Europe

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• General
 

• According to media reports, there has been an increased number of deaths due to extremely low temperatures in Ukraine. Check the Ukrainian weather alert map before travelling to the country.
  

• Around 67,400 British nationals visited Ukraine in 2010 (Source: Border Guard Service of Ukraine). Most visits are trouble-free. See General - Consular Assistance Statistics.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism.  But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• You should beware of petty crime, especially in crowded areas and tourist spots or when using public transport.
  
  
• You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.
  
  
• The UEFA Euro 2012 Championships will be held in Poland and Ukraine from 8 June to 1 July 2012. If you plan to attend, please organise your travel and accommodation well in advance. Distances between venue cities are significant. We are aware that some fans have had difficulty finding accommodation in Donetsk, in particular for England’s match days.  We will continue to raise these challenges with the organising authorities.  We cannot book accommodation for you, but we will link to any authoritative local guidance on our Euro 2012 page as it becomes available.

Safety and Security - Terrorism
There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.   

See our Terrorism Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Crime
Although the vast majority of visitors experience no difficulties, foreign nationals have been the victims of violent crime in Kyiv and other major cities. In some cases attacks have been racially motivated. Travellers of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent and individuals belonging to religious minorities should take extra care.

You should report any incidents to the police. A list of local translators is available on the British Embassy website. They will be able to help you report the crime to the police. The British Embassy cannot report crimes on your behalf.

Be alert to the possibility of street crime and petty theft and aware that foreigners may appear to be lucrative targets. Where possible, avoid walking alone late at night in dark or poorly lit streets. Keep valuables and cash out of sight, especially in crowded areas, tourist spots, and public transport, where pickpockets and bag snatchers operate.

A common scam is to drop a wallet or bundle of money in front of a tourist. The criminal then "finds" the money and asks if it is the tourist's or offers to share the money with them. If you are approached in this way, you should walk away without engaging in conversation.

Take particular care to safeguard your passport and credit/ATM cards. Do not lose sight of your credit cards during transactions. Theft of and from vehicles is common so do not leave documents or money in your vehicle. Be aware that non-regulated taxi drivers can overcharge. Use official taxis, which have the name and telephone number of the taxi company on the side of the door and on the top of the taxi. Do not leave drinks or food unattended as they could be spiked and beware of accepting drinks from casual acquaintances.

See our Victims of Crime Abroad and Tips for personal safety page. 

Safety and Security - Local Travel
Most towns and cities have a comprehensive network of buses, trolleybuses and trams.  You can usually buy a ticket (“bilet”) at ticket booths at major stops; if not, then once you board you should buy one from the ticket conductor or driver. The ticket will normally need to be validated by being ‘punched’. You can be fined on the spot if you are travelling with an invalid ticket.

There is a wide network of minibuses. The fare is normally displayed on the window inside the minibus. You may need to pass your money to the driver via other passengers. The fare is between 1.50 and 3.00 Hryvnia.

Kharkiv, Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk have metro systems where tokens can be purchased at vending machines inside the stations or at the ticket office.

There are no public transport services from 00:00 to 06:00.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel
You must possess a valid International Driving Licence to drive legally in Ukraine. You must have original vehicle-registration papers, ownership documents and insurance papers available at all times. These will be required if you are stopped by the police and, in particular, when crossing borders. This also applies to rental vehicles.  If you do not have these papers when stopped by the police they have the right to impound your vehicle and charge you for this.

Local driving standards are poor: street lights are weak, speed limits, traffic lights and road signs are often ignored, and drivers rarely indicate before manoeuvring.

Roads are of variable quality. Driving outside major urban centres during the hours of darkness can be hazardous due to uneven driving standards, poor street and vehicle lights and variable road surfaces. You should therefore avoid night-time travel wherever possible when planning journeys to other cities.

Seat belts must be used. Using a mobile phone while driving is prohibited. There is a zero-tolerance policy on drink driving.

