New Travel Document Requirements for Russian Nationals

Ukraine is tightening documentation requirements for Russian national residents and visitors. Russian nationals living and working in Ukraine and their dependents must now possess a valid international passport; obtaining a Ukrainian temporary residence permit is also highly recommended. Previously, Russian nationals required only the internal passport used for travel within Commonwealth of Independent States member countries.

In addition, Russian business travelers are strongly urged when seeking entry to Ukraine to carry a cover letter from their home country employer confirming the business purposes of their trip and stating the employer will provide financial support of not less than 800 UAH per day of the trip, and an invitation letter from the host company confirming that the person is being sent to their company as a business traveler. Both letters should be printed on the relevant company letterhead.

Ukraine is considering implementing entry visa requirements for Russian nationals, but no official announcements have been made. Currently, Russian nationals do not require an entry visa for travel to Ukraine.

What This Means for Employers

Employers should identify their Russian national employees in Ukraine and ensure that they are in compliance with the new document requirements. Employers should also begin preparing for the possible reintroduction of visa requirements for Russian travelers to Ukraine when planning upcoming trips.

Fragomen is monitoring immigration developments in Russia and Ukraine and will provide additional updates when information becomes available.

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].