Rick
How did you get on before this pending Perm Residence Visa.
Like - we US/British (I have British as well as NZ) are able to stay 90 in any 6 month time frame.
I am going to overstay by "3" days, don't envisage a problem and I will have a spare 200UAH in my back pocket encase.
I intended going through to Russia midway through our stay, but found out after arriving in Kiev, that I could not get a Russian visitors/tourist Visa from the Russian Embassy here in Kiev. I did this a few times before with ease, but some tosser decided it not allowed anymore.
So I never exited Ukraine for the week that we had planned.
Re renovating cost here.
We just organized new windows (those great plastic ones) 3 sets, 2 with doors to veranda.
All up cost including fitting removal of all old crap and banging some very strong concrete around to remove step etc 6900 UAH
Amazing.
We put in Aircon in 7 years ago and it cost 3600UAH for a Mitsubishi one (just the 1 unit) Fitted !!!!
Kyiv is like New York when it comes to prices. I wouldnt mind having a place there but really cant see putting that much money out. The suburbs are much cheaper but the traffic is a real pain. We are considering Yalta or a few other places on the Black sea.
I have fallen for this place "hook-line and sinker"
We spent 10 days there last year and have just spent all of July there this year.
Great little place. PLENTY of talent too I might add
Still sporting a soar back of my head from the wife slapping it :-) Na - she cool about me haven just a little looksie !!
If you (or any one else) interested, can direct you to great accommodation place etc
Such a great climate there too.
We down to 14c here in Kiev this last 5 days and Crimea still hitting 30c.
Sea temp 24-26 = pebble beach and not annoying sand
Fantastic entertainment - cheap piss and food - heaven - just heaven without big $$$$
Just letting those interested know
I got hit with a 890 UAH fine for over staying
It was 2 days over the 90 day Visa allowed.
Wouldn't have been so pleasant without my wife doing the negotiating and communicating
May effect my future visits too ??? Maybe not - they said to keep papers of payment for next entry
Thanks for your post about overstaying. For years, I have been warning anybody who would listen about overstaying visa limits in the Russian Federation (though for US citizens, the limits are now much more generous).
Ukraine seemed to be looser -- at least, a LOT of people were gaming the system -- but recently (I think around 2009) Ukraine increased migration enforcement. I know that some are STILL gaming the system, but they are taking a significant gamble.
I wouldn't mind the fine so much -- in your case, about $110 I think -- but I would hate to get into a situation where my ability to return to the country was at risk.
Maxirat, If you are married then why dont you just apply for a Ukrainian passport and per residency?
its easy and only takes about 30 days. If you dont tell the UK you have it they wont know.
Yea - I knew I was going to be over but as I stated above we intended going out to Russia for at least a week - and got caught out with a new Russian rule - not issuing tourist/visitor Visa unless from your country of origin. I always got my visa in Kiev on my British Pass Port before - so was caught unawares on the change.
The head Immigration officer in Borispol was actually good to deal with and my wife is very good at diplomacy etc.
He seemed to think future visits shouldn't be a problem.
I don't know the details, but within the last couple of years a Russian citizen of my acquaintance (who married and settled down with a Ukrainian woman) went through the process. It was described to me as a big hassle.
If your personal experience -- or that of people you know -- has been that it's easy, perhaps you will point us to some information about what are the "hoops that must be jumped thru," mistakes to avoid, etc.
For example, must he Ukrainian spouse be registered at their present address? I've heard that due to convenience, Ukrainians are frequently not registered at their abode.
Anyway, any info you have will be useful for others moving forward. Thanks in advance.
I had heard that in spite of a long-standing Russian policy that people must apply for Russian visas in the country that issued their passport*, westerners could get Russian visas in Ukraine (in particular, in Kyiv).
Perhaps they are at last bringing practice more in line with the rules. The Russian consulates scattered around the world have often gone their own ways, meaning more opportunities for MID officials abroad to collect bribes. But the MID guys back in Russia aren't "with the program," and have been fighting it.
I know that expats in St Petersburg used to make "visa runs" over the border into Finland in order to get a long serious of 90-day visas, but Russia shut that down. In fact, I know a Brit who finally married his girl because of this :)
*There is an exception: generally, you CAN apply for a Russian visa in a third country, if you are authorized to stay in the country for more than 90 days. In the case of "maxirat" this was a catch 22: if he had residency in Ukraine, he could have gotten his visa to Russia ... but he wanted to go to Russia for a few days, because he didn't have residency in Ukraine.
Which raises the question, did you consider a short visit into Poland so you could reset you 90-day clock in Ukraine? I believe your UK passport allows you to travel to Poland without a visa (though obviously if you live in the east, it would have been a long journey).
Rick
yea - married 8 years.
We are going to look into it.
My wife thinks I might have to stay minimum of 6 months in Ukraine to obtain/hold onto a Residence status.
durak
yea - exiting out to Poland with British Passport no problem. But doesn't the Ukraine 90 Visitors Visa stipulate "90 days in any given 6 month time frame"
In other words - you can stay 90 days twice per year but not consecutively.
Am I right on this ??
HI Maxi
We was thinking about spending a week in Alushta when we head back to Krim. Wife has a couple other places she also like to visit. were just working on finding a place in Sumy now. We looked at a new building but just to level the floors and walls is going to be a pain in a$$. I wont be able to fly back till December, with work and getting my pilots license im just a little busy this summer.
"But doesn't the Ukraine 90 Visitors Visa stipulate '90 days in any given 6 month time frame' In other words - you can stay 90 days twice per year but not consecutively."
Yes, that is my understanding. I meant, you seemed to have had the idea to go to Russia for a few days at the end of your visit, which would have kept you under the 90 day limit ... now I realize that of course you could have gone to Poland instead, but then Lena would have needed a visa to get there, so this wouldn't have helped.
Russia also has the 90/180 rule, but it does not apply to the new 3-year visas for US citizens.