Rules for entering Germany for Ukrainians

What documents do I need to travel to Germany from Ukraine?

To travel to Germany, citizens of Ukraine need the following documents:

• Biometric passport. This document is the main document for crossing the border and must be valid for at least 3 months after your return.
  
• Health insurance covering expenses of at least 30,000 euros and valid for the entire period of your stay in the Schengen area.
  
  

We also recommend that you have a confirmation of your accommodation reservation (it can be a hotel reservation, a rental agreement or an invitation from friends or relatives living in Germany) and sufficient financial resources for the period of your stay in Germany.

What documents do I need to travel with my children to Germany?

Children under the age of 16 must have their own biometric passport or birth certificate (if they do not have a passport). They can cross the border with one of the parents without the official permission of the other. If the child is traveling with relatives or friends, he or she must have a notarized permission from one of the parents to travel abroad.

Important: children also need to have health insurance that covers possible expenses during the trip.

Do I need a Green Card to travel by car to Germany?

Yes, a Green Card is required to travel by car to Germany. This is an international car insurance that covers possible expenses in case of an accident abroad. It is required for everyone who travels outside of Ukraine in their own car, regardless of the status of the trip.

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Is health insurance compulsory for traveling to Germany?

Yes, health insurance is mandatory for traveling to Germany, as the country is a part of the Schengen area, which has strict requirements for health insurance policies. Your insurance must cover expenses of at least EUR 30,000 and be valid for the entire period of your stay.

You can easily choose and purchase a policy online on the Visit Ukraine website to be sure of your safety while traveling.

How much money do you need to enter Germany in 2026?

In 2026, there is no fixed mandatory amount of money required for tourist entry into Germany. However, border guards may ask you to prove your financial solvency. It is recommended that you have approximately €45 per person per day of your stay. The amount may vary depending on the length of your trip, whether you have paid for accommodation, an invitation, or other supporting documents.

⚠️ Germany is now assessing the actual purpose of travel more carefully, even for visa-free entry.

In practice, questions arise for tourists who have long-term plans to stay or frequent trips to the Schengen area. They also check compliance with the terms of stay during previous entries.

👉 Legal advice will help you correctly determine your residence status and avoid mistakes that could affect future trips.

What to do if your foreign passport is about to expire or has been “extended”?

As of October 29, 2025, Ukraine has abolished the military rule of extending the validity of foreign passports and entering data about children in them.

Now, only a valid biometric passport is required to travel abroad. If your document has been extended or information about a child has been added to it, you need to apply for a new biometric passport.

• In Ukraine — at the State Migration Service, the Administrative Services Center, or the State Enterprise “Document.”
• Abroad — at Ukrainian consulates or embassies or branches of the State Enterprise “Document.”

If you encounter difficulties crossing the border due to an ‘extended’ passport, contact the consulate — there you can obtain an identity card for returning to Ukraine (“white passport”).

Crossing the border with pets

In order to cross the border with pets to Germany in 2026, the following requirements must be met:

• The animal must have a microchip in accordance with ISO 11784 or ISO 11785.
  
• A veterinary passport with information on vaccinations and the animal's health status.
  
• The animal must be vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before the trip.
  
• Health certificate. A health certificate issued no earlier than 10 days before entry.
  
  

Some federal states of Germany may require prior notification of the importation of an animal from outside the EU. Check with the veterinary service before traveling.

When entering and staying in Germany, Ukrainians may face numerous difficulties: from paperwork to obtaining temporary protection status or a residence permit. In order to avoid difficulties and correctly navigate the legal nuances, it is important to get timely legal assistance.

🫂 Visit Ukraine offers qualified support through the following consulting services:

• Written consultation: get answers to your questions in writing from professional lawyers.
  
• Introductory consultation (30 min): a short consultation for an initial assessment of your situation and recommendations on how to proceed.
  
• Basic consultation (60 minutes): a detailed analysis of your issue with thorough recommendations.
  
