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Author Topic: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?  (Read 2020 times)

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Offline Johnyboy

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Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« on: September 20, 2019, 06:45:59 AM »
In a few weeks time i'm travelling form London to Kiev, arriving early hours of the morning, and i'm then flying on to Spain. There's a wait of around 6 hours from when I land from London, until the time of the next flight to Spain.

Would there be any issues if upon arriving in Kiev I go through passport control, therefore entering Ukraine, and then four hours later to go back through passport control again to leave Ukraine for the next flight?

I'm a UK passport holder.


Offline Manny

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2019, 07:31:30 AM »
I cant see why it would be an issue. I've done that in several countries in the past.

On one occasion, wifey and I were on the way to somewhere and we had a long stop in the Czech Republic (this is before she had a UK passport). She still had a Schengen visa from Estonia or France or somewhere that hadn't expired. We got to the passport control, the guy asked us something about how long we were staying, I said we were going for lunch rather than lurk in the airport for a few hours. He said "great idea" and stamped her in.
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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2019, 07:59:07 AM »
It should not be a problem, done it numerous times.

Bear in mind the center of Kiev is between 30 minutes and one hour away, depending on traffic.
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Offline Chris

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2019, 08:13:38 AM »
In a few weeks time i'm travelling form London to Kiev, arriving early hours of the morning, and i'm then flying on to Spain. There's a wait of around 6 hours from when I land from London, until the time of the next flight to Spain.

Would there be any issues if upon arriving in Kiev I go through passport control, therefore entering Ukraine, and then four hours later to go back through passport control again to leave Ukraine for the next flight?

I'm a UK passport holder.

I am going to Ukraine (Kiev) next week and doing the same as our connecting flight to Chernivtsi is not until the evening, I have done it before and made a trip into the city centre to while away a few hours sightseeing and getting a decent meal etc, you can either take a taxi or there is also a decent bus service now from the airport. As AV says, although the bus timetables state about 35 minutes each way,  it can take up to an hour each way depending on traffic so beware of that. Cost for a bus is ca. £3.50 each way per person if I remember correctly.


PS, if you have to collect your luggage like we have to when landing, leave it in the baggage storage area at the airport,not used it for a while but you used to be able to leave it in the airport, can't recall what it cost now but it was peanuts,  don't take it into the city with you.
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Offline Johnyboy

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2019, 08:29:49 AM »
Great help! Many thanks !

I'm actually travelling to Ukraine to meet my lady at Kiev airport, and she's never flown or travelled abroad before. I said i'd meet her, help her in the airport with check-in, security/ passport etc and then we're both flying on to Spain. She has a Ukrainian bio-metric Schengen passport, and I think I have most bases covered for her arrival in Spain, by way of hotel confirmation, return ticket print out, print out of her bank balance, Euro cash on her person. I have read that many Ukrainians, even with visa free Schengen passports, are still getting refused entry into Schengen countries, as they're unable to show return tickets, Euro cash etc.

Offline Chris

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2019, 08:45:32 AM »
Great help! Many thanks !

I'm actually travelling to Ukraine to meet my lady at Kiev airport, and she's never flown or travelled abroad before. I said i'd meet her, help her in the airport with check-in, security/ passport etc and then we're both flying on to Spain. She has a Ukrainian bio-metric Schengen passport, and I think I have most bases covered for her arrival in Spain, by way of hotel confirmation, return ticket print out, print out of her bank balance, Euro cash on her person. I have read that many Ukrainians, even with visa free Schengen passports, are still getting refused entry into Schengen countries, as they're unable to show return tickets, Euro cash etc.


Not had to jump through all those hoops for many years now, but yes, make sure you have all your ducks in a row and get her to come with all the necessary paperwork she might need and then more, as the security/immigration services  etc do love to play out the little bit of authority they think they have to the hilt at the airport.

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Online andrewfi

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2019, 08:57:10 AM »
If you are flying with her to Spain then you will likely be OK as long as she has her documentation all sorted. When you go through immigration in Spain do your best to stick with her and don't get separated. If she gets held up and you are not with her you may not be allowed to join her and help her out.
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Offline Contrarian

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2019, 09:37:51 AM »
Great help! Many thanks !

I'm actually travelling to Ukraine to meet my lady at Kiev airport, and she's never flown or travelled abroad before. I said i'd meet her, help her in the airport with check-in, security/ passport etc and then we're both flying on to Spain. She has a Ukrainian bio-metric Schengen passport, and I think I have most bases covered for her arrival in Spain, by way of hotel confirmation, return ticket print out, print out of her bank balance, Euro cash on her person. I have read that many Ukrainians, even with visa free Schengen passports, are still getting refused entry into Schengen countries, as they're unable to show return tickets, Euro cash etc.

A very well prepared man you are!  :thumbsup:

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2019, 06:12:43 PM »
PS, if you have to collect your luggage like we have to when landing, leave it in the baggage storage area at the airport,not used it for a while but you used to be able to leave it in the airport, can't recall what it cost now but it was peanuts,  don't take it into the city with you.

When the 'new' International terminal opened there was no baggage storage. You had to take your bags to the old terminal and than down a flight of stairs. I am not certain what the situation is today. An option would be to recheck your baggage (free) in the departure level.

