Visa types - Zalizniak & Associates

Three types of visas are available to individuals who wish to enter Ukraine. All Ukrainian visas require individuals to provide the following:

A duly completed visa application
A passport
Four passport photos (3.5 x 4.5 cm)
Proof of health insurance coverage
Copies of the client’s bank statements proving they can sustain themselves for the duration of their stay in Ukrainian territory

Transit visa (indicated by letter B)

Issued to foreign citizens and stateless persons for passing through Ukraine to a third destination, as well as for the transit of cargo and for the transit of vehicle passengers.

There are single, double and multiple entry transit visas issued for the period indicated in the supporting documents. However, the period should not exceed one year unless otherwise stipulated by International Agreements of Ukraine. Each transit through the territory of Ukraine should not exceed five days.

A transit visa application should be accompanied by one of the following documents:

A document confirming the nature of travel is transit (such as a visa to the third country if it is required, a ticket etc)
A document confirming the nature of cargo and the nature of vehicle passengers is transit;
A license for international transportation services issued by the competent authority in the host country.

Short-term visa (indicated by letter C)

Issued to foreign citizens and stateless persons if the duration of their stay in Ukraine does not exceed 90 days in a given 180 day period from the date of first entry.

Short-term visas can be single, double or multiple entries for six months or for the period of time indicated in the documents that constitute grounds for obtaining the visa, but not exceeding five years.

A short-term visa application should be accompanied by one of the following documents:

Standardized invitation of a person or entity issued by the regional body or division of the State Migration Service of Ukraine
Invitation from the ministry, other central executive authorities, state institutions, enterprises or organizations
Contract for the carriage of goods and passengers by road and the license for international transportations
Certificate of the person of Ukrainian origin and his/her application along with the results of the interview with the Ukrainian diplomatic or consular staff and evidence for Ukrainian ethnical descent or Ukrainian origin of the foreign citizen or stateless person. The spouse and children of the Person of Ukrainian origin, if traveling and staying in Ukraine together, have to submit an application and provide documents confirming family relationships
Document confirming that the nature of travel is tourism in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Tourism”
Invitation from a Ukrainian medical treatment facility
Document confirming state registration of foreign investments into the economy of Ukraine in foreign currency in an amount not less than 50 thousand dollars
Confirmation from the Ministry of social policy on the entry of the foreign citizen or stateless person for the purpose of providing humanitarian aid or charity
Invitation from a religious organization approved by the state body in charge of registration of the religious organization for short-term stay in Ukraine for religious matters
Petition from the head of a foreign mass media for a foreign correspondent or representative of a foreign media who travels to Ukraine for short-term stay to perform his/her professional duties
Petition from state authorities of foreign states or international organizations
Written resolution of the head of the diplomatic mission or consular post of Ukraine to issue a visa in order to ensure the interests of foreign policy;

Long-term visa (indicated by letter D)

Issued to foreign citizens or stateless persons traveling to Ukraine for a period not exceeding 90 days with the purpose of processing documents that give the right to stay or reside in Ukraine.

The long-term visa can be issued by the Diplomatic Mission or the Consulate General of Ukraine as single entry visa for 45 days, except as otherwise required by law.

A long-term visa application should be accompanied by one of the following documents:

