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VISA SUPPORT & INVITATIONS
This page gives information and links on how to obtain visa, invitations, letters of support, letter of invitation for visa for Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The links to Governments and Online Visa Services give you the opportunity to make a comparison between travel agencies and their prices for visa support.

Ukraine visa

Ukrainian embassies in the world



Application of visa for the Ukraine : what do you need

IMPORTANT UPDATE : Citizens of the European Union and Switzerland don't need a visa to enter Ukraine. On 1 august 2005 the Ukrainian government has made this visa free status permanent. It was originally established to make it easier for Europeans to attend the Eurovision Song Contest (!). So from 1 august 2005 on citizens of the European Union don't need any more visa for a stay or visit to Ukraine of up to 90 days within a period of six months. The Ukrainian governement had signed on 30 june 2005 a similar law which allows US citizens to stay in Ukraine without visa for the same period.
For more information see the Ukraine Consular Information site.

The information below is meant for non-EU and non-US citizens which still need a visa to enter Ukraine.

  • the usual stuff : 1 nice picture of yourself, passport valid at least 6 more months
  • Maximum duration of stay : 180 days
  • Price : price depends on the speed of processing, if you have time you sometimes must insist that you want to wait 10 days, because they otherwise charge you lots more to give you the visa on the same day. Price does not depend on the duration of stay.
  • private visa : since 5/2000 an invitation is no longer necessary, so for tourism this visa has become more attractive than the tourist visa. You must write the name and adress of a private person in Ukraine on your application form. They don`t check this adres and it is not written on your visa; so it doesn`t matter that much who you write there. Don`t forget to write on the application form under 'motivation' : 'visit of friend' instead of 'tourism' when you apply for a private visa as a tourist !
  • tourist visa : A letter of invitation from a Ukrainian or American tourist agency or a confirmation from a Ukrainian hotel is necessary to qualify for a tourist visa.
    Citizens of the USA, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, or citizens of the European Union countries can be qualified for a tourist visa when they submit a round-trip ticket issued by the Ukrainian National Airlines.
  • transit visa : you need a visa for the next country and a onward ticket. The transit trip can be allowed only with the following documents: Ukrainian transit visa, the visa to the country of destination, travel tickets or other documents confirming the nature of your trip.
  • city list : no cities are written on the private visa, so you can go where you want. I`m not sure about the tourist visa; if there is still a list and you want to go to Crimea you should make sure some cities of the peninsula are included.
  • Delivery time : normally it takes about a week to get your visa for Ukraine from the Ukrainian embassy. Some companies offer expensive express visa service, so you can pick up your visa at the airport on arrival.

Letter of invitation - Visa support - ONLY FOR TOURIST VISUM

As always with invitations, the most important thing for an independent traveller is to find an agency which does not requires you to take any extra services (hotel bookings, transport, tours, E which limit your freedom and cost you lots more. Also the way of payment is important, as bank wire or Western Union payments are not as practical as VISA or payment on arrival. The following selection is what I have found, feel free to send me details of other agencies who offer cheap invitations without further obligations. This selection is purely based on these criteria, it does not takes in account the quality of their service.
  • Unipress BTD, 14 Rishelyevskaya str. 65026 Odessa, Ukraine, Tel: + 380 (482) 210 621, 241 769, Fax: + 380 (482) 210 621, travel@travel-2-ukraine.com, http://www.travel-2-ukraine.com/visa-support.htm, 30$, 1 day processing time, they fax it to you from the moment they receive payment by VISA
  • Travel Agency Lybid'-Kyiv, Tel/fax +380 (44) 236-4241; 236-6023, tour@lybid-kiev.com.ua, guest@lybid-kiev.com.ua, 30$, 1 processing time, but you are forced to book one night in a hotel, payment with VISA/Western Union
  • HOFA visa support, RussianStay@yahoo.com, http://webcenter.ru/~hofa/, 30$ (+5$ for registration), organisation where you can book homestay in Russia and Ukraine in advance, you pay 20$ extra if you book less than half of your accomodation with them, you must book at least 2 nights, payment VISA/bankwire, same price and conditions for Russia and Uzbekistan

Registration
  • since july 2001 registration is no longer necessary.

Extension of an Ukrainian Visa

  • max. 3 months
  • in every OVIR office, Ukrainian visas are extended by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
  • takes 3-5 working days
  • costs 20$

Medical Insurance for the Ukraine

  • At the border you are requested to take a UKRINMEDSTRANKH medical insurance, but you can refuse to do so, this insurance is not compulsory. (Exchange rate UAH 5.5 = USD 1), sometimes it is also possible to buy this ensurance in advance in your embassy. You get free EMERGENCY medical treatment with this. I used it because I could not find any English speaking doktor in Odessa and they work quite fast. Problem is that the only thing they do is arriving with an ambulance to get you to a hospital; so it is really only for emergency treatment. The price depends on how long you stay (this can be less than the validity of you visa, you can decide at the border) :
    1-5 days - 12 UAH, 6 days - 14 UAH, 7 days - 16 UAH
    Etc.
    29 days - 60 UAH, 30 dagen - 64UAH

Ukraine Customs
  • You have to fill in a customs declaration form at the border (English version is available), you fill in the amount of money and jewels you have with you and the name of your camera, let them date-stamp the thing and keep it safe until you leave. You must declare all cash and jewelry upon entering Ukraine; and undeclared items may be confiscated. Currency may be exchanged only at legal, licensed booths, banks and hotel exchange desks. You should save all receipts from currency exchanges and from any purchases you make while in Ukraine. You may not take more money out of the country than you brought in, unless you have receipts showing that you received money from a credit card, wire transfer or other means.
  • The Airport of Kiev gives interesting custom control information on its website.
  • If your customs form is lost or stolen, report it to the local police, known as militia, and obtain a certificate to show authorities when departing Ukraine. If you cannot obtain a police certificate, come to the Consular Section of your Embassy in Kyiv for a notarized letter of explanation. This letter is usually, but not always, accepted by customs authorities.
  • If you purchase any items of value you must have the receipt when you leave Ukraine. In addition, if you purchase any antiques or items of possible historical value, such as icons, etc., you must obtain a certificate from the store that sold the item or from the Ministry of Culture stating that it has no real historical value.
  • I think it depends on where you arrive in the country how these old fashioned custom forms are still enforced. When I crossed the border on the train from Romania, every coin I had was counted (a very embarrasing experience in a coupe full of poor Ukrainians). When I left the country at the airport of Odessa they didn`t even ask for the form back. Normally you should also fill in a new customs declarations form when leaving the country; be sure to write a lower amount of money on this form, otherwise this would be interpreted you earned money somewhere in the country.
  • there is now a requirement to complete (and retain) new "immigration forms"

More information on Ukrainian Visa and travel to Ukraine