• Legal support: professional support on issues related to traveling abroad or obtaining a residence permit in Germany.
  
  

Learn more about our legal services here.

Due to the closed airspace of Ukraine, traveling to Germany requires careful planning. There are several ways to get to Germany, depending on your preferences and budget.

1. By air ✈️

Ukraine's airspace is currently closed, and it is impossible to get to Germany by plane directly. Therefore, most Ukrainian tourists choose to fly to one of the European airports located near the Ukrainian border.

Ukraine shares borders with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. There are many direct flights to Germany from these countries.

- Moldova

• From Chisinau to Berlin: from 3,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 2-7 hours.
  
• From Chisinau to Munich: from 4,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 2-7 hours.
  
• From Chisinau to Hamburg: from 6,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 1-5 hours.
  
  

- Poland

• From Warsaw to Berlin: from 3,000 UAH per ticket, travel time: 1-5 hours.
  
• From Warsaw to Munich: from 4,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 1-4 hours.
  
• From Rzeszow to Berlin: from 4,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 3-8 hours.
  
• From Rzeszow to Munich: from 4,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 1-4 hours.
  
• From Krakow to Berlin: from 3,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 1-6 hours.
  
• From Krakow to Hamburg: from 5,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 3-6 hours.
  
  

- Romania

• From Bucharest to Berlin: from 3,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 2-6 hours.
  
• From Bucharest to Munich: from 4,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 2-5 hours.
  
• From Bucharest to Hamburg: from 4,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 2-5 hours.
  
  

- Slovakia

• From Bratislava to Berlin: from 3,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 1-6 hours.
  
• From Bratislava to Munich: from 4,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 3-7 hours.
  
• From Bratislava to Hamburg: from 3,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 2-8 hours.
  
  

- Hungary

• From Budapest to Berlin: from 3,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 1-4 hours.
  
• From Budapest to Munich: from 4,000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 1-5 hours.
  
• From Budapest to Hamburg: from 3 000 UAH per ticket, travel time - 2- 8 hours.
  
  

💡 You can view the schedule, compare prices and buy tickets on our website in the "Tickets " section.

2. By train 🚆
There is no direct connection between Germany and Ukraine yet, but you can get there by train with transfers, as there are a number of international trains running from Ukraine.
Ukraine is connected to European cities by the following trains:

- Moldova: direct train №351 from Kyiv to Chisinau. The ticket price starts from 2000 hryvnias and the travel time is 17-20 hours. There is no direct train to Berlin, but you can get to Warsaw, Bucharest or Budapest, and from there take a direct train to Berlin. The ticket price starts from 6000 hryvnia and the travel time is 23-24 hours.

📍 The bus from Chisinau to Berlin takes 40-44 hours and costs from 6,000 UAH

- Poland:

• Train №67 from Kyiv to Warsaw. The travel time is 16 hours and the ticket price is about 2000 UAH. The nearest train from Warsaw East station to Berlin is at 18:06. The travel time is about 6 hours. There is also a train departing at 16:20 and arriving in Berlin at 22:06. The ticket price, which is also available on the website of the Polish carrier, is about 1500 UAH.

📍 Bus Warsaw - Berlin takes approximately 8-9 hours and costs from 1,000 UAH. 

• Trains №19, №119, №93 from Kyiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv run to Chełm. The ticket price starts at UAH 1300, and the travel time is 13-15 hours.
  

Transfer to a direct train to Warsaw. The first direct train departs at 06:57 from the Helm station. The last train to Warszawa Skhidna departs at 18:20. The ticket price starts from 900 hryvnias, and the travel time is 3-5 hours.

• Trains №51, №705, №89, №5, №73, №32 run to Przemyśl from four Ukrainian cities - Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa. The travel time is 9 hours and 25 minutes. Tickets start at UAH 1366 for second-class cars and UAH 1946 for first-class cars.In Przemysl, you need to change to the direct EU 56 train to Berlin. It departs at 7:17 and arrives at 17:06. The ticket price is about 200 zlotys.
  