There are a high number of traffic accidents, including fatalities. Speeding, drunk driving and infrequent use of helmets, seat belts and child restraints in vehicles are the main contributing factors.

We have received reports of traffic police stopping vehicles and levying on-the-spot fines for minor traffic violations. Ukrainian law allows the police to stop a vehicle. The police officer should give their name and rank, explain the reason why you have been stopped and make an administrative offence report in the case of a traffic violation. Fines have to be paid at a bank within fifteen days.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Department of Traffic Police has published the following Helpline and Duty Telephone numbers that you may contact for advice:

Ministry of Internal Affairs:

Helpline: (8044) 256 1675
Duty Tel: (8044) 256 1002/4

Department of Traffic Police:

Helpline: (8044) 272 4659
Duty Tel: (8044) 272 3660
(Ukrainian officials generally only speak Ukrainian and Russian)

See our Driving Abroad page. 

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Rail Travel
Take particular care on public transport. If you take the overnight train, make sure your belongings are secure.

Train timetables and ticket reservation is available online on the Ukrainian Railways site but currently only in Ukrainian.  

Safety and Security - Political Situation
Ukraine Country Profile

According to Ukrainian law foreign workers need to obtain work permits to work in Ukraine and their documentation needs to be legalised prior to application. This cannot be done by the British Embassy in Ukraine. For information on how to legalise a document, go to http://www.fco.gov.uk/legalisation. Speak to your employer or a local lawyer regarding which documents might be required. 

Penalties for being caught in possession of drugs are severe.

Smoking and drinking alcoholic drinks in public places is officially banned. Public places include: transport, bus stops, underground crossings, cultural, sports and governmental establishments, playgrounds, parks, etc.

Homosexuality is legal in Ukraine. There is a reasonably tolerant attitude towards homosexuality. Public displays of affection may attract attention.

Corruption remains a major problem in Ukraine. If you think you have been mistreated by an official body then you should report your case to the police or State Officials:

Ukrainian Immigration hot-line: +380 44 527-63-63 (in Ukrainian)

Ukrainian Police Force – you can report it to the General Prosecutor’s office in writing only, www.gp.gov.ua (in Ukrainian);

Customs - + 38 044 247 2719, dovira@customs.gov.ua;

State Officials – contact Organized Crime Department (Guboz) on tel. +38 044 362 8327, 222 6812, 521 6628, www.guboz.gov.ua (in Ukrainian).

You should carry your passport at all times for ID purposes. Police often carry out passport checks on foreign nationals, particularly in the Khreschatik (central) area of Kyiv. Policemen must introduce themselves (name, post, rank, reason for ID check) and present a document verifying their position. Your original passport is required since no other document (e.g. driving licence, National Insurance card etc) can provide information on your legal status in Ukraine (officers will often check your registration or entry/exit stamps). Failure to provide your passport could be grounds for detention until your identity and permission to stay in the country is confirmed. If you are detained you should request an official report.

Don’t take photographs in the vicinity of government or military establishments.   

See our Your Trip page.

Entry Requirements - Visas
Citizens of the EU (including British citizens) are allowed to enter Ukraine without a visa for a visit of up to 90 days. The overall duration of any stay without a visa must not exceed 90 calendar days per 180 calendar days from the date of first entry to Ukraine.

An appropriate visa will be required if you are travelling to Ukraine for the purpose of employment, study, family reunion, immigration etc. Please seek further advice from the Ukrainian Embassy in London or Consulate General in Edinburgh.

As of 10 September 2011, a resolution came into force introducing new visa types and fees and up-dated procedures for registration with local authorities (VGIRFO offices). You can read about the legal status of foreigners here (in Ukrainian). For further advice, please check with the Ukrainian Embassy in the UK. The Consular Section of the British Embassy cannot advise on visa requirements for travel to Ukraine.

Please make sure you are fully aware of Ukraine’s immigration rules before travelling.

