PCR requirements for Foreign citizens visiting Ukraine

[Keithn85 400]

I wanted to let everyone know (as I am USC and trying to visit my Fiancee on Thursday) that Ukraine announced earlier today that PCR tests are a requirement of foreign citizens transiting or crossing border of Ukraine, regardless of country color (US is currently Green so normally no testing or self isolation.)  The test needs to be made 72 hours before crossing.  This helps more than 48 hours because some places give the 1-2 days for results.  I ended up scheduling a test with my local doctor an hour ago and am awaiting results hopefully Wednesday or Thursday morning before my flight.  I did request to have my passport number on there also and they will work with me to get it on there.

My biggest thing is this starts 24 March (Wednesday) and I assume it will extend the 2 weeks that the restrictions will.  I am not sure who will be visiting these next couple weeks, but I wanted to give a heads up.

[gregcrs2 1,777]

Someone who arrived 12:10am today was denied entry and deported for not having the PCR test.  They were put on a flight to Frankfort  which was the transit airport flying to Ukraine.  Apparently they will get a PCR test done at Frankfort and then fly back to Ukraine.  Don't forget you also need to have COVID insurance from a Ukraine provider for the full duration of your trip.  Good luck!  

 

 

[Keithn85 400]

8 minutes ago, gregcrs2 said:

Someone who arrived 12:10am today was denied entry and deported for not having the PCR test.  They were put on a flight to Frankfort  which was the transit airport flying to Ukraine.  Apparently they will get a PCR test done at Frankfort and then fly back to Ukraine.  Don't forget you also need to have COVID insurance from a Ukraine provider for the full duration of your trip.  Good luck!  

 

 

I appreciate the information!   My PCR results on paper with my passport written and signed by lab should be available tonight or Thursday morning.  I purchased my insurance from visitukraine.today because that was the easiest when I flew in december.  I transit through Turkey, so if that does happen, I will make another test there and fly back.

I passed this information to my fiancée.  She will be at ease with this information, knowing there is a good possibility I will only go back to the transit airport instead of back to the US.  

Edited March 24, 2021 by Keithn85
Added last paragraph

[TBoneTX 43,018]

I'm intellectually curious as to whether a foreigner who's had both/all shots still needs to fulfill these requirements; and, if so, what then is the point of having gotten the shots?

[Keithn85 400]

4 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

I'm intellectually curious as to whether a foreigner who's had both/all shots still needs to fulfill these requirements; and, if so, what then is the point of having gotten the shots?

Shots do not matter.  Visitukraine.today pulls their information from ukrainian government and their site says shots do not matter.  Even before this restriction was in place, the government would still require PCR test regardless of any vaccine.  The US embassy had a snip of this inside of their COVID 19 posts recently also.  Hopefully soon the vaccines will help, but I am sure it will be more based on cases until they stop spiking.

 

I glossed over your last question because I woke up and replied without my coffee.  I am really not sure.  I know it is not a placebo but I wonder if because there was an agreement to provide vaccines and wait until it showed effective in each country?  It seems like even here they are not fully releasing people with the vaccine from certain restrictions.  I am behind on my information, but I thought I remember this.  I think once cases go down to a true manageable number, then everyone who is currently not will accept the vaccinated people in place of PCR.

Edited March 25, 2021 by Keithn85
Missed final question.

[Keithn85 400]

6 hours ago, Keithn85 said:

Shots do not matter.  Visitukraine.today pulls their information from ukrainian government and their site says shots do not matter.  Even before this restriction was in place, the government would still require PCR test regardless of any vaccine.  The US embassy had a snip of this inside of their COVID 19 posts recently also.  Hopefully soon the vaccines will help, but I am sure it will be more based on cases until they stop spiking.

 

I glossed over your last question because I woke up and replied without my coffee.  I am really not sure.  I know it is not a placebo but I wonder if because there was an agreement to provide vaccines and wait until it showed effective in each country?  It seems like even here they are not fully releasing people with the vaccine from certain restrictions.  I am behind on my information, but I thought I remember this.  I think once cases go down to a true manageable number, then everyone who is currently not will accept the vaccinated people in place of PCR.

I do not have any doubts with printing my results but if something does happen, I do have a Turkish Visa in case I have to stay there overnight to test.  My doctor provided me with results a couple hours ago though so technically I am within the 72 hours (by 10 minutes if you are going by the minute) so it should not cause an issue.  I would say with anyone in the future, it is good to check with your local doctor and let them know you are traveling.  Especially if you are on here and traveling during some visa process.  My doctor's office was very understandable of it and they promised 1-2 days and delivered within 2.  So it is definitely possible, if you do not have long layovers, to do the 72 hours currently.  You are just doing almost exactly 72 hours.

[gregcrs2 1,777]

1 hour ago, Keithn85 said:

I do not have any doubts with printing my results but if something does happen, I do have a Turkish Visa in case I have to stay there overnight to test.  My doctor provided me with results a couple hours ago though so technically I am within the 72 hours (by 10 minutes if you are going by the minute) so it should not cause an issue.  I would say with anyone in the future, it is good to check with your local doctor and let them know you are traveling.  Especially if you are on here and traveling during some visa process.  My doctor's office was very understandable of it and they promised 1-2 days and delivered within 2.  So it is definitely possible, if you do not have long layovers, to do the 72 hours currently.  You are just doing almost exactly 72 hours.

Good luck!  And let us know how it goes!  

[TBoneTX 43,018]

19 hours ago, Keithn85 said:

Shots do not matter.  [...]  Even before this restriction was in place, the government would still require PCR test regardless of any vaccine.

