What You Need to Know About Travel to Ukraine
Finding out what you need to know about travel to Ukraine can be stressful. What are the restrictions? When will the travel bans be lifted? Will you have to self-quarantine after you travel there?
As of May 18, 2021 and according to the Institution of the US Ukraine Foundation, foreigners traveling to Ukraine must have two things: 1) a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to entering the country and 2) health insurance that covers COVID-19 treatment in Ukraine. You know what that means? You may be able to see your Ukrainian love after all! We know you are anxious to travel and visit with your Ukrainian lady. That’s why we have detailed a few travel highlights you should know about.
In Ukraine, there is an adaptive quarantine in effect through June 30, 2021. What does this mean? You have to wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose in public places. There is a fine for not wearing a mask (about $9USD), people should avoid crowds, stay 5 feet apart, wash their hands frequently and carry an ID.
Mandatory Medical Insurance
The first thing you need to know about Ukrainian travel is that all foreigners must have medical insurance. And not just any insurance. The insurance has to cover all COVID-19 related observation and treatment for as long as you stay in Ukraine. The policy as to be issued by one of the following options: an insurance company registered in Ukraine or a foreign insurance company that has a branch office in Ukraine. If love is calling you overseas, just know that valid health insurance could make the difference in getting to see your sweetheart again (or for the first time in-person if you are ready to marry no matter what). So if you’re ready to purchase, you can go here.
Please note that you could be exempt from the mandatory medical insurance if:
- You already reside in Ukraine permanently;
- You are a refugee who requires additional protection;
- You are an employee of diplomatic missions and consulates, representative offices of international missions and organizations accredited in Ukraine, members of their families;
- You are a member of NATO member states and Partnership for Peace member participating in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Red, Green, Orange and Yellow Zones
Secondly, you need to know about 4 epidemiological zones as defined by Ukraine. Each color represents a set of quarantine restrictions for that region. A red zone country is considered that which COVID-19 cases exceed the number of cases in Ukraine. Moreover, a red zone country has a 30% increase in new cases than the previous 14 days. As of May 17, 2021, Donetsk is in an orange zone. This means there is a warning level, which could lead to intensified restrictive anti-epidemic measures. The following regions of Ukraine are in a yellow zone: Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kirovohrad, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, Kyiv City, Luhansk, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Volyn, Zakarpattia, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr. The yellow level is just a base for the whole country. For more information about the zones, please click here.
DII Vdoma (Act of Home) Mobile App
Lastly, we will discuss perhaps the more extreme measures taken for travel during these unprecedented times. If you travel from the USA and you don’t have a negative COVID-19 test with you, you have to install the DII Vdoma Mobile Application.
Once you have downloaded the app, they give you just 24 hours to pick a location for self-isolation. How should you use the app? It basically sends you push notifications to send selfies. They want to know that you are where you say you are. As of right now, the app is exclusive to Ukraine, however, an English version is being created.
All in all, we hope you understand what you need to know about travel to Ukraine. Visit this page often to see the latest information about travel to Ukraine.