Bear in mind Borispol terminal is not an exciting shopping destination. The city of Borispol is even less exciting.

Certainly do not take your bags with you to the city center.
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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2019, 01:52:12 AM »
PS, if you have to collect your luggage like we have to when landing, leave it in the baggage storage area at the airport,not used it for a while but you used to be able to leave it in the airport, can't recall what it cost now but it was peanuts,  don't take it into the city with you.

When the 'new' International terminal opened there was no baggage storage. You had to take your bags to the old terminal and than down a flight of stairs. I am not certain what the situation is today. An option would be to recheck your baggage (free) in the departure level.

Bear in mind Borispol terminal is not an exciting shopping destination. The city of Borispol is even less exciting.

Certainly do not take your bags with you to the city center.



:) yes I remember the old baggage storage area, carrying large suitcases up and down those stairs etc, glad you don't have to do that still.  The new baggage storage area is in Terminal D as far as I recall, I will find out next week anyway.
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Offline msmoby

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #10 on: September 21, 2019, 04:59:25 AM »


Great help! Many thanks !

I'm actually travelling to Ukraine to meet my lady at Kiev airport, and she's never flown or travelled abroad before. I said i'd meet her, help her in the airport with check-in, security/ passport etc and then we're both flying on to Spain. She has a Ukrainian bio-metric Schengen passport, and I think I have most bases covered for her arrival in Spain, by way of hotel confirmation, return ticket print out, print out of her bank balance, Euro cash on her person. I have read that many Ukrainians, even with visa free Schengen passports, are still getting refused entry into Schengen countries, as they're unable to show return tickets, Euro cash etc.

You seem to have all bases covered

If you are flying with her to Spain then you will likely be OK as long as she has her documentation all sorted. When you go through immigration in Spain do your best to stick with her and don't get separated. If she gets held up and you are not with her you may not be allowed to join her and help her out.

Go through the non-EU passport holder queue - no matter what you are asked to do... Just let her say " We are together"  and let her approach the booth first... Agree that if thinks are looking a potential problem - that she asks if you can approach .

This is how I handle travel with non EU folk and it's always ensured 'safe passage' .


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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #11 on: September 21, 2019, 09:55:53 AM »
Would there be any issues if upon arriving in Kiev I go through passport control, therefore entering Ukraine, and then four hours later to go back through passport control again to leave Ukraine for the next flight?

Doubtful.  I am a regular visitor to Kiev and there is usually very little conversation with passport control on the way in - I say "Dobre DEHb - Good Day" and sometimes they ask me what city I am arriving from, and I tell them, then thank them when they hand me my passport back.  You might get stopped at customs, but not likely.  When that happens they ask to see my passport and sometimes ask basic questions.  If they ask how long you are staying, simply answer honestly that you are meeting your gf and will only be staying long enough to pick her up and travel on to Spain.  I would have your boarding pass for your Spanish flight handy to show if asked. 

Leaving Ukr, go through passport control with her; if there are any questions, she will be able to quickly explain this is her first international flight, etc., so you came to pick her up, shepherd her through check-in etc.

You should not have any problems.  That said, I would not cut it close coming back.  It would be a shame to miss your flight because someone got inquisitive. 

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #12 on: November 03, 2019, 04:39:59 PM »
Everything went really well. I arrived in Kiev and went through passport control, met my girlfriend, and then a few hours later went back through passport control for our journey to Spain. We had all the documents ready, the hotel reservation, return tickets, cash, but none of it was asked for and Spanish passport control simply put her first ever EU entrance stamp in her passport. We were both so happy  :)

And a few days ago we also returned from Prague. Again we had all the documents ready, and none of them were needed by Czech passport control.  :party0011:

So she now has two sets of European border crossing stamps in her passport, showing she has been abroad twice and returned back to Ukraine after her stay. But from personal experience many years ago with a previous Ukrainian GF, I know that this means very little for a UK entrance clearance official who will look at any future tourist visa application from her to visit the UK.......  :'(

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Re: Ok to enter and leave Ukraine within a few hours?
« Reply #13 on: November 03, 2019, 05:25:48 PM »
Everything went really well. I arrived in Kiev and went through passport control, met my girlfriend, and then a few hours later went back through passport control for our journey to Spain. We had all the documents ready, the hotel reservation, return tickets, cash, but none of it was asked for and Spanish passport control simply put her first ever EU entrance stamp in her passport. We were both so happy  :)

And a few days ago we also returned from Prague. Again we had all the documents ready, and none of them were needed by Czech passport control.  :party0011:

So she now has two sets of European border crossing stamps in her passport, showing she has been abroad twice and returned back to Ukraine after her stay. But from personal experience many years ago with a previous Ukrainian GF, I know that this means very little for a UK entrance clearance official who will look at any future tourist visa application from her to visit the UK.......  :'(

Sorry, no.

As I understand from Ukraine acquaintances the UK have a rather strict protocol for granting visa's to Ukraine citizens. Yes the stamps that she has are a good thing but there are other factors that the UK consulate will look at.

Chris, the moderator, or Dogsoldier might be able to better clarify the reality.
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