Ukraine Visa Not Needed For US Citizens !!!

[John F]

I haven't seen this posted here before, but then I haven't been too regular about visiting lately.  In case you didn't know, I just pulled this from our own US Dept. of State website, Travel Warnings page .... http://travel.state.gov/ukraine.html

Here the text, copied and pasted ....

Effective July 1, 2002 the Ukrainian Government introduced visa free travel for stays of up to eight days for American citizens arriving at the international airports of Simferopol and Odessa and at the international port of Odessa. Travel must originate abroad and end at these ports of entry without any other initial stop in Ukraine. Travelers must also depart Ukraine from the same port used at the time of arrival.

[Charles]

... in response to Ukraine Visa Not Needed For US Citizens ..., posted by John F on Mar 17, 2003

As Dan points out below, this visa is not free and is only good at Simferopol and Odessa.  In addition, expect to wait at passport control while your visa is processed.  That can hold you up about an hour in Simferopol.

[CS767]

... in response to Ukraine Visa Not Needed For US Citizens ..., posted by John F on Mar 17, 2003

Is this if you travel on Aerosvit Airlines the Ukrainian airline.It sounds like a promo??Would be a good idea.Is this airline new?

[Dan]

... in response to Re: Ukraine Visa Not Needed For US Citiz..., posted by CS767 on Mar 17, 2003

The opportunity to travel direct to Simferopol or Odesa and have a visa issued at the border was initiated last summer.

It is, in fact, a return to the program Ukraine followed some years ago when they issued visas at the border on entry into the country. It is not quite "visa-free" as described, but is certainly less hassle than the current visa regime.

The problems with this latest regime are two-fold - one, it is only good for entry AND departure from Simferopol or Odesa - and - two, it has a limited duration of only 8 days.

- Dan