| In the recent past, Westerners could travel back and | | | | of stay for up to one year, does that mean foreigners |
| forth, to and from Kiev hassle free. That is because | | | | must wait another year before they enter again, if |
| after the Orange Revolution in 2004, new laws were | | | | they stayed continuously for a year? Or is it okay to |
| enacted that enabled travelers from WTO countries | | | | re-enter after 180 days? 90 days? How about "none |
| to visit Kiev for a period of less than 90 days without | | | | of the above?" No one is really sure at this point since |
| a VISA. Plus, both private and business VISAs were | | | | it would appear that foreigners are being let back in |
| frequently granted that allowed foreigners to stay in | | | | the country under almost all circumstances, for the |
| Kiev for years on in. Hundreds of thousands of | | | | moment. Some speculate that that will all change in |
| Westerners took advantage of this new relaxed law | | | | 2010, now that everyone has been put on notice about |
| and visited Kiev. And some of those who visited the | | | | the new law in 2009. |
| capital of Ukraine decided to move to beautiful Kiev, if | | | | Incidentally, those Western travelers who shift gears, |
| only for a brief period of time. But unfortunately, as of | | | | stay for an appreciable amount of time, and decide |
| May 2009, the days of relaxed border rules are gone | | | | they want to work in Kiev are in for a bureaucratic |
| as a new controversial law was enacted to replace | | | | headache that is not even explainable here in a few |
| this VISA-free regime. And the monumental headache | | | | short sentences. Which really brings us front and |
| that ensues from all attempts to decipher this new | | | | center to the stated intent of this new law: it was |
| confusing law on foreigner's legal lengths of stay is | | | | enacted with the purpose to prevent foreigners from |
| sure to turn off many Kiev travelers for good. | | | | taking Ukrainian jobs. If you happen to run afoul these |
| While this law is certainly unintelligible, I will attempt to | | | | rules that no one fully understands by the way, you |
| summarize it here. The law basically says that | | | | may be fined, or banned from the country for up to 5 |
| whether you have a VISA or not, new rules are now | | | | years, or both. |
| in place which allow foreigners from WTO countries to | | | | Many foreigners are also left to wonder if exceptions |
| stay in Kiev, Ukraine for not more than 90 days | | | | to this law will ever be carved out. For instance, what |
| continuously and for not more than 180 days in any | | | | if you are recently married to a Ukrainian and/or have |
| given year. No one knows whether a year starts at | | | | a Ukrainian child? Or if you own property in Ukraine? |
| the beginning of a calendar year or is counted from | | | | Don't these reasons seem to warrant an exception to |
| the day when you happen to first arrive in Ukraine. | | | | lengths of stay? Doesn't Ukraine want foreign |
| Also, if you want to stay for more than 90 days at | | | | investment as well as to keep families together? Since |
| any one given time, you must get approval from OVIR. | | | | it would seem that the answers to these questions are |
| That approval is really only good though to ensure a | | | | yes, the government does want to see more direct |
| hassle free exit from Ukraine because when you | | | | foreign investment as well as to keep families together, |
| decide to come back to Kiev, Frontier (the border | | | | the application of this law is far from decided. |
| guards) will not let you back in the country based on a | | | | Either way, the next few months should be very telling |
| previous OVIR approval allowing an increased length | | | | as experience begins to add up. That is, even without |
| of stay. | | | | clarification from the government about this new |
| It also appears that expatriates must wait 90 days | | | | confusing law, foreigners should have a much clearer |
| before they can re-enter Ukraine if they have already | | | | picture as time goes by, from the experience of |
| stayed 90 days. Or they must wait 180 days if they | | | | others, most of whom are forced to deal with Frontier |
| already stayed 180 days (presumably legally with an | | | | at Borispol airport in Kiev. For an update of these |
| OVIR extension of stay stamp and within either a | | | | foreigner's outcomes and a more in depth analysis of |
| calendar year or the date from which they first | | | | these new laws, please visit my website where these |
| entered; Huh, you ask? You are not alone.) Since we | | | | issues are consistently explored. |
| already know that OVIR sometimes permits increases | | | | |