Entering without a visa

Citizens of the following countries can now visit Ukraine without a visa for periods of up to 90 days with a valid passport:

    * USA
    * Canada
    * Japan
    * EU nations
    * Switzerland
    * Liechtenstein
    * Andorra
    * Vatican
    * Iceland
    * Monaco
    * Norway
    * San Marino
    * Mongolia
    * Lithuania
    * Commonwealth of Independent States countries (except Turkmenistan)

Information on the Procedure of Entry to (Exit from) Ukraine

Appendix 1. Diplomatic and service visas.
Appendix 2. Grounds for issuing visas.
Appendix 3. Category of passports that should be registered in Ukraine's internal affairs organs.
Appendix 4. List of countries which have visa-free movement regime with Ukraine

Information on the procedure of foreigners entry to (exit from) Ukraine

At present, the Ukrainian legislation provides for both visa and visa-free entry procedure for foreigners (foreign citizens and non-citizens).

The rules of foreigners entry to (exit from) Ukraine are regulated by Ukrainian law On Legal Status of Foreigners, of February 4, 1994, by the Rules of foreigners entry to Ukraine, their exit from Ukraine and transit through its territory (under the Decree N 1074 by Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers of December 29, 1995) and by the Rules of obtaining visa documents for entry to Ukraine(under the Decree N 227 by Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers of February 20, 1999).

Foreigners shall enter/exit Ukraine through the crossing points on the State frontier, in case of presence of a national passport and a visa, if otherwise is not specified by the Ukrainian legislation.

All categories of visas are issued by Ukraine's diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad. The Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine issues diplomatic visas in the territory of Ukraine to diplomats for the term of their accreditation. Service visas are issuing to officers of foreign affairs institutions of foreign states in case of presence of a service passport, to foreign mass media staff as well as to the members of their families for the period of service card validity (Appendix 1).

At the territory of Ukraine the period of visas validity could be prolonged. Diplomatic and service visas, issued to diplomatic personal, officers of diplomatic institutions, consular institutions, international and other organizations, accredited in Ukraine are prolonged by the Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Other visa types are prolonged by the organs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

In accordance with a Decree N 227 by Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers of February 20, 1999, visas for foreigners are issued on the basis of their entry purpose, provided they have the appropriate documents (Appendix 2).

Depending on validity, there exist the following types of visas: short-term visas (issued for up to 6 months) and long-term visas (6-12 months); by frequency of use the visas are divided into single, multiple and collective.

At the time of temporary stay in Ukraine, foreigner has no right to change the status of residence for any other one and to apply for a permission for permanent residence in Ukraine.

Since July 1, 2001, in accordance with a Decree of the President of Ukraine N 435 of June 15, 2001 "About the Additional Measures Directed Towards the Realization of Right of Human for Freedom of Movement and Free Choice of the Place of Residence" the registration of foreigners, which are entering Ukraine according to the set rules, and their passport documents is carried out only at the crossing points on the State frontier by the organs of the State Committee for the Protection of the National Frontier of Ukraine. Further registration of foreigners, which are temporary staying in Ukraine according to the set rules, and their passport documents is not carried out by the internal affairs agencies.

In case of loss of national passports by the foreigner on the territory of Ukraine, the passport owner should inform their hosting organization and an internal affairs agency about this incident. The latter, upon the foreigner's request, issues a substitution document. On obtaining national passports by foreigners at the diplomatic mission or consular department of their country on the basis of the foreigner's application and a petition by their hosting organization, the internal affairs agency provides for issuing an exit visa or registration of the foreigner's national passport.

Exit of foreign citizens and non-citizens from Ukraine

Foreign citizens and non-citizens, which have temporary stayed in Ukraine, should exit the country in the course of the rules of entry to Ukraine.

In accordance with a Decree N 910 by Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers of June 5, 2000 foreign citizens and non-citizens, which have the permanent residence in Ukraine or staying in Ukraine with the aim of job placement based on Centre of Employment confirmation or studying at the high school education institutions of Ukraine, exit Ukraine according to the passport documents with appropriate marks and certificates for residence.

Transit of foreigners through the territory of Ukraine is allowed, in case if the foreigner has a transit Ukrainian visa, a destination country visa and tickets or other documents proving that the intended trip is really a transit.

Citizens of the States which have concluded international agreements with Ukraine on visa-free travelling of citizens (Appendix 4) enter into Ukraine with a valid national passport, provided they have an insurance policy and a duly arranged invitation (original) by a legal or private person from Ukraine, if otherwise is not envisaged by an international agreement. There still exists a visa-free regime with the CIS countries (according to the Agreement on Visa-Free Migration of the CIS Countries Citizens of October 9, 1992), including Russia and Belarus (according to the concluded agreements).

APPENDIX 1

Diplomatic and service visas

Diplomatic visas are issued to the following categories of persons having diplomatic passports:

    * diplomatic members of foreign missions and consular posts in Ukraine and to members of their families;
    * foreigners, enteringUkraine with diplomatic missions;
    * diplomatic couriers;
    * members of governments, parliaments, international organizations;
    * prominent politicians whose entry into Ukraine is a diplomatic issue.

