According to existing rules, tourists from Russia, Byelorussia and Moldova can enjoy a visa-free entry to Ukraine. It is just enough to hold a valid national passport. Citizens of other countries are entitled to enter Ukraine using foreign passports.

Terms of registration for countries with visa-free regime are 90 days, other countries — for the term of visa validity but not over than 6 months.

Beginning from 2001, the simplified procedure for customs control (Green Corridor) exists at the Simferopol international airport. Citizens with no goods, currency and valuables to declare can enter the Green Corridor without any customs declaration.

For citizens of other countries

According to the Order of the President «On the additional measures on human rights for the freedom of movement and free choice of the place of residence», registration of foreign citizens and non-citizens that enter the territory of Ukraine is carried out at the check-in points at the state border by security of the State Border of Ukraine.

For this purpose a single Immigration card has been presented. It is issued for free at the points of crossing the state border. Foreign citizens must fill out the Immigration Card before passport check. During the procedure the passport is stamped. The card is divided into 2 parts — one part is given to the foreign citizen for the whole stay in the territory of Ukraine. The card in the section Departure is returned to the visa officers when exiting the country at the check-in of the state border of Ukraine.

For foreign citizens, who cross the border using national passports, a registration mark is only put into the Immigration card.

Foreigners with foreign passports get a stamp in the passport and the Immigration card.

Loss of the Immigration card does not involve any sanctions. In such a case, the Immigration card will be restored in the part of ‘Arrival’ by use of the single computerized system and the citizen can freely carry on his/her journey. It is recommended to keep the ticket to verify crossing the border in a legal way.

For children up to 16 years old, their birth certificate serves as a basis for entrance.

For groups of children coming to rest in Crimea the list of groups shall be presented (children up to 16 years old). Each child has a stamped photograph in the list, verifying their identity. The list shall be signed and approved by the head of visa department of the Ministry for Internal Affairs. Copies of children’s birth certificates shall be also included. Originals are kept by the organizer of the group.

In case the receiving side (enterprises, institutions and organizations, regardless of their form of ownership, including foreign entities registered on the territory of Ukraine) hosts the foreign citizens without a stamp in the Immigration card, they will be fined in the amount of 10 to 20 minimum tax-exempt incomes of citizens in compliance with Art. 204 of the Administrative Violations Code.

Additional registration is not required on the territory of Ukraine.

Foreigners with visas are stamped in the passport.

Term for registration validity is set at 90 days for countries with visa-free regime, for other countries — for the term of visa validity.

Foreign citizens with private swimming facilities (scooters, inflatable boats, etc) are entitled to register their swimming equipment within 24 hours after entering the territory of Ukraine. The temporary registration is carried out at the nearest border check-in. The equipment shall be kept at the particular wharfs, etc.

As regards cruises, the passengers are allowed into Ukraine visa-free for 48 hours with the obligatory sleep on board.

If a cruise liner is put at several Ukrainian ports, check-in is carried out at the first port of arrival and the departure point.

Customs and Passport Control
Information on main rules for crossing the Ukrainian border

According to the bilateral agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Russian citizens can enter the Ukraine visa-free if they hold:

- passport of the citizen of the Russian Federation;
- passport of the citizen of the former Soviet Union with a mark on Russian citizenship or registration stamp (as of 06.02.1992);
- birth certificate (for children up to 16 years old)
- certificate verifying the identity of a warrant officer of the Russian Federation’s Navy (if holiday or business trip voucher is available).

According to the bilateral agreement between Byelorussia and Ukraine, citizens of Byelorussia can enter the Ukraine visa-free if they hold:

- passport of the citizen of the former Soviet Union with a mark on Byelorussian citizenship or registration stamp;
- passport of the citizen of the Byelorussia of 1993 or 1996;
- foreign passport of the former Soviet Union with a mark of Byelorussian citizenship;
- foreign passport of the Byelorussia for trips abroad.

Visa-free entrance is also valid for the citizens of Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan if the relevant documents and foreign passport are available.

Foreign citizens and non-citizens entering Ukraine shall hold a valid passport. Documents verifying citizenship of the foreign citizens or non-citizens issued by the authorized body of the foreign state and approved by Ukraine entitles the above citizens to enter Ukraine.

Legal entities and natural persons who invite foreigners shall provide for a timely explanation of the rules and obligations determined by the Ukrainian legislation. They shall account for those citizens and are liable for the timely provision of the documents needed for their stay in Ukraine, movement on the territory of Ukraine and their departure.

Passports of the foreign citizens shall be registered at the visa and registrations’ office. Such registration is required when visiting cities and towns for 3 days and over. Holders of Private and Business Visas must register their passports at the local visa and registrations’ office. Please, make sure that the receiving side will provide for your registration procedures, as it can take long time. Hotel registration involves automatic registration of your passport. Upon departure, please check whether the registration mark in your passport is available. Registered passport will leave you worry-free upon departure.

Citizens of the countries where international agreements on a visa-free entry have been signed can enter and leave Ukraine using their passport or identity card with properly made invitation from the legal entities or natural persons, if otherwise is not stipulated by the law of Ukraine.

Visas are not issued to citizens of the former Soviet Union (except Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) and also for citizens of Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania.

Currency Import

Foreign currency in cash can be imported by natural persons regardless of their age. It is permitted to declare orally the amounts of cash in any currency up to one thousand US dollars and checks issued by foreign banks for the same amount. The amounts exceeding $1,000 up to $10,000 or checks in the amount of $50,000 shall be declared in the customs declaration. No permits are required at that.

Foreign currency in cash exceeding the amount of $10,000 is kept by the customs and returned to their owner to be imported into Ukraine if there is a special permit issued by the National Bank. The same rule is applied to the checks in excess of $50,000.

