Allowed to travel freely into and out of Ukraine?

DoYouEvenLift

As Irish citizens are we allowed to visit Ukraine freely for holidays? Or do we need a visa?

DoYouEvenLift

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

As Irish citizens are we allowed to visit Ukraine freely for holidays? Or do we need a visa?

It is part of the European Union so I would think that you don't need a visa. I could be wrong but I'm fairly sure no visa is needed.

With the current situation over there though there could be travel restrictions. Then again the trouble is only going on in one part of the country so I'm not to sure about that.

Edit: Just did some research and you don't need a visa for up to a 90 day stay but it is not part of the EU apparently.

coylemj

OP, you really need to do your own research for something like this. Are you seriously proposing to travel to the Ukraine and march up to an immigration official, using only the information you got from anonymous posters on the internet - some of whom (above) don't even know that Ukraine is not a member of the EU?

As with most non-EU countries, check if there is an embassy in Dublin and see what they say about tourist travel, if not then look up their embassy in London.

I got my information from here OP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Irish_citizens

90 days before you need a visa.

Makood

Deleted User wrote: »

I got my information from here OP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Irish_citizens

90 days before you need a visa.

No visa needed. Passport will be taken at the border and stamped.

coylemj

This is the only source I would trust (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine), virtually anyone can update Wikipedia .....

Ireland

Visa not required for a stay up to 90 days within a 180 day period

http://mfa.gov.ua/en/consular-affairs/entering-ukraine/visa-requirements-for-foreigners

DoYouEvenLift

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I got my information from here OP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Irish_citizens

90 days before you need a visa.

Lovely. Thanks for answering my question and also giving me that useful link.

KevinK

Just to confirm with first hand information:

Two years ago I crossed from Slovakia into Ukraine and spent 5 days there. My passport was stamped on entry and exit and no visa was needed.

fricatus

I travelled from Poland into Ukraine about four years ago. No visa. Passport was taken and stamped by border police who boarded the train. Same thing more or less on the way out.

Should be safe enough to travel in western Ukraine, but given that they've a situation ongoing on the border with Putin's Russia, you'd be well advised to read the latest advisories:

https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/a-z-list-of-countries/ukraine/
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ukraine
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/ukraine-travel-warning.html

Makood

fricatus wrote: »

I travelled from Poland into Ukraine about four years ago. No visa. Passport was taken and stamped by border police who boarded the train. Same thing more or less on the way out.

Did you go on the night train to Lvov? Really interesting when they change the wheels to suit the former USSR tracks!

DoYouEvenLift

fricatus wrote: »

I travelled from Poland into Ukraine about four years ago. No visa. Passport was taken and stamped by border police who boarded the train. Same thing more or less on the way out.

Should be safe enough to travel in western Ukraine, but given that they've a situation ongoing on the border with Putin's Russia, you'd be well advised to read the latest advisories:

https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/a-z-list-of-countries/ukraine/
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ukraine
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/ukraine-travel-warning.html

I won't be going there for a good few months anyway so hopefully that's all blown over completely when I am because it'd be nice to be able to choose to travel anywhere in the country with no worries.

fricatus

Makood wrote: »

Did you go on the night train to Lvov? Really interesting when they change the wheels to suit the former USSR tracks!

Yeah, that was exactly it! Krakow to Lviv overnight... the train stopped for a while and there was a bit of clanking and banging, but I'd say they're well practiced at what they do.

The real excitement was when this verrrry attractive border guard (think Xena Warrior Princess in full fatigues with Cyrillic lettering) came into our cabin to look for passports. My wife was on the lower bunk, and I'm just hoping I didn't drool down onto her while my passport was being checked!

robindch

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

As Irish citizens are we allowed to visit Ukraine freely for holidays? Or do we need a visa?

As others have said, you get your passport stamped on entry and that's it. I've been there many times over the last fifteen years and it's been a cinch since they dropped the Russian-style visa requirements, I suppose must have been around 2002.

The only part of Ukraine you won't be able to visit is Crimea which Russia invaded and annexed last year and which is now unfortunately subject to Russia's pain-in-the-ass visa rules. I'd also recommend avoiding anywhere east of a rough line from Mariupol to Donetsk as the areas there which aren't currently being attacked by Russian and pro-Russian forces, are currently hosting a turf-war between various lawless Russian and pro-Russian militias.

Kiev however, remains beautiful and I would strongly recommend anybody with an interest in Eastern Europe to visit it.

Chemical Byrne

Deleted User wrote: »

It is part of the European Union so I would think that you don't need a visa. I could be wrong but I'm fairly sure no visa is needed.

With the current situation over there though there could be travel restrictions. Then again the trouble is only going on in one part of the country so I'm not to sure about that.

Eh, no it isn't. There is actually a war underway which is pretty much based on the fact that the Ukrainian Government want to join EU but Russia wants it to remain a buffer state as EU membership will more than likely lead NATO membership.

DoYouEvenLift

Going soon. Just for peace of mind, I don't need to do anything before going, I just hand my passport at border control like normal when I land, they just stamp it and that's it?

keithclancy

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

Going soon. Just for peace of mind, I don't need to do anything before going, I just hand my passport at border control like normal when I land, they just stamp it and that's it?

Watch out for these guys outside the airport, they wear t-shirts like this:


I feel so stupid :mad:

Makood

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

Going soon. Just for peace of mind, I don't need to do anything before going, I just hand my passport at border control like normal when I land, they just stamp it and that's it?

Yep, thats it.