The government of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych has moved to roll back Ukraine’s liberal entry rules for visiting Westerners.
But officials insist the new rules are primarily aimed at curbing illegal migration.
The Cabinet of Ministers issued a resolution, “On Changes in the Regulations on the Entry and Stay of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons into Ukraine, Their Exit from Ukraine and Transit Through the Territory of Ukraine,“ on July 11.
The resolution took effect on July 26, following its publication in the government newspaper Uryadoviy Kuryer on July 26.
According to a statement released on Aug. 20 by the Kyiv office of the international law firm Beiten Burkhardt Attorneys-At-Law, the resolution “has substantially changed the regulations on the entry and stay of foreigners who are citizens of countries with no visa requirement for Ukraine (such as Germany, Austria, Great Britain, as well as other EU member states, Switzerland, Japan and the US).”
Since 2005, when President Viktor Yushchenko took office, citizens of the above countries have been able to come to Ukraine without a visa for a maximum of 90 days, after which they only needed to step out of the country and return to receive an additional 90-day visa-free stay.
Now, says the law firm, “foreign nationals who are citizens of the aforementioned states are allowed to enter Ukraine as before without a visa but showing their valid passport, and stay in Ukraine without a visa and residence permit for a short term. However, the overall duration of the stay must not exceed 90 calendar days per 180 calendar days from the arrival date.”
In other words, citizens of wealthy countries can still visit Ukraine for 90 days without a visa, but they cannot stay here for longer consecutive periods by skipping across the border every three months.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Andriy Deshchitsya told the Post that the resolution was primarily aimed at preventing illegal immigration.
“First and foremost, this relates to people coming from certain Asian countries,” he said.
An explanatory note on the July 11 resolution posted on the government’s website also emphasizes the government’s attempts to curb illegal immigration through Ukraine.
“Citizens of states from which the largest flows of illegal migrants originate must, upon entering the country, provide documentary confirmation of their ability to finance their travel through Ukraine. This is one of the changes introduced by the government resolution of July 11.”
Regarding other changes introduced by the government resolution, Deshchitsya said the rules for citizens of countries eligible for visa-free entry to Ukraine have now been clarified.
Other government officials contacted by the Post said the resolution has yet to be enforced and is still being developed by the Foreign Ministry and the Border Guards.
The government resolution’s emphasis on combating illegal immigration anticipates the acceptance of most of Ukraine’s Western neighbors into the EU Schengen zone next year.
To soften Ukraine’s feeling of isolation from its former East Bloc neighbors, Yanukovych signed agreements with the EU in June that would ease visa restrictions for his compatriots. The concessions include free visas for certain categories of Ukrainian applicants, such as students, children and retirees, and a more streamlined application process.
Canceling visa requirements for citizens of wealthy countries was an attempt by Yushchenko to increase foreign investment and improve the country’s international image following the country’s Orange Revolution in 2004.
