IMPACT – HIGH

What is the change? The hotline of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine has confirmed that Ukraine has imposed dramatic new restrictions barring entry to most Russian men.

What does the change mean? Male Russian nationals between the ages of 16 and 60, and male Ukrainian nationals between 16 and 60, who are registered in Crimea will not be allowed entry if traveling without their families unless they have close relatives in Ukraine or invitations from businesses or individuals.

  • Implementation timeframe: Immediate.
  • Visas/permits affected: All visas and permits.
  • Who is affected: Male Russian nationals and male Ukrainians registered in Crimea who are between the ages of 16 and 60. Note that Russian nationals who hold valid temporary residence permits or permanent residence permits for Ukraine should not be affected.
  • Business impact: Significant impact on companies with Russian employees and assignees in Ukraine and Russian business travelers.
  • Next steps: Affectedbusinesses andtravelers should be prepared for sudden changes in entry requirements between Russia and Ukraine as the conflict continues.

Background: Ukraine has said it imposed the entry restrictions on Russian men based on a terror threat. Since the February regime change in Ukraine and Russia’s annexation of Crimea, the two countries have mutually tightened entry requirements without necessarily announcing an official policy change.

Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service has confirmed verbally the general entry ban on Russian men. Exceptions will be made for emergencies at the discretion of the head of the regional border control, if a traveler shows documents proving they have family living in Ukraine or are visiting sick or recently deceased relatives, or if they have a certified letter of invitation from a Ukrainian firm or individual Ukrainian citizen. Ukrainian males aged 16 to 60 who are registered in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol will also be restricted from entry, unless they are traveling to the funeral of a close relative or show airline tickets departing Ukraine or hotel vouchers for their stay. In addition, Crimean women aged 20 to 35 will only be allowed entry after they pass “filtering and verification checks.”

Ukraine immigration authorities have stated that Russians with temporary residency permits or permanent residence permits in Ukraine should not be affected by the new regulation.

BAL Analysis: The situation in Ukraine is in flux and businesses should expect changes to entry rules involving Russian nationals.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Ukraine. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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