Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Ukraine, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. If you violate Ukrainian law, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. U.S. citizens who have been arrested in Ukraine have faced extended periods, even years, in pre-trial detention before their case comes to trial. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Ukraine are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Ukrainian prison conditions, while improved in recent years, are generally far below the norm in the United States or Western Europe. Cells are crowded and contact with the outside world is limited (no phones, Internet, or television). Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Ukraine, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

Dual Nationality: Ukraine does not recognize dual nationality. If you are a U.S.-Ukrainian citizen and arrive in Ukraine with a Ukrainian passport, you will be treated as a Ukrainian citizen by the local authorities. This may include being required to perform mandatory military service. For additional information, see the Consular Affairs website for information on dual nationality.

Identification Checks: Under Ukrainian law, police are permitted to stop you for any reason and check your identification documents. You are required to carry your passport at all times, which police may check to verify your legal presence in Ukraine. Police are permitted to detain you for up to 72 hours without formal charges. U.S. citizens traveling to Ukraine are strongly advised to have the numbers for the U.S. Embassy handy. If stopped by the police for an unclear reason, call the U.S. Embassy at 38 044 521 5566 within working hours or 38 044 521 5000 after hours.

Currency Regulations: Licensed exchange booths for exchanging U.S. dollars into Ukrainian hryvnya are widespread, and exchange rates are normally clearly advertised. Currency exchange is only legal at such licensed exchange booths, banks, and currency exchange desks at hotels; anyone caught dealing on the black market can expect to be detained by the local police and may face criminal prosecution. You will need to show your passport when exchanging money. Be aware that you will be unable to exchange Ukrainian hryvnya back to U.S. dollars or other foreign currency if you are unable to show from where you got this amount of hryvnya. Keep receipts that you get from exchange booths to be able to show them later if you need to exchange the local currency back to U.S. dollars when leaving the country.

There are many banks and licensed currency exchange booths located in major cities. ATMs (known locally as “bankomats”) are common throughout the country, even in the smaller cities and towns. All ATMs dispense cash only in hryvnya. You should think about bringing enough hard currency with you if you need dollars or euros during your trip. Credit card and ATM card fraud is a major concern, so you should use credit cards only at reputable businesses and ATMs located inside bank branches.

Please be aware that, due to the current unstable financial situation in Ukraine, it has become extremely hard to buy U.S. dollars in most banks. The exchange rate fluctuates daily, and the commercial exchange rates differ from the official one. Some U.S. banks have suspended their coverage in Ukraine as a result of the sanctions against conducting business in Crimea and, as a result, some Master Card/ VISA debit and credit cards are not operational in the country at the moment. Make sure to check with your bank to verify whether it still serves Ukraine before you travel.

Customs Regulations: Customs regulations prohibit sending cash, traveler’s checks, personal checks, credit cards, passports, or other forms of identification through the international mail system, as well as via courier mail (FedEx, DHL, etc.). Customs authorities regularly confiscate these items as contraband. Ukrainian customs authorities may also enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Ukraine of items such as firearms, antiquities, prescription medications (in particular narcotic pain relievers), and currency.

Travelers arriving in Ukraine should pay close attention to posted customs declaration requirements. Failure to declare cash, valuables, and certain goods in accordance with Ukrainian requirements can result in fines and the seizure of the goods. You may also have to attend a court hearing, usually scheduled several weeks after the offense, before you can depart Ukraine.

You may take up to EUR 10,000 or its equivalent into or out of Ukraine under oral declaration to Ukrainian customs authorities, if asked. To transport a greater amount, you must declare the total amount, in writing, by filling out the Customs Declaration Form before checking in at airports and presenting proof of the source of the money (a bank reference) to customs officials, or you may face forfeiture of the money to Ukrainian customs as well as a court appearance.

Ukraine has strict limitations on the export of antiques and other goods and artifacts deemed to be of particularly important historical or cultural value. These include, but are not limited to, any items produced before 1950 regardless of the country of production. U.S. citizens must adhere to these restrictions as a matter of law. Please contact the Kyiv Department of Culture, Expertise Section, at (38-044) 279-6109 or (38-044) 279-5647, if you have any questions regarding items you own, wish to purchase, and/or plan to export.

You should contact the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington, or one of Ukraine's consulates in the United States for more specific information regarding customs requirements. The State Customs Service of Ukraine can also be contacted for advice at (38 044) 527 63 63. Operators speak only Ukrainian or Russian.

Radiation and nuclear safety: In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear accident resulted in the largest short-term, unintentional release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere ever recorded. The highest areas of radioactive ground contamination occurred within 30 kilometers of the Chernobyl nuclear power station. The city of Kyiv was not badly affected because of the wind direction, but it was not completely spared. The last operating reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant site closed in 2000. All identified stabilization measures on the existing sarcophagus covering the reactor damaged in 1986 are complete, and preparatory work to start construction of the new shelter is nearing completion. The contract for the new Chernobyl shelter was awarded in 2007, and construction is underway. 

The Ukrainian Government has an effective program of monitoring fresh foods and meats sold in local markets. You should not buy produce on the street. Wild berries, mushrooms, and wild fowl and game have exhibited higher than average levels of radiation. Background levels of radiation are monitored regularly by the U.S. Embassy and, to date, have not exceeded the level found on the Eastern seaboard of the United States. If external radiation levels are high enough to require evacuation, the U.S. Embassy will notify the U.S. community electronically. To receive these messages, you only need to enroll with the Department of State through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).

WOMEN TRAVELER INFORMATION: If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our travel tips for Women Travelers.

LBGT RIGHTS: Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is a problem in Ukraine, as LGBT individuals have been the target of harassment, threats, and acts of violence. For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Ukraine, you may review the State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Right Practices. For further information on LGBT travel, please read our Information for LGBT Travelers page.

ACCESSIBILITY: Accessibility is an issue in Ukraine. Public transport systems are not fully accessible to individuals with disabilities. Some newer buildings feature ramps and elevators, but older buildings do not. You should check ahead with your hotel/destination to learn more about options to accommodate disabled traveler needs before visiting Ukraine.