Crimea Trekking Tours

The Ukrainian government has announced that citizens of the following countries will no longer require a visa to enter Ukraine and Crimea for trips lasting up to 90 days:  All EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, USA, Canada, Japan, Andorra, the Vatican, Monaco, San Marino.

Please note that nationals of other countries will still require a visa - see below.

With the exception of people from the countries listed above, each person travelling to Crimea will need a visa. It is advisable to obtain this in advance before you leave . Technically it is possible to obtain a visa on arrival at Kyiv or Simferopol airports, but there can be long delays and your arrival or change of aircraft will be smoother if you already have a visa in your passport.

Crimea is part of Ukraine, and visas are therefore issued by the Ukrainian consulate. The information given below applies to people travelling from the United Kingdom. If you will be travelling from another country, you will need to contact the Ukrainian consulate in that country.

The Ukrainian consulate in London is at

The Ukrainian consulate in Edinburgh is at

You can find the website of the Ukrainian consulate in the United Kingdom at www.ukrainianembassy.org.uk . You can download the visa application form from the website, which also gives full supporting information.

You can apply for your visa by post, or in person at the London or Edinburgh offices. The processing time for visas is generally between 3 days and two weeks, depending on your nationality and whether you apply in person or by post. It is sensible to get your visa before you buy your air tickets.

The visa application form is straightforward. You will need to include with it:

• a valid passport (must not expire less than 1 month after your intended date of departure from Ukraine)
• 2 recent passport sized photographs (no need for them to be signed on the back by a third party)
• 2 separate cheques or postal orders covering the handling charge (£20) and the visa fee (£20)

If you are going to stay in a private rented apartment, or with friends, you will need to give the address on your visa application form. If you book one of our private apartments you can make a provisional booking subject to obtaining your visa and airtickets. We will supply you with the address of the apartment to put on your visa application.

If you are going to stay in a hotel, you will need to make the booking before you apply for your visa, and attach the written confirmation of your hotel booking, which we will send you, to your visa application.

Only one address is necessary for the visa application. If you intend to move around during your stay, this is not a problem. Previously foreign visitors had to register with the local police in each new location. This inconvenience for tourists was abolished by presidential decree in 2001. Once your passport has been stamped at Simferopol airport or other point of entry you can travel freely within Crimea and Ukraine.

Travel insurance.

It is sensible to arrange travel insurance which includes cover for medical emergencies, cancellations, theft etc, in the same way as you would if travelling to a western holiday destination.

Please note: while every effort is made to keep the above information up to date, changes may be made without notice and you are advised to check the information given here against that provided by the Ukrainian embassy at www.ukrainianembassy.org.uk and at their offices