📍 Bus Przemyśl - Berlin takes approximately 16 hours and costs from 1,500 UAH.

- Slovakia: The Slovak city of Košice can be reached by trains №961, №963 from Mukachevo. Travel time is 4 hours, ticket prices start at 366 hryvnia.
There is a direct train from Kosice to Bratislava. The first direct train departs at 05:07. The last train to Bratislava departs at 23:45. The ticket price starts from 900 UAH, and the travel time is 4-6 hours. From Bratislava, you can take a direct train to Berlin or a train with one stop in Vienna. The travel time is 8-12 hours, and the ticket price starts at 2000 hryvnias.

📍 Bus Bratislava - Berlin takes approximately 12 hours and costs from 1,500 UAH.

📍 Bus Kosice - Berlin - travel time 21 hours, the price starts from 4 000 UAH.

- Hungary: trains №33, №31 from Mukachevo and non-stop cars №749, №140 from Kyiv run to Budapest. Travel time - 4 hours, ticket prices from 2,500 UAH.
There are direct daytime trains, such as EuroCity, which provide a direct trip without transfers. You can also find night trains that allow you to get to Berlin in the morning. The ticket price starts from 2000 hryvnias and the travel time is 11-12 hours.

📍 You can also take the bus Budapest - Berlin, which travels for 12-15 hours, the ticket price starts from 2,000 UAH. 

- Austria: You can get to Austria by non-stop trains №749, №140 Kyiv-Vienna and Chop-Vienna. The travel time is 8-23 hours and the ticket price is about 2000 hryvnias.
From Vienna there is a direct train to Berlin. You can choose between high-speed trains such as Railjet and ICE or night trains for a comfortable journey. The travel time is 8-9 hours, and tickets cost from 5000 UAH.

📍 The bus Vienna - Berlin takes approximately 9-10 hours and costs from 1,000 UAH.

💡 Tickets can be purchased using the booking system on the Visit Ukraine website.

3. By bus 🚍
You can get from Kyiv to Berlin by bus using regular bus services. Tickets costing from 2000 to 5000 UAH are available on the companies' websites. The trip takes over 20 hours, with possible delays at the border. Buses usually depart from Kyiv Central Bus Station to Berlin Central Bus Station.

💡You can always find out more about the schedule and prices, as well as buy a ticket for a convenient trip on our website - follow this link.

4. Traveling by car 🚗

Advantages: flexibility in choosing a route and the opportunity to visit other countries along the way.

Kyiv - Lviv - Warsaw - Berlin: the most popular car route through Lviv, then across the border with Poland to Warsaw, and from there to Berlin. The total distance is about 1300 km.

❗️To travel abroad by car, you must have a Green Card insurance policy .

Costs: the cost of fuel for this route will be about 150-200 euros, depending on the type of car and the route chosen.

How to travel abroad with a child in 2026?

According to the current legislation of Ukraine, the following rules apply to children's departure during martial law:

• Children under 16 can travel with one parent without the consent of the other.
  
• The child may also leave accompanied by a grandparent, adult brother or sister, stepmother, stepfather or other persons authorized by one of the parents in a written statement certified by the guardianship authority.
  
• Children over 16 years of age have the right to leave Ukraine on their own in accordance with Article 313 of the Civil Code of Ukraine.
  
• The main routes of departure are currently via the land borders with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova.

Documents for taking a child abroad

To cross the border with Germany, a child must have:

• The child's international passport.
  
• Birth certificate (in the absence of a passport).
  
• Permission of one of the parents (if the child is traveling with relatives or other authorized persons).
  
• Health insurance with coverage of at least 30,000 euros.
  
• In case of a long stay - study documents or a residence permit.

List of things to pack for a trip with a child

Documents:

- Originals and copies of all required documents.

