Rules of entry to Ukraine
What you need to enter with a pet:
1. Pet passport or international veterinary certificate
The document must contain information about vaccinations, including the mandatory rabies vaccination.
2. Microchipping
The animal must have a microchip that meets the ISO 11784 or 11785 standard. It must be readable by a special scanner during veterinary control at the border.
3. Vaccination against rabies
Mandatory vaccination, made at least 21 days before the trip, but no more than 12 months before. Documentary evidence of vaccination is required.
Please note: If your pet is traveling with you in transit through other EU countries, be sure to check their requirements for the movement of animals.
In some cases, in addition to the rabies vaccination, a certificate of rabies antibody titer may be required (performed at least 30 days after vaccination).
Traveling by rail
If you are planning to return to Ukraine by train with your pet, please read the rules for transporting animals in advance.
1. Ukrzaliznytsia allows transportation of small pets (cats, dogs, birds, etc.) in special containers or carriers.
2. For large dogs, a muzzle and leash may be required, as well as a separate ticket (at the baggage fare).
📞 If you have any doubts about the documents or the procedure, please contact the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection:
(050) 230 04 28
If you are planning to return from abroad with a personal car, here are some important things to know:
- Was the car purchased abroad? It needs to be customs cleared - a standard procedure with payment of customs duties, excise and VAT.
- But there is an exception: if you have lived outside of Ukraine for more than 3 years and can document this, you have the right to import one car without paying customs duties. Conditions:
- for personal use only;
- cannot be sold or transferred to other persons within a certain period of time;
- the car must be officially registered abroad before your return.
- If the car has already been in use and you are just importing it back, remember that after changing the registration from foreign to Ukrainian, you need to go through the re-registration procedure in Ukraine (through the service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs).
💡 We advise you to check the current requirements and tariffs on the customs calculator in advance or contact a specialist - the rules are subject to change.
Taxes, social benefits, banks
- Taxes: before returning, consult with your tax advisor about closing your sole proprietorship/business or deregistering from the tax system.
- Banks: check the terms and conditions of your accounts. You can keep the account or close it to avoid unexpected fees.
- Social benefits: if you return for more than 30 days, notify local authorities in the EU to avoid fines or debts.
Education and documents
Before returning:
- Get your child's school certificates, school transcripts or other documents;
- you can return to a Ukrainian school even without a full set of documents;
- diplomas and certificates from work are important for the recognition of qualifications in Ukraine.
Medical certificates and insurance
- Take medical certificates or prescriptions with you.
- Notify your insurance company of the termination of insurance (or it may be automatically renewed).
- After your return, you can choose a new family doctor in Ukraine.
The contacts of the diplomatic missions of Ukraine in different countries of the world can be found here.