The rules for foreigners to stay in Ukraine are governed by migration law. Find out what documents confirm the right to legal stay in Ukraine and how to obtain them

Take care of insurance for safe entry and stay in Ukraine

BUY

Foreigners and stateless persons staying in Ukraine must comply with the migration legislation of Ukraine, apply to the state authorities in advance and submit documents either to extend their stay or to obtain residence documents.

What documents are required to enter Ukraine?

The imposed martial law on the territory of Ukraine does not provide for any changes or restrictions in the rules of border crossing for foreigners (except for citizens of the aggressor country). Therefore, to cross the border, a foreigner must have

– a valid passport (except for citizens of Turkey and Georgia, who can enter on the basis of an ID card)

–  a visa (unless otherwise provided by law or a visa-free regime is established with the country);

– confirmation of the purpose of the trip (invitation from a citizen of Ukraine or to participate in events/conferences, travel voucher, hotel reservation, etc;)

– confirmation of sufficient funds for the entire period of stay in Ukraine and for returning to the country of origin;

– insurance policy.

Please note! Due to the martial law, any foreign insurance automatically terminates upon crossing the Ukrainian border. Therefore, an insurance policy must be issued through a Ukrainian insurance company or a foreign one that has a representative office in Ukraine. In this case, we recommend taking out insurance with military risk coverage, which will cover not only standard medical care/treatment/diagnosis, etc., but also accidents and injuries caused by passive or direct military risks.

You can take out such insurance on the Visit Ukraine website. Follow the link and choose an insurance policy with the appropriate coverage and indemnity amount for the required period.

How do I check what documents I need to cross the border?

The Visit Ukraine website has a special form that allows citizens of any country to check the current entry rules and find out what documents they need to cross the border. To use it, follow the link and select your citizenship from the drop-down list. 

Visit Ukraine on social media: Telegram | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok

What documents are required for a legal stay in Ukraine?

If a foreigner plans to stay in Ukraine for longer than the period provided for by the visa-free regime or a visa, or if the purpose of his or her stay is related to employment, volunteering or other circumstances determined by law, such a person must obtain a residence permit or other relevant documents to legally reside in Ukraine.

At the same time, in the context of war, it is particularly important to focus on two categories of foreigners:

–  foreign military personnel who joined the International Legion of Ukraine;

– foreign volunteers who came to help.

According to part 18 of Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons", foreigners and stateless persons who have signed a contract for military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine are considered to be legally residing in Ukraine for the period of the contract. Foreign military personnel do not need a visa to enter Ukraine. There is also no need to apply to the Migration Service for any additional documents for temporary residence in Ukraine.

For more information on the procedure for enlistment in the military service by foreigners and entry into Ukraine, please see here.

In accordance with Part 10 of the above Law, foreigners and stateless persons who have arrived in Ukraine to participate in international and regional volunteer programs or to participate in the activities of organizations and institutions that involve volunteers in their activities may legally stay in Ukraine on the basis of a temporary residence permit and registration of their place of residence in Ukraine.

If you need advice on obtaining a temporary or permanent residence permit in Ukraine, please contact Visit Ukraine lawyers. Our specialists will answer your questions and, if necessary, help you collect and submit the necessary documents. You can order a legal consultation or full legal support with a turnkey residence permit by following this link.

We remind you! The issue of employment in Ukraine is quite common among foreigners, but finding a job is not the only part of the path you need to go through to legally stay in the country. Read what is required to obtain a residence permit on the basis of employment in Ukraine and how to obtain it in our previous article.