Border Formalities

Upon arrival to Ukraine, you will have to go through Border and Custom's Formalities. It will save you time and energy if you follow simple recommendations below.

BORDER CONTROL
For entering Ukraine, valid Ukrainian visa is required.  So far, it is impossible to obtain a visa on the border, therefore it is necessary to have it in your passport by the moment of arrival to Ukraine. You can read about Ukrainian visa regulations at our visa information page .
Having presented your passport with visa to a Border Control officer, you will receive an immigration card - authorization for temporary stay in the country. This card will have your personal information, such as your name, passport number, expected term of stay in Ukraine, etc. Your passport will be registered right on the border, no further registration when staying in Ukraine is required. Please, note OVIR (Police) passport registration on the territory of Ukraine was annulled in 2001.
Please, keep the immigration card you have received. You might need it when traveling in Ukraine and upon departure. The card is overloaded with various ads and might look like not important paper but it is not so. 
You will also be asked to purchase an Obligatory Medical Insurance, cost of which is about USD 0.5 per day of stay in the country. Ukrmedstrakh - State Health Insurance Company, provides these policies. In case your Insurance Company has an agreement for cooperation with Ukrmedstrakh, you will not have to purchase the insurance on the border. 

CUSTOMS CONTROL
This is the next and the last formality you will be going through. Please, read the rules below to avoid potential problems upon departure. Make sure to fill in and keep Custom's Declaration form if necessary. 

It is allowed to bring into Ukraine:
- Cash and travel checks totaling up to USD 10,000.
If money you carry in exceed USD 1,000 it should be declared in written form. 
-Bank metals, which total weight is up to 100 grams per person, regardless age. To be declared.
-Checks, issued by foreign banks and non-bank organizations and amounting up to USD 50,000 (or its equivalent in other currency). To be declared.
-In luggage:
Alcohol:1 liter of vine, 2 liters of beer, 2 liters of strong beverages (whisky, vodka, etc)
Tobacco: 200 cigarettes or 200 grams of tobacco
Food, total cost of which is lower EURO 50
Goods, cost of which is lower EURO 200 and weight is less than 50 kg

For carrying bigger amounts in cash, checks and bank metals special National Bank of Ukraine authorization is required (form #5). 

Bigger amounts and weights of goods will result in Customs and other fees. 
See below:
Goods weighting more than 50 kg but less than 100 kg and cost of which is less than EURO 1,000, will be subject to 20% Custom's Tax, 20% VAT and a Product Tax, which differs from one group of goods to another. 
Goods weighing more 100 kg and costing more than EURO 1,000 will be taxed on commercial rate basis. 

Limitations and Prohibitions:
Prohibited objects are radioactive, chemical or other harmful materials; pornography; any printed, recorded materials popularizing war, violence, race, ethnic or religious discrimination; anti-Constitutional propaganda. 
Limitations are applicable and special authorizations will be required for carrying any kind of weapons; animals; radio-electric and  high-frequency devices; medicine (if quantity exceeds 5 packs or the quantity necessary for 1 prescribed treatment course); narcotic and psychotropic substances; devices for opium and hashish smoking. 

Make sure to fill in the Entrance Customs' Declaration Form to declare valuable objects you bring into Ukraine: money, travelers checks, expensive equipment, jewelry, etc.

After presenting it to a Custom's officer, keep it with other documents. You might need this paper when leaving the country since valuables export is limited in Ukraine and is subject to customs taxation, and amounts exceeding USD 1,000 can be brought out with NBU permission letters only, unless your Entrance Declaration form states you have brought bigger amount into the country.

When leaving Ukraine, you will have to fill the Exit Customs' Declaration in to list the valuables you are bringing out of the country. Please, note that valuables not included in the Entrance Declaration will be subject to Customs taxes and fees. Below are things to consider when leaving Ukraine. 

It is allowed to carry out of Ukraine:
- Cash and travel checks totaling up to USD 10,000 and carried into Ukraine.
If money you carry out exceeds USD 1,000 it should be declared in written form. However, it cannot exceed amount you carried in to the country. 
-Ukrainian cash up to UAH 10,000. To be declared. 
-Commemorative coins of gold and silver, nominal value of which is in UAH and does not exceed UAH 5,000. To be declared. 
-Bank metals, which total weight is up to 100 grams per person, regardless of person's age. To be declared.
-Checks, issued by foreign banks and non-bank organizations and amounting up to USD 50,000 (or its equivalent in other currency), which were brought into Ukraine (it should be on your Entrance Declaration). To be declared.
For carrying out bigger amounts in cash, checks and bank metals special National Bank of Ukraine authorization is required (form #3). 
 
Goods costing more than EURO 100,000 will be considered commercial import and taxed on commercial rate basis. 

Limitations and Prohibitions:
Prohibited objects are radioactive, chemical or other harmful materials; precious metals, stones and cultural valuables imported with purpose if alienation; industrial equipment and its spare parts; as well as some products, list of which is constantly changing.
Limitations are applicable and special authorizations will be required for carrying out any kind of weapons; animals; medicine (if quantity exceeds 5 packs or the quantity necessary for 1 prescribed treatment course); narcotic and psychotropic substances; devices for opium and hashish smoking; valuable artwork, such as original paintings, sculptures, antiquary, coins, etc.  

For preventing any problems with artwork export from Ukraine, we advise obtaining a license for exporting your purchase (easy to get).