- Exit permit (if traveling with relatives).

For the child's comfort:

- A change of clothes and shoes.

- Personal hygiene products, diapers (if necessary).

- Medicines (antipyretic, antihistamines, digestive, etc.).

- Food and water for the road.

- Toys, books, gadgets for entertainment.

For traveling by car:

1. In Germany, it is mandatory to use a child car seat for children under 12 years of age or up to 150 cm tall. The fine for violation is from 60 to 150 euros.

2. A spare set of clothes, a blanket.

Legal nuances of traveling abroad with a child

Rules for issuing a power of attorney for a child:

• If a child travels with one parent, the notarized consent of the other parent is not required during martial law.
  
• If the child is traveling with relatives or other persons, a written statement of one of the parents certified by the guardianship authority is required.

📌 Not sure whether you need a power of attorney or how to draw it up correctly?

Visit Ukraine lawyers will help you understand all the nuances of a child's travel abroad, tell you what documents are needed and how to prepare them.

Staying in Germany:

1. The visa-free regime for Ukrainians also applies to children with a biometric passport (up to 90 days of stay within 180 days).

2. For stays longer than 90 days, a residence permit is required. The grounds may be: study, parental work, family reunification or other legal reasons.

📌 Going abroad with your child and not sure what documents you need?

Incorrectly executed documents can lead to a refusal to cross the border or to issue a residence permit. To avoid mistakes, Visit Ukraine lawyers will help you with:

✔ Consultation on the departure and residence of a child abroad

✔ Preparation of documents for legal stay in Germany

👉 Get expert advice right now!

Useful contacts in Germany

Embassy of Ukraine in the Federal Republic of Germany (federal states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Thuringia, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)

Address: Albrechtstrasse 26, 10117 Berlin

Phone: +493028887128

Hotline: +493028887116

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://germany.mfa.gov.ua

Consulate General of Ukraine in Hamburg (federal states of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony)

Address: Mundsburger Damm 1, 22087 Hamburg

Phone: (+49 40) 22949810

Hotline: (+49 152) 190 77 502

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://hamburg.mfa.gov.ua/

Consulate General of Ukraine in Munich (Federal State of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg)

Address: Lessingstrasse, 14, 80336 München

Phone: (+49) 89 55 27 37 18

Hotline: (+49) 89 55 27 37 24

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://munich.mfa.gov.ua/

Emergency numbers

Ambulance - 112

Police - 110

Practical tips for traveling with a child abroad

1. Keep documents separately and in an easily accessible place. At the border, you may be asked to show your passport, birth certificate or permission to leave the country - prepare them in advance.

2. Check whether there is a separate line for parents with children. Some checkpoints have a simplified border crossing procedure for families with young children.

3. Take photos or make copies of all important documents (passport, travel permit, birth certificate) and save them to your phone and cloud storage. In case of loss, this will make it easier to recover.

4. Make sure you have the contacts of the Ukrainian embassy and emergency services in Germany.

5. For children under 10 years of age, it is useful to have a bracelet with their parents' phone number in case they get lost in a crowd or unfamiliar place.

What should I do before I leave?

Take out health insurance before you travel. In Germany, even basic medical care can cost hundreds of euros without a policy, so insurance is not just a formality, but real protection.

Where to get a reliable policy? Buy insurance for traveling abroad directly on the Visit Ukraine website - it's fast, convenient, and official.

The policy provides payment for emergency medical care, diagnostics, inpatient and outpatient treatment, as well as assistance in the event of an accident or hospitalization.

How to get insurance? It only takes a few minutes to apply - just enter your details and pay for the policy online. After that, you will receive an electronic document that can be presented if necessary.

📌 Don't risk your health and budget - take out insurance in advance on Visit Ukraine.

Transit is allowed.

Emergency contacts:

Police: 110

Ambulance and fire services: 112

Call medical service: 116117