How many foreigners visited Ukraine in 2024 and from which countries did they come most often?

Hundreds of thousands of foreign citizens continue to visit Ukraine for various purposes. In particular, last year, this figure exceeded 2.5 million people. Find out more about who came to Ukraine most often, the purpose of their trips and interesting trends

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Last year, Ukraine continued to attract attention around the world. Despite the challenges posed by the full-scale invasion, Ukraine welcomed foreign visitors. Every year, hundreds of thousands of citizens from all over the world come to the country, both from neighboring states and from distant countries.

In this article, we will tell you which nationalities most often visited Ukraine in 2024 and what their purposes were.

How many foreigners visited Ukraine in 2024: top nationalities

According to official statistics from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, more than 2.54 million foreigners crossed the state border of Ukraine in 2024. This data covers all categories of visits, including tourist, private, business, transit, etc.

General trends

1. Total number of visits: 2,541,883 foreigners.

2. Main purpose of visits by foreigners: The most common purpose is private (over 2.48 million visits). Other popular purposes include tourism, business travel, study, and transit.

3. Geographical distribution: As before, the lion's share of visitors are citizens of neighboring countries (Moldova, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia), but the flow from other countries is also growing (Israel, the United States, Germany, Turkey, and the United Kingdom).

Top 10 countries by number of visits

According to official data, the top ten countries in terms of the number of border crossings of Ukraine in 2024 are as follows:

In particular, the top twenty includes:

11. Syria - 27,720

12. Italy - 24 037

13. Czech Republic - 22 687

14. Azerbaijan - 19 732

15. Russia - 15,843

16. France - 14 914

17. Lithuania - 13,853

18. Georgia - 13 514

19. Latvia - 10,184

20. Canada - 9 412

💡Remember! Regardless of the purpose of entry into Ukraine, it is mandatory for every foreign citizen to obtain an appropriate insurance policy. Given the existing threats, we recommend taking out insurance covering military risks, which will guarantee the protection and provision of medical care to foreign nationals in unforeseen situations. You can get such insurance from a licensed and trusted insurance agent on the Visit Ukraine portal.

And the top 30 countries are closed:

21. Netherlands - 9 360

22. India - 7 434

23. Philippines - 7 265

24. China - 6 967

25. Egypt - 6,667

26. Armenia - 6,598

27. Sweden - 6,215

28. Austria - 5,900

29. Spain - 5,775

30. Portugal - 5,604

However, it is worth noting that this is only a small part of the countries whose citizens visited Ukraine in 2024, as the full statistical report provided by the State Border Guard Service at the request of VU includes 186 countries.

What is the purpose of the trips?

In general, in 2024, all visits (2,541,883) were distributed according to the following purposes:

Private: 2 481 203

Vehicle maintenance personnel: 69 425

Transit: 1 086

Tourism: 701

Service: 466

Other: 62

Education: 35

It is obvious that the dominant purpose of travel is private (over 97% of all visits). This indicates that most visits are made for family ties, personal contacts or friendships, work or business visits, which are not generally classified as tourism.

Compared to other categories, tourist visits are still present in the statistics, but in a much smaller number - 701. Below are the countries whose citizens most often appear in the “tourism” column:

Business trips (466) usually include business trips, diplomatic visits, and participation in international events.

It is also worth noting a fairly significant number of visits by vehicle service personnel (69,425), including truck drivers, ship crews, pilots, etc. Transit and other categories make up a relatively small share.

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Why do foreigners travel to Ukraine: the main factors that influence visits

Territorial proximity: Neighboring countries tend to generate the highest number of visits due to ease of border crossing.

Personal connections and labor migration: A significant share of private travel can be attributed to the Ukrainian diaspora and labor migration.

International events and activities: Various conferences, exhibitions, sporting and cultural events took place throughout the year, attracting participants and guests from abroad.

Regional situation: Political and security factors affect the overall dynamics of visits - some countries may show a slight decrease in tourist traffic, while others, on the contrary, are becoming more active.

In general, Moldova, Romania, and Poland are the top three countries in terms of the number of visits, which is logically explained by their geographical proximity and close contacts. These data show that Ukraine remains a popular destination for private and business travel, as well as international transit in the region.

Despite the low levels of officially declared tourism, Ukraine continues to be open to visitors, and global interest in Ukrainian culture, gastronomy, historical heritage, and business opportunities is growing. 

How a foreigner can enter Ukraine in 2025: rules, necessary documents and convenient routes

The rules for crossing the Ukrainian border for foreigners have not changed. However, when planning such a trip, foreign citizens should familiarize themselves with the basic safety rules to avoid unwanted risks. This especially applies to the rules of conduct during air raid and missile alerts, as well as curfews.

Rules for entering Ukraine and required documents

Ukraine has a visa-free regime with the countries of the European Union, as well as some other countries, so citizens of these countries do not need to apply for a visa if they are planning a short trip for personal business or travel. To cross the border, they need to have

– a valid passport (citizens of Turkey and Georgia can enter Ukraine on the basis of an ID card)
– insurance,
– proof of the purpose of entry and sufficient financial security.

For the rest of the citizens, a visa is required. You can check whether you need a visa to enter Ukraine on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. We described in detail the types of visas to Ukraine and how to obtain them in our previous article.

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How to get to Ukraine when there are no flights and all airports are closed?

For obvious reasons, the airspace over Ukraine remains closed. However, you can still get to the country by train, bus, or any other convenient land route. The most popular option among foreigners is to fly to the country closest to Ukraine and then continue the route 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:

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.

Remember that on Visit Ukraine portal you can conveniently and quickly buy bus and train tickets from/to Ukraine and between cities around the world.

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

We recommend purchasing it for a safe and comfortable trip to Ukraine: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance – insurance covering military risks for entry and travel in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Car Insurance – car insurance with extended coverage in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Legal Advice – comprehensive legal support on entry to Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tickets – bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tours – the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;

Visit Ukraine Hotels – hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Merch – patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

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