Ukraine
Sharing its borders with a number of Nations belonging to the European Union itself and also to the Schengen Area, history and time built a cultural exchange and trading bridge strongly connecting Ukraine to Europe as a whole.
ETIAS for Ukrainians
Ukraine Nationals eligible for ETIAS starting from 2025
ETIAS to be used exclusively for business, leisure, transit and medical care trips to 34 destination countries across Europe
ETIAS candidates must have a valid Ukraine biometric passport with a minimum of three months of remaining validity throughout the entire stay
Electronic application and delivery system
Aggregate permanence in the ETIAS Countries must never exceed 90 out of every 180 days
Europe and Ukraine
Situated in the very core of Eastern Europe, on an ideal crossroads between the old Russian Empire, the old Ottoman Empire, the Black Sea and Political Europe itself, Ukraine has been a precious diplomatic and trading partner to the European Union for several years now.
Sharing its borders with a number of Nations belonging to the Union itself and also to the Schengen Area, history and time built a cultural exchange and trading bridge strongly connecting Ukraine to Europe as a whole.
Political and commercial synergies between EU and Ukraine have been reconfirmed in 2016 when the Union, tracing the road map to ETIAS, announced the new Visa Waiver protocol named ETIAS will, starting from its inauguration in 2025, also benefit National of Ukraine.
For details on benefits of ETIAS System to visitors and residents click here.
Citizens of Ukraine with a valid biometric passport will indeed, from 2025, be able and required to electronically apply for European Union’s Visa Waiver named ETIAS for short term travels to and across the 34 ETIAS Area Nations.ETIAS electronic application
The application procedure for Ukraine biometric passport holders is easy to handle and will require each candidate just a few minutes to input their data.
Such data include:- personal information like full name and surname, birthplace, birth country, birth date
- scheduled travel to EU related information
- eligibility and background questions
- contact details
Key eligibility criteria
Passport
It must be noticed that voyagers from Ukraine must be in possession of a valid biometric passport in order to be eligible for ETIAS.
Those who do not possess this kind of passport are required to apply for a Visa at the relevant Consulate of the EU/Schengen Country they wish to visit first.Purpose of the visit
The same duty applies to all those visitors whose travel to EU does not match in the purpose and duration of stay limits as mentioned above. Additional details on ETIAS eligibility criteria and terms of use are available here.
Family visit travels are for instance covered under the touristic purpose while this is not true for long term family reunion.
The same principle applies to study visits.
ETIAS is not fit for long term study programs in the EU, but the Visa Waiver can indeed be used by Citizens of Ukraine for training programs if the stay in the ETIAS countries area will not exceed the limit of ninety days within six months.Destination
Also, to be underlined is that ETIAS is only valid for journeys to the 34 European Countries that are Members of the Schengen Area or that participate in the EU travel rules scheme with the exception of the Republic of Ireland (EIRE).ETIAS application and outcome notification
When the application has been submitted Ukraine Citizens will in most cases receive the outcome within 72 hours on their individual e-mail account.
Since The ETIAS approval will only be sent directly to each petitioner’s personal e-mail it is very important for each applicant to input a valid and working e-mail account when they fill out the required form.
Once received the positive outcome, ETIAS Visa Waiver is valid for 3 years or until the passport expiry date (whichever incurs first) and allows multiple journeys towards and across any of the Schengen Area Members current, future and De Facto Members Countries and it can be used to enter such States from either air, land and sea borders and regardless of the place of origin of the travel itself.Arrival in ETIAS Area
Even though it possession is most cases mandatory for short term visits as summarized above, holding a ETIAS Visa Waiver itself does not give an absolute certainty for any visitor to be allowed entry into the EU/Schengen Area since the final decision on such matter is solely responsibility of the Border Control Officers.
Travelers holding a biometric passport of the Republic of Ukraine coming to ETIAS Area from abroad are therefore to recall that they might always be asked to present additional documents so as to allow an evaluation on the genuine purpose of their journey and on the fact that they do not plan to overstay in the ETIAS Area. Such additional documents may include:- return ticket to country of residence
- travel health insurance
- proof of sufficient funds to support themselves during the whole stay
- any other document that could demonstrate the purpose of the visit