Service visas are divided into three categories and are issued to:

    * С-1 service staff of foreign diplomatic missions and consular offices in Ukraine and to members of their families;
    * members of Ukraine-based international organizations;
    * State power bodies officials of foreign countries who enter into Ukraine on business. С-2
    * members of military formations and institutions who enter into Ukraine on business by invitation of related State bodies. С-3
    * representatives of manufacturing, trade, financial and political circles who enter into Ukraine on business by invitation of State institutions registered in Ukraine in the established order.

APPENDIX 2

Grounds for issuing visas

P-1 (private visa) – invitation of an established type duly arranged by the internal affairs agencies or an invitation of a Ukrainian medical institution and other documents proving the private nature of the trip.

P-2 (private visa) – personal application, results of a personal interview with an employee of a Ukrainian diplomatic mission or consular post which is in charge of deciding whether a visa can be issued, and documents proving Ukrainian background of an foreigner or a non-citizen.

B (business visa) – invitation of an established type duly arranged by the internal affairs agencies.

T (tourist visa) – documents proving the tourist nature of the trip.

H (visa for members of humanitarian missions) – approval by the Commission at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for coordination, acceptance, transportation, security and distribution of humanitarian aid rendered by foreign States.

E (visa for members of rescue services) – approval by the Ministry of Emergency Issues of Ukraine.

O (student visa) – invitation of an established type issued by the Ministry of Education of Ukraine.

M (visa for mass media staff) – Instruction by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on issuing the visa.

R (visa for members of religious missions) – invitation by a religious organization, certified by the State Committee of Religions.

TP-1 (transit visa) – document proving the transit nature of the trip, visa to a third country, ticket, etc.

TP-2 (transit visa) – documents proving the transit nature of cargo transportation and public bus transportation through the territory of Ukraine.

EI-1 (immigration visa) – work permit issued by the Ministry of Labour.

EI-2 (immigration visa) – permit by a local executive body for permanent residence in Ukraine.

OI (visa for international transport service staff) – license for international transportations issued by the corresponding agency of the host country.

Visas of other types are issued on the request by the State authorities of foreign countries, international organizations, invitation cards issued by ministries, by other central executive power bodies, as well as invitation cards of the type established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine from Ukrainian legal and natural persons.

There is no need in invitation for issuing visas (types C, B, M, K, P) for the citizens of states – members of the European Union, Canada, Slovak Republic, United States, Turkey, Switzerland and Japan (in accordance with a Decrees by Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers N 750 of May 5, 2000, N 1376 of September 01, 2000, N 192 of February 28, 2001).

In case of need, an employee of a Ukrainian diplomatic mission or a consular office may request additional documents which would in a better way specify the aim of the foreigner's/non-resident's trip or invite a certain person for an additional interview.

APPENDIX 3

Category of passports that should be registered in Ukraine's internal affairs organs.

    * Foreigners who have arrived in Ukraine for a period of more than 6 month;
    * Foreigners who have arrived in Ukraine for education or employment within the contract.

APPENDIX 4

List of countries which have visa-free movement regime with Ukraine (dated October 2001)

    * Republic of Argentina – diplomatic and service (official) passports;
    * Republic of Armenia – identity and citizenship proving documents;
    * Republic of Azerbaijan – identity and citizenship proving documents;
    * Republic of Belarus – identity and citizenship proving documents;
    * Republic of Bulgaria – diplomatic and service passports;
    * FederativeRepublic of Brazil – diplomatic and service passports;
    * Republic of Cuba – diplomatic, service passports;
    * Peoples Republic of China – diplomatic and service passports, national foreign passport marked as service;
    * Republic of Croatia – diplomatic and service passports;
    * Republic of Chile – diplomatic, service and official passports (Chile);
    * Republic of Estonia – diplomatic passports;
    * Georgia – identity and citizenship proving documents;
    * Republic of Guinea – diplomatic and service passports;
    * Hungarian Republic – all kinds of passports;
    * Islamic Republic of Iran – diplomatic and service passports;
    * State of Israel – diplomatic passports;
    * Republic of Kazakhstan – identity and citizenship proving documents;
    * Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea – diplomatic and service passports;
    * Republic of Kyrgyzstan – identity and citizenship proving documents;
    * Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos – diplomatic and service passports;
    * Republic of Lithuania – diplomatic and service passports;
    * Republic of Latvia – diplomatic passports, service passports for the employees of diplomatic and consular institutions for the period of accreditation;
    * United States of Mexico – diplomatic passports;
    * Mongolia – all kinds of passports;
    * Republic of Poland – all kinds of passports;
    * Romania – all kinds of passports;
    * RussianFederative Republic – identity and citizenship proving documents;
    * SFRY – diplomatic and service passports;
    * Slovak Republic – diplomatic and service passports;
    * Republic of Turkey – diplomatic, service and special passports (Turkey);
    * Republic of Uzbekistan – identity and citizenship proving documents;
    * Socialist Republic of Vietnam – diplomatic and service passports