Once you know that you are coming to Ukraine and how long you plan to stay, determine whether you will need or want a Visa. It is recommended to take care of all Visa related issues for Ukraine before leaving your home country. Making arrangements from your home is far more convenient, efficient, cost-effective and subject to far fewer headaches. It may be generally recommended to plan for more than what you will need, too.

www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1053.html is your primary top level source for general information about Ukraine and for finding the Ukrainian Consulate in the United States nearest you. I welcome any notes or information from anyone who is gone through this Ukrainian Consulates stateside. I processed through UAE and Moldova both with same day service, but not all consulates perform same day services.

The Simple Test:
1. 90 days or less – you do NOT need a visa if you are from United States, European Union, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, the Vatican, Republic of Ireland, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Canada and Japan.
2. More than 90 days in Ukraine during any 180 day period….you DO need a Visa.
3. Not from a country specified in (1) as having visa-free status – You DO need a Visa. (See http://www.mfa.gov.ua/usa/en/1609.htm)

It’s been told to me that the laws are very clear cut. Yes, I agree – I do not dispute at all, whatsoever, or in any way – that the laws are clear. The laws are...clear. These three points above are simple. No problems arise when you have a clear cut situation - here for less than 90 days, or you have a Visa.

The problems arise in that the communication of the law to all effected Ukrainian offices is not...entirely...consistent. It has been and continues to appear possible to get an extension through OVIR on a 90 day stay – but it not something that should be taken for granted. Many expats have gone this route on several occasions. I have, too. It is possible for one office to say one thing and another office to say the opposite. The world outside of Kiev is not always operating at the same speed. It’s just a fact, the situation is improving, but there is a lot of improvement still to be done.

Was that a rant? (No...I edited the rant portion out).

Main thing is really to acquire a Visa if you have any reason to believe that you will stay for more than 90 days in a 180 day period. The other point of advice is to plan your trip around actually receiving your Visa. With that in hand, you can start to make flight arrangements and proceed to Step Four.

Moving forward, one of my primary objectives is to increase accessibility to sound legal advice on this and similar issues; we should see something in March or April.