In my opinion, this stinks from several standpoints, not the least of which is the (un)reliability of the PCR results.  But that's a whole other topic for a different forum here.

19 hours ago, Keithn85 said:

I woke up [...] without my coffee.

Absolutely no immigration woe can begin to compare with this!   I wish you a fully caffeinated bloodstream henceforth.

[Keithn85 400]

To update since I forgot to last night upon arrival, border patrol I think almost took me aside for questioning with my doctor's receipt for COVID results.  But they ended up stamping my passport and sending me on the way.

So they might seem like they are not going to accept it, but they will.  And mine did not say Labcorp or something like that.  It was clinic specific since they have their lab they use.

 

Good news for also avoiding Dii vdoma usage if they keep the 72 hour rule.

[gregcrs2 1,777]

14 hours ago, Keithn85 said:

To update since I forgot to last night upon arrival, border patrol I think almost took me aside for questioning with my doctor's receipt for COVID results.  But they ended up stamping my passport and sending me on the way.

So they might seem like they are not going to accept it, but they will.  And mine did not say Labcorp or something like that.  It was clinic specific since they have their lab they use.

 

Good news for also avoiding Dii vdoma usage if they keep the 72 hour rule.

Does your result have a QR code?  Great news that you got through! 

 

[TastyCake 232]

On 3/27/2021 at 3:47 AM, Keithn85 said:

So they might seem like they are not going to accept it, but they will.  And mine did not say Labcorp or something like that.  It was clinic spec

Sorry, but I am not getting the Labcorp reference.  Are you saying to minimize headaches to get tested in the states at a clinic associated with Labcorp?  I'm not up on all this testing biz so any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

Glad to hear you got through.  Welcome to Ukraine.

[Fsh1965 1]

I’m flying soon.  Did they want a paper copy of the results or would they accept digital?   I’m hoping to have paper copy but don’t know if I’ll I have time to print out results.   
 

thanks

[Keithn85 400]

On 3/29/2021 at 5:10 PM, Fsh1965 said:

I’m flying soon.  Did they want a paper copy of the results or would they accept digital?   I’m hoping to have paper copy but don’t know if I’ll I have time to print out results.   
 

thanks

I forgot to answer.  I brought a paper copy because i requested it from the doctor.  If you have an E-copy, I would see about printing it at a layover before leaving the US.  My original plan was either to print in Denver or Chicago at the business centre areas.  I did also request to have my passport number written.  The nurse on hand printed, wrote down passport number and hand signed.  

Also, double check the labs that are working for 3 days before you depart from Ukraine.  The lab I used in December is not working currently for PCR tests so I will be using another.

I forgot to say, in Kyiv, the public transport is limited to essential workers only starting from 5 April until 9 May.  She let me know by chatter of her social media groups yesterday.

[Fsh1965 1]

On 4/1/2021 at 7:14 AM, Keithn85 said:

I forgot to answer.  I brought a paper copy because i requested it from the doctor.  If you have an E-copy, I would see about printing it at a layover before leaving the US.  My original plan was either to print in Denver or Chicago at the business centre areas.  I did also request to have my passport number written.  The nurse on hand printed, wrote down passport number and hand signed.  

Also, double check the labs that are working for 3 days before you depart from Ukraine.  The lab I used in December is not working currently for PCR tests so I will be using another.

I forgot to say, in Kyiv, the public transport is limited to essential workers only starting from 5 April until 9 May.  She let me know by chatter of her social media groups yesterday.

Have you figured out testing yet for when you return?  
 

interesting time to be there now.  Wish my trip was sooner than end of May.  
 

this process is so slow.  Now I figure embassy will be closing interviews until the 16th.  Have you heard anything? 

[Keithn85 400]

5 hours ago, Fsh1965 said:

Have you figured out testing yet for when you return?  
 

interesting time to be there now.  Wish my trip was sooner than end of May.  
 

this process is so slow.  Now I figure embassy will be closing interviews until the 16th.  Have you heard anything? 

We ended up online registering for the same Lab we used in December when my results were not available from the US testing to stop self isolation.  The lab is Synevo and my bank statement says approximately $31.  She told me to say "register and pay online to get the $4 discount!"  I made the test at the lab (it was 5 Kyiv early saturday morning minutes down the street so not really that far) Saturday morning at 07:00am and had results by 01:10am this morning (Sunday).  Boryspil does require a paper result, so we are going to pick up the paper copy from the lab after breakfast.  The staff spoke enough english to explain to me what to do as she could not join me in the room (there is not really much to the test.  The extra part we do not have in US is the back of the mouth swab.).  The staff told her that results would be within 24-28 hours (because of delays sometimes in sending results) and we would need to return for the paper copy for Boryspil.

I do not know the exact procedure for how she found the link to register as she looked it up on her computer.  I think she ended up googling it and found the backdoor this way.  

 

As far as the embassy, @uapilot had their interview last week.  Like I mentioned before that interview, technically the embassy has been processing but not as fast this entire time.  When they announced they would be slowly processing immigrant visas, this was to publically announce.  I imagine a scenario where one guy is processing all these visas.  He is told "ok today you will process only student visas and everything else is secondary."  He looks over at his stack of student visas and sees only 2.  Once he processes all of them, then he starts on the stack of everything else.  Don't fully rely on my limited information, but this is the conclusion I've arrived at from my studying over the past few months.  So until the embassy site announces "closure", keep your focus on other things.  Check the site every once in a while by clicking on US visas within the embassy's site to see if they have any announcements.  I just checked and it still is posting the prioritizing immigrant visas announcement.  Take a deep breath, then slowly exhale.  Coffee post end of line.