Entry Requirements - Passport Validity
You must hold a valid passport to enter Ukraine. Your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. No additional period of validity beyond this is required. However, it is always sensible to have a short period of extra validity on your passport in case of any unforeseen delays to your departure. You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. Any time left on your old passport when you apply will be added to your new passport, up to a maximum of nine months. For passport applications in the UK, you should apply to the Identity and Passport Service.

Entry Requirements - Travelling with children
Single parents travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter or leave the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. They may want to see a birth certificate, a letter of consent from the other parent and documentary evidence of parental responsibility. If you have concerns about which documents to provide check with the Ukrainian Embassy in London or Consulate General in Edinburgh or the Ukrainian immigration hotline +38044 527 6363 (in Ukrainian).

There is a bilateral agreement between Ukraine and the UK on Emergency Medical Treatment. However, as the agreement only covers emergency medical treatment, you should take out comprehensive medical insurance cover before you travel.

State medical facilities in Ukraine are generally poor. Private clinics and hospitals offer a better standard of care, though these do not always meet western standards and practices. If you are involved in an accident or taken ill, it is likely that you will be taken to a State hospital unless you can show that you have comprehensive medical insurance cover.

English is not always widely spoken and British patients may face communication difficulties.

The risk of radioactive contamination from the 1986 accident at Chernobyl is insignificant, other than within the exclusion zone immediately around the Chernobyl site. No special precautions are necessary.

Only drink boiled or bottled water.

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is higher in Ukraine than the UK. In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 350,000 adults aged 15 or over in Ukraine were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated at around 1.1% of the adult population compared to the prevalence percentage in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. See our HIV and AIDS page.

There has been an increase in the number of cases of measles in Ukraine in 2011; the majority were in the territory of the Western Ukraine.

Seek medical advice before travelling to Ukraine and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the  NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

See our Travel Health page.

General - Insurance  
You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. This should include cover for all forms of medical treatment. Check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See our Travel Insurance page.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas see our When Things Go Wrong page.

Keep your original passport with you at all times for ID purposes and ensure that next of kin details are kept up to date. 

General - Consular Registration  
Register on the LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Registration with the Embassy is different from registration with the local authorities and is not obligatory.

General - Customs Regulations
Please check Ukrainian customs regulations prior to travel at http://www.customs.gov.ua/dmsu/control/en, hot-line: (38-044) 247-27-19 (38 044) 247-28-50 - Ukrainian only. Failure to comply with local rules may result in payment of fines, confiscation of property or unplanned delay in travel.

There are strict customs regulations governing the export from Ukraine of antiques and items of historical interest. If in doubt seek prior permission from customs authorities.

General - Money
The official currency of Ukraine is the Hryvnia (UAH). US dollars and Euros are the easiest currency to exchange in Ukraine. Sterling may also be exchanged at a more limited number of sites. Ensure that any Sterling you take to Ukraine is in Bank of England notes. Banks and Bureaux de Change have refused to exchange Scottish notes, as they did not recognise them as Sterling. There are numerous currency exchange kiosks and travellers cheques can be cashed at some banks. Use only official exchange booths. ATMs are also available and credit cards are widely used, but not universally accepted, in cities. Outside cities you should ensure that you have sufficient funds available in local currency. Depending on the amount to be exchanged a passport and/or other ID is required to perform currency exchange operations. You should be given a receipt (NBU form № 377) when you exchange your currency. You should retain the receipt as you may be required to produce it if exchanging money back on departure.

If you have no money, or your money is lost or stolen, contact your relatives or friends for help. They could help transfer money to you via commercial money-lending services. The British Embassy in Ukraine cannot give you money to help with travel, accommodation or pay your bills.

General - Consular Assistance Statistics
Around 67,400 British nationals visited Ukraine in 2010 (Source: Border Guard Service of Ukraine). Most visits are trouble-free. 18 British nationals required consular assistance in Ukraine in the period 01 April 2010 – 31 March 2011 for the following types of incident: five deaths; seven hospitalisations; and two arrests.