Currency Export

Foreign currency in cash can be exported by natural persons regardless of their age. Legally declared foreign currency (if there is a customs declaration available) can be exported from Ukraine by natural persons — residents and non-residents — in the amount declared.

Foreign currency or traveler’s checks in the amount up to $1,000 can be exported from Ukraine by foreign citizens if that currency was previously orally declared. Citizens of Ukraine can export up to $3,000 upon the same conditions.

Foreign citizens and citizens of Ukraine can export up to $6,000 in cash or checks if the amount was previously declared with the Bank permit, Form 01.

Ukrainian Currency Export

Natural persons are permitted to export the Ukrainian currency in the amount not exceeding 1,000 hryvnyas per person if it was previously declared orally. Residents and non-residents can export the amount not exceeding 10,000 hryvnyas per person if it was declared in the customs declaration.

Alcohol Import

There no prohibitions as regards export of alcoholic beverages. Please, pay attention to the probable import limitations at the country of your destination. It is permitted to export from Ukraine 1 litre of vodka, 2 litres of wine and 5 litres of beer per person.

Souvenirs’ Export

Regarding objects of cultural and historical value, there was established the Department of the State Security at the Ministry of Culture of Crimea on Export of objects of cultural value through the state border of Ukraine. The Department issues permits as to export of pictures, souvenirs, etc. When exporting such objects, a certificate is issued which states that the object is of no cultural or historical value. The photograph of the object is attached.

Today art experts in collaboration with customs personnel identify objects of value at the Simferopol airport. They are entitled to issue permits (certificates) to export modern objects of value.

Mostly, the souvenirs are acquired by tourists at sidewalks of resorts. Those souvenirs do not have any historical or cultural value. Modern souvenirs and objects of art of serial production are not protected by the law on export.

It is advisable to get a certificate for the picture bought at the art studio, even if you have a receipt.

For this purpose you are required to:

- produce the document, verifying the identity of the owner;
- write a letter to the head of control department;
- present 2 color pictures of each exported object of art, sized 13X18 with a list of exported articles attached, in 2 copies.

The certificate is issued during a month. The issue on modern souvenirs is dealt with for 2 weeks. Address of Control Dept. in Simferopol: 14 Gogol Str.

Import of Personal Things

The Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine determines the following personal things to be freely imported to Ukraine: personal jewelry, including that of used precious metals and stones; personal clothes, linen and shoes used or new; cosmetics and personal hygiene things necessary for one trip; stationery; camera or camcorder and their accessories; binoculars; a portable music instrument; a tape recorder, recording devices with tapes, etc; a portable radio; a portable TV; a laptop and its accessories; calculator or e-note book; personal used portable medical equipment; 2 mobile phones of different standards permitted in Ukraine GSM 900, GSM 1800, NMT, a pager; a pram; an invalid chair; sports equipment — bicycle, fishing rod, scuba diving and mountaineering equipment; one set of skis, one set of tennis rackets; surfing and windsurfing board, golf equipment., etc. to be used by one person; medicines in the amount stipulated by the international health society.

Personal things imported by citizens in a luggage sent by a vehicle or any additionally sent luggage shall be declared orally or in written form on the request of the customs body or at the owner’s will.

Imported goods in the value of Euro 200 and up to 50 kilos in weight are not subject to taxation either in additional luggage or sent by post or personal luggage. Other things that exceed the above-stated amount are subject to taxation, which rate is expressed in percentage ratio to the cost or Euro.

Goods exceeding Euro 1,000 or in weight over 100 kg are subject to registration similar to business entities, i.e. enterprises.

It is prohibited to import agricultural products except for foodstuff in the amount of Euro 50, foodstuff in weight up to 10 kg sent by the post, agricultural products received as a payment in CIS countries.

Export of Goods

It is permitted to export the goods without declaring them in the amount less than Euro 200.

Export of Vehicles

Vehicles must be owned by a citizen or loaned based on the power of attorney. Declaration MD-7 is not filled by the foreign citizens that sign an obligation to export a vehicle during the particular term.

The Law «On a single fee charged at control points of the Ukrainian border» is valid in Ukraine. The law defines two types of rates of single fee. One — for customs check, second — for mileage per one km. Passenger cars (up to 10 seats) are not levied a single fee while buses (over 10 seats) and trucks are levied a fee according to the rates defined by the law.

Work coordination for all the controlling bodies at control points (ecology control service, phyto-sanitation, veterinary, radiological and sanitation-epidemiologic controls) as regards levying of a single fee is incumbent upon customs bodies. In compliance with Customs Code, a vehicle is permitted to be temporarily imported by non-residents for the duration not exceeding one year. But they can use the vehicle in Ukraine for the term of 2 months based on liability if the vehicle was not registered at the State Auto Inspection. After 2 months the citizen can refer to the customs at his temporary residence to be issued a certificate for registration at the State Auto Inspection. The State Auto Inspection registers the vehicle of the citizen temporarily.

Objects (goods), valuables that are not subject to taxation when crossing the state border of Ukraine

- objects (goods) imported (sent) on the territory of Ukraine in value less than Euro 200 (including excise goods) and one object in value less than Euro 300 (except excise goods). The above objects can be declared orally or at will;

- personal things temporarily imported (sent) to Ukraine under a written obligation to be exported on transit;

- alcoholic beverages — 1 litre, wine — 2 litres, tobacco and cigarettes — 200 cigarettes (or 200 grams) per person can be imported in Ukraine or on transit without any permit;

- animal and organic foodstuff in the amount less than Euro 50.

The list of objects (goods) that require a permit on import of the relevant bodies is almost similar to the list valid in other CIS countries.