Ukraine Business Visa - Definitive Guide

There are several formalities that you need to fulfil at the time of doing business overseas. If you need to visit the country for the same purpose, you will have to issue a business permit. Also called Type C, business visa for Ukraine has several benefits. This permit will allow you to carry out business-related activities like business exhibitions and conferences, meetings for a branch of your own company or a sister company, or attend client meetings and other business errands. The validity of the visa is for 180 days generally, permitting a stay of 90 days per visit. It can be a single-entry, double-entry or multiple-entry type.

Before carrying out with the procedure, it is important that you check if you match the eligibility criteria. These criteria vary as per the type of the permit. A business visa for Ukraine can be issued by applying  to the Visa Application Centre. The procedures to obtain a Ukraine business visa from India is as follows:

1. Visit the official VAC website and choose the business type.
2. Fill out the application form. The form must be typed, handwritten forms are not accepted.
3. You can then collect the documents as per the provided checklist.
4. Submit the documents to the respective branch of the VAC.
5. Your form and the documents will then be verified.
6. After the verification is complete, you will be informed if there are other requirements as well.
7. You can then pay the required fee and the processing will begin.

When you are filling out the form, you need to ensure that you are providing the correct information and it must match the documentary proof that you are providing. In case you find any difficulties, you can acquire professional assistance. If there is any kind of information that is found to be false or is unverifiable, there are chances that your Ukraine business visa application may get rejected. In such cases, your future application may get rejected based on your previous visa rejection. Therefore, it is convenient to appoint professionals so that there are fewer chances of errors.

There are various kinds of documents that are to be submitted with the application form. Some of the common requirements to get a business visa for Ukraine.

• An original passport that is valid for at least 6 months ahead of the date of travel.
• Coloured photographs as per the photo specifications
• A cover letter with all the required details
• Travel Itinerary
• Confirmed flight tickets
• Income Tax Returns proof
• Medical Insurance
• Travel Insurance
• Invitation Letter from the Company in Ukraine
• Proof of accommodation - hotel reservation, etc.
• Proof of purpose of visit - invitation letter, exhibition or conference pass, etc.
• Proof of sufficient funds - bank statement or any other equivalent document.

• Two copies must be provided
• Photo size: 35mm x 45 mm.
• Coloured copy must be provided.
• The face must cover about 70-80% of the frame.
• Head should well-centred.
• The picture must not be older than 6 months.
• The background must be white or any other light colour.
• Neutral expressions
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Headgears are not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.

The fee is to be paid at the time of submission of the application form and documents. It can be paid by cash or using a debit or a credit card.  It is to be paid directly to the visa application centre. The cost of a business visa for Ukraine varies depending on several factors such as - whether the permit is single-entry or multiple-entry, the purpose of the visit, service fee and other charges. It can also vary as per the exchange rate of the currency at the time of application.

In order to issue a business visa for Ukraine, you will have to apply to the respective VAC. You will need to have all the requirements and the documents must be verifiable. At times, the process may seem complicated and the formalities involved can seem difficult to be carried out on your own. In such cases, professional consultation can be considered from the visa agencies. This will allow you to have your documents handled professionally and the procedure may even be quicker than the normal process. This way, the chances of visa rejection also get nullified.

The issuance of a business visa for Ukraine takes up to 17 to 19 days. The required time will still vary depending on certain factors like the workload at the embassy office, the staff availability, whether the permit is a single-entry type or multiple-entry type of if documents are incomplete and the rest of the documents are yet to be submitted and others. The time increases and decreases affected by these parameters.

When the documents and the application form have been submitted -

• Your documents will be verified by the Visa Application Centre (VAC).
• They will then be forwarded to the Ukranian Embassy for further verification.
• If there are any missing documents, you will be informed accordingly.
• You can submit the documents yourself personally, or you can get your representative to submit them for you.
• If in case a representative is submitting the documents, there may be a couple of extra documents that will be required.
• In the meantime, you can even check the status of your permit.
• If a personal interview is requested by the embassy, you apply online from the Ukranian Embassy Website.

You can check the status of your business visa for Ukraine by visiting the website of the visa application centre (VAC) and entering your reference number and your date of birth. This is how you can track your application online. To check the status offline, you can contact the VAC on the provided contact number.

You will receive your visa after the processing of the documents is complete. There are certain things that you need to keep in mind when you have your permit, some of the pointers are given -

• Before you travel

• Note the visa expiry date as well as the number of entries allowed on your permit. You are not permitted to stay in the country beyond this period.
• Make sure that you set a reminder for the expiry date of your visa as you won’t legally be permitted to stay in the country for business post your business permit validity.
• Make sure you carry a copy of your passport and other travel documents while you are in the country.
• Issue health insurance and travel Insurance from a certified company.
• At the Border

• Get your documents checked and your passport verified by the Border Control.
• Consult the airport authorities for any kind of assistance required.
• Check your visa copy for other guidelines and rules to be followed.
• When you enter Ukraine

• Ensure not to get involved in any kind of employment. You can, however, do unpaid volunteer work.
• The business visa does not permit you to employ or reside as a citizen in the country.
• It is a permit that allows you to only perform business and business-related operations in the country. You are still permitted tourism.
• The tourist prohibited areas must be stayed out of.
• Make sure you don’t overstay and apply for a visa extension in time.
• If you have a change of plans and you need to stay longer, you can apply for an extension or a different kind of visa at least one month prior to the expiry.