HOW TO RENEW A VISA TO UKRAINE?

 Have you found the man or woman of your dreams in Kiev or just fell in love with the city itself? Many visitors to Kiev are eagerly awaiting visa extensions. It's not impossible - you just need to know your options! Read on to find out what you can do.

✈ Entry visa

 As one of the most famous hospitable countries in the world, Ukraine welcomes foreign guests with open arms. Citizens of the EU, USA, Canada, Turkey and many other countries do not need an entry visa to Ukraine. If you really need a visa, you can apply for it at the Ukrainian embassy located in your country of residence.

For a temporary visit to Ukraine, Ukraine offers the following basic visa schemes:

• Transit visa (visa type "B") - issued for up to 1 year and allows a stay of up to 5 days when crossing the Ukrainian border (can be a single or multiple entry visa).
• Short-term visa (type "C" visa) - issued for a period of up to 5 years and allows a stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period from the date of first entry (can be a single or multiple entry visa). This is perhaps the most popular type of visa used by business travelers, tourists and private travelers.
• Long-term visa (type "D" visa) - issued as a multiple-entry visa for a period of 90 days for the purpose of applying for a residence permit.

 As in the countries of the Schengen Agreement, Ukraine has a "90/180 days rule", which means that foreigners, with the exception of those who have a residence permit, cannot stay for more than 90 days in any 180-day period from the date of the first entry (unless otherwise provided by an international agreement).

 But life is unpredictable. Luck or failure can change your plans in an instant, and you may need to extend your stay in Ukraine. It is legal if approved by the State Migration Service of Ukraine. And even if you don't manage to get an official renewal, don't worry. You won't be thrown into jail! You just pay a fine at the airport and go home (if you stay illegally in Ukraine for a short time).

≡ Visa Extension

 Travelers from both visa and visa-free countries can apply for an extension of their permitted stay in Ukraine. An application for extending the validity of a visa must be submitted to the local authorities of the State Migration Service of Ukraine three to ten working days before the expiration of the visa.

This process varies greatly depending on the type of visa you have. Here are some of the differences.

Extension of a short-term visa (including if you came from a visa-free country):

• The valid reasons are illness, pregnancy and childbirth; caring for a sick family member; inheritance issues; application for immigration to Ukraine or Ukrainian citizenship or acting as a correspondent for foreign media.
• Your stay can be extended as long as necessary to resolve the situation, up to 180 days.

Extension of a transit visa:

• Valid grounds are the forced stay in Ukraine after a natural disaster, illness or vehicle repair.
• Your stay can be extended as long as necessary to resolve the situation.

Long-term visa extension:

• Valid grounds include late receipt of a permanent or temporary residence permit.
• Your stay can be extended up to one month.

✍ Required documents

The list is long! Together with the application and supporting documents of "valid grounds", you and the host (an individual or a group of persons who invited you to Ukraine) will have to submit the following documents:

• International passport with a visa (if necessary), information on registering your entry into Ukraine and an immigration card (if available)
• Ukrainian certified translation of your passport
• Financial guarantee
• Proof of local housing availability
• 4 photos (3.5 * 4.5 cm)
• Receipt for payment of the state fee (UAH 17)
• Documents from the receiving party: passport of a citizen of Ukraine / residence permit (for individuals) or passport of the general director of a legal entity, an extract from the register of enterprises in Ukraine and an order for the employment of an authorized employee of a legal entity responsible for preparing documentation for foreigners (for legal entities ).

 The State Migration Service of Ukraine will make a decision on your application within 14 days from the date of receipt of the documents. If the documents will be processed for more than 1 day, you will receive a temporary sealed and signed certificate with your photo confirming that your passport was submitted along with your visa extension application.

 After the State Migration Service of Ukraine makes a decision on the application for the extension of the period of stay in Ukraine, a corresponding entry is made. If the decision is positive, the State Migration Service of Ukraine will put a stamp in your passport showing how long your stay is extended. If your application was rejected, you have the right to challenge it in the State Migration Service of Ukraine or in court.

≡ Responsibility for late payment

 So what happens if you overstay your visa in Ukraine? One or more of the following events may occur, depending on your situation:

• You may no longer be able to receive certain services when they are checking the validity of your visa. For example, hotel accommodation, opening a bank account, notary services, etc.
• You may have to pay a fine ranging from UAH 1,700 (approximately $ 63) to UAH 5,100 (approximately $ 190).
• Any serious or repeated violations of the visa regime may negatively affect your future entry into Ukraine. In the worst case, you may be banned from visiting Ukraine for several years.

≡Let's summarize

 Visa renewal is a cumbersome process that requires many documents. The best course of action, of course, is not to delay your visit to Ukraine! However, if you end up late, be aware of the consequences mentioned above. In most cases, if it was a genuine mistake and you were delayed for several days, the authorities will most likely only release you with a warning.