A duly certified copy of the employment permit for foreigners and stateless persons issued by the state employment service. For foreigners and stateless persons whose employment in accordance with the laws of Ukraine is carried out without employment permit, instead of such a permit an employment agreement (contract) is submitted, and for those who have the status of the person of Ukrainian origin – employment contract (contract) and certificate of the person of Ukrainian origin
A copy of the Immigration permit issued by the regional body or division of the State Migration Service of Ukraine
A permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to issue visas to family members of a person recognized as a refugee in Ukraine or a person in need of additional protection or granted temporary protection in Ukraine
An original standardized invitation for study (internship) issued by a higher education institution and registered in the prescribed manner at the Ministry of Education and Science
An invitation from the state institution, enterprise or organization that is a recipient of international technical aid
An invitation from a religious organization approved by the state body in charge of registration of the religious organization for long-term stay in Ukraine for religious matters
An invitation of the branch office, divisional office, representative office or any other structural cell of a duly registered foreign public (non-governmental) organization
An invitation from a duly registered foreign representative of a foreign business entity approved by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
An invitation from a duly registered branch office or representative of a foreign bank
A petition from a foreign mass media approved by the State Committee for television and radio broadcasting
A foreign government’s petition for diplomatic and consular staff, or staff and representatives of international organizations who enter Ukraine long-term to perform their professional duties, and for their family members
An invitation from the relevant government agency responsible for the implementation of cultural, educational, scientific, sports, volunteer programs, – for foreigners or stateless persons who enter Ukraine to participate in such programs, or volunteer organization duly registered in Ukraine;
A document confirming the fact of being married to a citizen of Ukraine (if marriage between a national of Ukraine and a foreigner or a stateless person concluded outside of Ukraine under the law of a foreign state, the validity of the marriage is determined according to the Law of Ukraine “On International Private Law”)
A document confirming that a person is a family member of a foreigner or stateless person who have temporary residence permit in Ukraine (documents issued by the competent authorities of a foreign country should be legalized, unless otherwise provided by law or international treaty of Ukraine, and submitted with a duly certified translation into Ukrainian, and if this is not possible – in English), a copy of the relevant temporary residence permit, and of the standard form, which confirms the proof of sufficient financial means to maintain family members in Ukraine
Other documents if required by International Agreements of Ukraine
The duration of a foreign citizen’s or stateless person’s stay is indicated in the visa sticker

The total duration of stay in Ukraine for foreign citizens and stateless persons: Transit visa and short-term visa are valid for no more than 90 days in a given 180 day period from the date of first entry.

If required, the authorized staff may ask a foreign citizen or stateless person who is applying for a visa, for an additional interview and any additional documents to clarify the purpose of traveling such as:

Documents confirming booking or payment for accommodation, payment for food in Ukraine
The host party’s letter of guarantee that it undertakes all the expenses related to the foreign citizen’s or stateless person’s stay in Ukraine and exit from Ukraine
Other documents proving that a foreign citizen or stateless person has sufficient funds for the expected stay in Ukraine and for a return to the home country or for the transit through the territory of Ukraine to a third destination; or a lawful way of receiving such funds while staying in Ukraine
Documents demonstrating the foreign citizen’s or stateless person’s intentions to leave Ukraine before the visa expires (such as tickets, bank statements, confirmation of employment, real estate documents, family relationships etc.)
Foreign citizens and stateless persons may submit their short-term visa application during three months period prior to the planned trip

Foreign citizens and stateless persons have to submit a duly filled and signed application form. Persons whose details are endorsed in the passport of the foreign citizen or stateless person have to submit a separate application form. The application form of a minor must be signed by a parent or a legal representative.

The competent authority will make an appropriate decision within 15 calendar days from the date of submission of the visa request, visa application and supporting documents. Decisions can be extended to 30 calendar days in the case of further investigation.

Passport or travel document requirements for all Ukrainian visa types

Must be valid for at least three months after the declared exit date from Ukraine. In case substantial grounds are presented the said requirement may not apply
Must have at least two spare pages
Must be issued no more than ten years ago
For the processing of visa applications for minors: a parent’s or legal representative’s permission, other necessary documents for a minor’s independent exit and travel overseas or provision for exit with a parent or legal representative will be additionally verified

In case of visa refusal, the visa application and supporting documents are not returned; only the passport has to be returned. In the passport a note on the visa request and date should be mentioned, and also such a note should be signed by the authorized person and stamped.

In case of refusal to issue a visa, a foreign citizen or stateless person may reapply under the current legislation of Ukraine.