Important Immigration Information in Light of Ongoing Political Unrest

The ongoing political unrest in Kiev has led to the closure of government offices responsible for immigration processing and many private businesses, including local immigration and legal service providers. Though there are indications that settlement talks between the President and opposition leaders are imminent, government operations are likely to remain unpredictable in the near term.

The government closures mean that foreign employees in Ukraine may experience visa expirations, overstays and other inadvertent immigration status problems. Employers should review their foreign national workforce in Ukraine to identify potential immigration issues and contact their Fragomen representative to develop strategies for moving cases forward once government offices reopen. Foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas or resident permits may ultimately be given special consideration. However, the government has not confirmed its policy on work permits that expire during the closures.

Foreign nationals in Ukraine who have lost their passports or are otherwise in need of travel assistance should contact their respective embassies in Kiev. Many foreign embassies have posted specific information on their websites for their citizens.

Employers considering sending foreign staff to Ukraine should be prepared for delays. The immigration agency is not currently accepting applications or processing cases and has not stated when processing will resume. The closures will likely result in immigration processing delays for some time. Additionally, many countries are currently advising against travel to Ukraine in light of the political protests.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].