Travel

What are Ukraine's entry requirements for foreigners?

Published 29 October 2026 · facts checked against the primary sources on 2026-10-29 · Ukraine For ALL, Kyiv

The rules below come from the Law on Border Control, the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners and two Cabinet of Ministers resolutions, read in their current texts on 29 October 2026. Martial law, in force since 24 February 2022, was extended again for 90 days from 31 October 2026 by Presidential Decree No. 1060/2026. Regional authorities set curfews and other local measures under it.

What does the border guard check?

Article 8(1) of the Law on Border Control lists six conditions. The State Border Guard Service refuses entry to anyone who fails one or more of them, with a written, reasoned decision (Art. 14(1)).

At the checkpoint foreigners give biometric data (Law No. 3773-VI, Art. 9(2)). The State Border Guard Service scans five fingerprints of one hand on the first entry at airports and road crossings; on trains the guard scans one index finger in the carriage. The UK government adds that travellers fill in an immigration card at the border.

Cash and bank metals above EUR 10,000 or the equivalent must be declared in writing on entry and on exit, according to the US State Department.

A refusal can be appealed within one month to a higher border guard body or to an administrative court, and the appeal does not suspend the refusal (Law on Border Control, Art. 14(3)).

How much money must you show?

Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 884 sets the amount: 20 subsistence minimums per person per month, divided by 30 and multiplied by the planned days of stay plus five. From 1 January 2026 the subsistence minimum per person is UAH 3,209 (Law No. 4695-IX, Art. 7).

The guard checks funds selectively, during second-line control. Any of these counts as proof (Resolution No. 884, para. 8; Law No. 3773-VI, Art. 21(3)): cash in hryvnias or a convertible currency, an international bank card with an account statement, a document that lets you draw money from a Ukrainian bank, a paid hotel or meals booking, a tour voucher, a guarantee letter from the host who invited you, or a return or onward ticket with a fixed date. A host's documented obligation to pay counts towards the amount (para. 5).

Do you need travel insurance?

Visa applicants must show a medical insurance policy with cover of at least EUR 30,000 (CMU Resolution No. 118, para. 5(4)); the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks e-Visa applicants for the same cover. For visa-free visitors, Article 8 of the Law on Border Control lists the six conditions above, and insurance is outside that list. Foreign governments describe the border practice more strictly: the US State Department says visitors must be able to provide proof of valid health insurance, and the UK government says only permanent residents of Ukraine are spared showing it. Carry the policy, in print or on your phone.

Check the policy wording before you rely on it. The UK government warns that travel insurance can be invalidated by travelling against its advice, and Canada advises cover that includes medical evacuation and hospital stays.

How do you get to Kyiv?

By land. Ukrainian airspace remains closed, according to the UK, Canadian, US and Australian advisories, and the US Federal Aviation Administration prohibits US flights into, out of, within and over Ukraine. Travellers fly to a neighbouring country and continue by train, bus or car.

1. Pick a crossing on the border with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania or Moldova. The UK travel advice has a section on each of these borders, with links to official crossing information for Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.
2. Check that it is operating. Ukraine has 236 registered border checkpoints and control points, and the Cabinet of Ministers can close any of them temporarily; the State Border Guard Service publishes an interactive map of the ones that work.
3. By car, carry the registration and ownership papers and a Green Card for insurance. The UK and Australian advisories both name these for border crossings.
4. Use only crossings controlled by Ukraine. Entering through occupied territory or bypassing the control points is a ground for an entry ban (Law No. 3773-VI, Art. 13(1)), and the UK lists the uncontrolled crossings: all land crossings into Donetsk region, all land crossings and seaports in Luhansk region, all seaports in Kherson region east of the Dnipro, all airports and seaports in Crimea, and the Kerch Bridge road and rail crossing into Crimea.

How long can you stay, and how do you extend it?

The State Migration Service extends a stay when there is a documented reason: medical treatment, childbirth, care for a sick family member, a forced stop caused by an emergency, inheritance, grounds for a residence permit, a pending application for immigration or citizenship, or other circumstances that make departure impossible (Resolution No. 150, para. 4).

1. The foreigner and the receiving party, a private host or a company, apply in person to the local office of the State Migration Service at least three working days before the stay ends (Law No. 3773-VI, Art. 17(1); Resolution No. 150, para. 5).
2. The file contains the application, documents proving the reason, the passport with a certified Ukrainian translation of the personal-data pages, the host's passport, proof of funds or the host's guarantee, and proof of the fee (para. 6). Foreign documents need legalisation and a notarised translation.
3. The fee is 0.1 of the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons on 1 January, which is UAH 332.80 in 2026 (Art. 17(3); Law No. 4695-IX, Art. 7: UAH 3,328).
4. The office decides within three working days (para. 21). A local office can extend the stay up to 180 days from the last entry (para. 16).
5. The extension exists only once its mark is in the passport; the mark carries a QR code that anyone can check on the State Migration Service website (paras. 23–24).

Someone who has already overstayed can file only after the foreigner and the host have been held administratively liable (para. 5). After a refusal, the foreigner may file again within 10 calendar days if the circumstances change (para. 27).

What can stop you from leaving?

A foreigner who is lawfully in Ukraine may leave freely. Exit is refused while the person is a suspect or a defendant in a criminal case, until a sentence is served, or where the exit conflicts with national security; a court may also postpone exit until property obligations are met (Law No. 3773-VI, Art. 22). The US and UK advisories warn that dual Ukrainian nationals are treated as Ukrainians, and that Ukrainian men aged 23 to 60 are under exit restrictions during martial law.

If a passport is lost in Ukraine, report it to the National Police for a certificate and leave on a return certificate issued by your embassy (State Border Guard Service).

Where people get stuck

1. Planning a flight. Ukrainian airspace is closed, so the trip starts at an airport in a neighbouring country.
2. Counting the 90 days from the last entry. The limit is 90 days within any 180, so earlier trips in that window count too.
3. Leaving the extension to the last day. The deadline is three working days before the stay ends; later filings need proof that departure is impossible.
4. Old figures for funds. The amount follows the subsistence minimum of the year; in 2026 it is UAH 25,672 for a 7-day trip.
5. Entering from occupied territory. It leads to a refusal and can lead to a three-year entry ban.

FAQ

Do I need travel insurance to enter Ukraine?

Visa applicants must have medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 cover. For visa-free travellers insurance is outside the six entry conditions of the Law on Border Control, while the US and UK governments both say proof of health insurance can be asked for at the border. Carry the policy.

Can I fly to Ukraine?

Ukrainian airspace is closed according to the UK, Canadian, US and Australian advisories of 2026. Travellers fly to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania or Moldova and cross by train, bus or car.

How much money do I need to show at the Ukrainian border?

The formula is (20 × UAH 3,209 ÷ 30) × (days + 5): about UAH 25,672 for 7 days and UAH 74,877 for 30 days in 2026. A booking, a return ticket or a host's guarantee letter also counts as proof.

Can I extend my 90-day stay in Ukraine?

Yes, with a documented reason such as treatment, a family emergency or a pending residence permit. You and your host apply to the State Migration Service at least three working days before the stay ends and pay UAH 332.80.

Can I enter Ukraine with an ID card?

Only citizens of Turkey and Georgia can, under international agreements. Everyone else needs a passport.