Editor’s Note: Got a question that isn’t answered here? Post it in the comment section (available for subscribers only) or email us at [email protected]. This story will be updated with more frequently asked questions.
Three months after imposing travel restrictions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine is reopening and welcomes foreigners back to the country.
The government has already released guidance on who can enter and what rules apply for those entering Ukraine.
Read also: Traveling to Ukraine: Who can enter and what rules apply
However, many of those rules are still unclear and raise many questions among foreigners planning a trip to Ukraine.
The Kyiv Post answers frequently asked questions about entering Ukraine during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Is it possible for foreigners coming from one of the countries on the “red list” (countries with more COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people than in Ukraine) to come to Ukraine for less than 14 days?
No. Travelers coming from the countries on the “red list” can’t come to Ukraine for less than 14 days.
According to the State Border Service of Ukraine, the citizens of these countries will have to either self-isolate or undergo observation in a government-selected facility for 14 days upon arriving in Ukraine.
Those who choose to self-isolate will have to install the state-developed app called Diy Vdoma (Apple App Store link, Google Play link), which monitors people’s location using their smartphones.
Only after 14 days of observation or self-isolation, foreigners will be able to travel across Ukraine or to leave.
The latest red list of countries can be found here.
Also, mind that all foreigners arriving in Ukraine must have medical insurance that covers COVID-19 treatment in case they contract the virus.
Health insurance
- Is it possible to get medical insurance at the airport upon arrival?
No. There are no services available at airports where travelers can purchase insurance upon arrival before the passport checkpoint.
Although it is possible to purchase insurance online upon arrival, there are many obstacles to do so: Payment may take more time than expected; there might be no proper wi-fi connection at the airport; the insurance company won’t be able to prepare the document fast enough.
Therefore, all foreigners are asked to get medical insurance before traveling to Ukraine.
The passport desk accepts an electronic document verifying the traveler’s health insurance.
- Are foreign health insurance plans accepted? On which terms?
Yes. According to the State Border Service of Ukraine, foreign health insurance policies are accepted.
The only requirement is that it should cover COVID-19 treatment and observation for the time a person plans to stay in Ukraine. The insurance document should specifically mention that.
Diy Vdoma application
- When I arrive from one of the “red list” countries, how will the Ukrainian government track whether I self-isolate for 14 days?
Travelers arriving from the “red list” countries will be required to install a government app that will track their location during the 14-day self-isolation. The app is called Diy Vdoma (Дій Вдома, which means “Act At Home”) and is available on App Store and Google Play.
Travelers must have it installed on their smartphones to go through passport control upon arrival.
- Is there an English version of the app for those who self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival?
Unfortunately, the application is available in the Ukrainian language only.
However, those planning to register at the airport upon arrival can always ask for help from the airport employees who usually speak English.
- Does the application work for holders of non-Ukrainian mobile numbers?
No. To register one is required to enter a Ukrainian phone number.
- Is it possible to get a Ukrainian phone number at the airport upon arrival?
There are no vendors selling Ukrainian SIM cards before the passport checkpoint.
Before the quarantine, travelers could purchase SIM cards after passing passport control, at the terminals. Now, however, some of those points are closed.
The Kyiv Post asked the Kyiv Boryspil International Airport, Ukraine’s main airport, to clarify where arriving travelers can buy Ukrainian SIM cards at the airports. This story will be updated with their response on June 23.
- What can I do if I’m arriving from the “red list” country and I don’t have a Ukrainian phone number?
There is still an option for those willing to self-isolate using Diy Vdoma application, but don’t have a Ukrainian SIM card to install the application upon arrival.
To do so, travelers need to know the Ukrainian phone number they are going to use during self-isolation. One can ask friends or relatives in Ukraine to purchase a SIM card beforehand. At the passport checkpoint, together with their documents, one needs to show that he or she has a foreign SIM card installed in their phone, then show that Diy Vdoma application is installed and active.
After that, travelers will be required to provide the migration services workers with the Ukrainian phone number that will be available for the next 14 days for the application and tell the exact address where they plan to self-isolate.
Those who can’t or don’t want to use the app, can opt for undergoing the 14-day quarantine in a government-selected facility.
- Do foreigners with residency permits have to buy insurance?
According to immigration lawyer Vasyl Cherednichenko, yes they do, and the health insurance that foreigners have to buy when they get residency permits does not cover COVID-19 treatment.
- When the 14 day quarantine rule will end?
When a “red-list” country’s infection rate falls below Ukraine’s per-capita infection rate, they are put on the “green list,” updated periodically.
Read also: Ukraine to reopen its borders three months after shutdown
