During martial law, Ukraine's border is open to foreign citizens. However, those who want to come should know the current entry and security rules. Find out more about insurance in Ukraine during the war and border crossing rules

Purchase insurance that covers compensation for war-related risks

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Many foreigners are actively helping Ukraine during the war. Non-residents visit the country for various purposes: volunteering, participating in humanitarian programs, filming reports or documentaries, setting up a business, etc. 

Unfortunately, there are no cities in Ukraine that are completely safe. And although the main fighting is concentrated in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine, the entire country is subject to regular rocket attacks. 

What should a foreigner take care of before traveling to Ukraine and how to prepare? Read on. 

Find out how many foreigners entered Ukraine in the first quarter of 2024 here.

Rules for entering Ukraine

Ukraine's border is open, the rules of entry have remained unchanged, and there are no restrictions on foreigners entering the country due to martial law, except for citizens of the aggressor country.

To enter Ukraine, a foreigner must:

1. Have a valid foreign passport (the passport must be valid for the entire period of stay in the country). Citizens of Turkey and Georgia can enter Ukraine with an ID card.

2. Have an entry visa, unless a visa-free regime is established with the country or otherwise provided by law.

3. Provide confirmation of the purpose of the trip and the availability of sufficient funds for the duration of the stay in Ukraine and for returning to the country of origin.

4. Take out an appropriate insurance policy.

Important! Entry is possible in the absence of a decision of an authorized state body of Ukraine to ban entry into Ukraine.

Foreigners who have a residence permit can also enter Ukraine (even if it expired after February 24, 2022).

After crossing the border, foreign nationals must comply with the migration laws and apply to the state authorities in advance and, if necessary, submit documents for extending their stay or applying for residence permits. 

Read all about the current rules for entering Ukraine by car with foreign registration in this article.

Insurance in Ukraine for foreigners in times of war 

The ongoing war in Ukraine is causing significant destruction, damage to property and infrastructure, and is definitely a major threat to human life and health. For a citizen who has arrived in Ukraine from another country, any visit to a medical facility, even for emergency care, is subject to a fee. Therefore, before traveling, it is worth taking care of reliable health insurance that guarantees a foreigner quality medical care at no additional cost. 

At the same time, taking into account all the risks, we recommend purchasing insurance that additionally covers war-related risks. Such a policy provides for the insured risk of an accident as a result of hostilities, passive war risks, terrorist acts, as well as emergency care, outpatient treatment, hospitalization and repatriation of the insured person (or his/her body in case of death) from the place of stay to the place of his/her permanent residence. You can take out insurance covering war risks by following this link.

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Safety rules when traveling in Ukraine 

A foreigner who decides to visit Ukraine must strictly follow two main safety rules:

1. Find out the duration of the curfew in the region you plan to visit. A curfew is a time period introduced to maintain law and order. Usually, the curfew lasts from 23:00 until 05:00 the next day, during which time you cannot be on the street or in public places.

2. Air raid alarm - we recommend installing the application of the same name on your smartphone (you can download it through the App Store or Google Play) and, upon receiving the signal, immediately go to the nearest shelter. You should also do the same if you hear the corresponding signal on the street.

Read all about the rules of behavior during air raid alerts, curfews and checkpoints in this article.

How to get to Ukraine?

Currently, you can get to Ukraine only with transfers (flight + bus / train) or exclusively by land. For the convenience of travelers, the Visit Ukraine team has already collected the most convenient routes to get to Ukraine from around the world. To find out more, select the country of interest and follow the link:

The most convenient routes to Ukraine from: 

UK — Canada — USA — Poland — Moldova — Romania — Netherlands — Italy — Slovakia — Spain — 

Lithuania — Estonia — France — Germany — Austria — Belgium — Sweden — Portugal — Turkey — 

Hungary.

If you do not find the option you are looking for in the list, enter the country you are interested in in the "search" field on the blog page.

Read our article on whether it is safe for foreigners to travel to Ukraine and how to organize a trip. Earlier, we also told you which areas of Ukraine are currently off-limits to tourists.

Photo: checkpoint on the Maidan (UNIAN)

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Darya Rogova is the head of the Visit Ukraine insurance department

Feel confident during your stay in Ukraine. Take out an insurance policy from verified insurance agents on the Visit Ukraine portal. Reliable protection for your mail in just a few minutes.

Do you have additional questions? Contact the Visit Ukraine hotline (Telegram | WhatsApp).