can say a few more words about the features of border crossing. The border service may refuse entry to persons who participate in anti-government activities. Such are recognized as citizens who carry baggage with a military uniform, a certificate of the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, etc. In principle, any man between the ages of 18 and 55 can be refused today.