Travelling to Ukraine from England, What is this 90/180 days, mean?

Hi Lee,
This 90/180 days is a simple rule, but not easy to explain, I'll try the rule says you can visit Ukraine as a tourist for 90 days (in a block or a the sum of a number of visits) so if you wanted to return to Ukraine on say the 15 th of February then it depends on how many days in the previous 180 you have spent in the country. Which in effect means it is a rolling 180. You can Skype me on  - sensei.ray   ,and I'll try to explain in more detail.
I married in Ukraine in January, so I am going through the temporary residence process.
Do you want to live in Ukraine
First you need a D visa - which you apply for in the UK. I can send you the list of documents you need. Then you go back to your wife and apply in the city for a temp resident visa (but you do need the visa ).

Good luck Ray

Hi Ray
Have entered your details in Skype. Be great if you explain to me the procedure for D. Visa. I would love to live in Ukraine but my wife wishes to travel to England and maybe live here. Am in the mine-field of a UK Visa but have an agency dealing with all that. More cost effective that way.

But I want to go back to ukraine and be with my wife. Since 13th August 180 days ago I was in Ukraine for 105 days.
So my way of thinking on your example is, I have to wait for another 15 days before returning....IS THAT CORRECT?

Lee

Hello Lee

The 90/180  days are moving targets: on any date you can look back and count how many days you were there in the last 6 months: you need to be less than 90 day to be allowed in. It seems that you have already spent your 90 days (and in fact went over) so cannot return soon.

I used to travel to Ukraine often as was more ot less in your situation (but unmarried). I figured one long stay of two or three months isn't right, because then I have stay away 2 or 3 months! so I would stay in Ukraine 2 weeks in a month and then be in the UK the other 2 weeks. This way I am never far away from the limits.

I've seen other people having 2 strategies:
1. having two passports and just going out after 3 months only to come back soon on the other passport. They seem to go by passport number and not details. Probably Ukrainians cannot have two passports, but we can.

2. Plan and expect to pay the fine, stay as long as you want. I'm not sure the ramifications over the long term. This is even more affordable now. because £1 = 43 UAH it used to be around 12 UAH.

I didn't do either myself as was affraid I wouldn't be allowed in next time.

Of course the right way for you is to get spousal visa which is renewed annually but no further 90/180 days. You can also come and go as you please (multiple entry) and stay there as long as you wish.

Good luck and all the best,
Russell

Hi Russell

Thanks for the reply. Looking at it I cannot return until the 15th April, so I booked for the 16th instead. I am waiting for my wife to send me her notarised passport and I will visit the Embassy in London and apply for a 'D' Visa (spousal).

Regards

Lee

Hi Lee,

Yes, that's right. I didn't have the heart to tell you as I knew it would be disappointing to say the least, but now you worked it out and can see it.

In future plan it this way:
1 week in, 1 week out or
2 weeks in, 2 weeks out or
1 month in, 1 month out or
2 months in, 2 months out.
It worked out 3 months in, 3 months out last time.

I don't know about your life, work and finances, also those of your wife, but if time/money permits it, in the mean time you can both visit a third country that you both can get in easily and be together. Turkey is one such country. Russia used to be possible too, but you know better now.

In the longer term you want to be able to stay there long term and she wants to be able to stay in the UK long term. so you need residency in Ukraine and she needs spousal visa it's not so simple but less of a hastle than the process in Ukraine that takes years to get residency.

Your post brought back a lot of memories; both good and sad, but no tears shed. I look back on my time spent in Ukraine and on our relationship and miss them very much. She came to my life and saved me from destruction and sadly eventually left when I was looking so far ahead and planning a life together... C'est la vie!

I wish you well and a long happy life together with your wife.

Hi again Russell
Funny you mentioned Turkey, that is exactly what we are doing. I fly there in march from London, she flies from Ukraine then I meet her at the aiport for a few weeks in a hotel before back to Kiev together. Stay for a couple of months fly back to collect the 'D' Visa then back to Kiev and go to the OVIR for the temporary Residency Permit.

I know its all very simple but in reality, we shall see how it goes. As I have told my wife I don't care where we live as long as we are together I will be happy.

Thanks again Russell, its a shame your relationship ended. I hope you have found happiness since that time.

Best regards

Lee

It won't be straight forward or quick, that's for sure! but hipefully you won't be apart.

Thank you for your kind words, Lee. That was however a long time ago. There has been much water under the bridge and some crossings over it since!