Crimea to Kiev

[tone867]

I hope this is not too convoluted. My wife's son married in 2014 a woman in Crimea he is a citizen of Crimea and a United States citizen since 2006. We applied for a non-immigrant Visa in 2014 for his wife, in Sept 2016 we had an appointment at the US Consulate in Moscow. US state department not recognizing Crimea as a part of Russia, the US Embassy transferred their appointment to Kiev Ukraine. My question is is a visa required to travel from Crimea to Kiev?  He has a u.s. passport and internal and external Russian ones. She only has her Russian passports and no Ukrainian passport. Anyone have any ideas of what to do? Is there any phone number we can contact in Ukraine that would answer this question. I assume we have to talk to somebody in Ukraine or Russian Embassy. No idea even if ther is a Russian embassy in Kiev . The wife can talk to them their language. I have heard starting October 25th that there are no direct flights from Moscow to Kiev. Thank you all for any advice in advance.

[LAman]

It's been many months since there has been a direct Moscow-Kiev direct flight. There are indirect flights through Minsk, Riga, .....4-5 hours flights.

There is only 'special' paperwork to get from Crimea into Ukraine. I don't know what's involved. It is far easier to fly into Kiev. You have quite a predicament, one that I assumed would happen more often. As far as I know, an international passport is needed to enter Ukraine.
 I don't see why there is a reason to speak to the Russian embassy.

[jone]

I hope this is not too convoluted. My wife's son married in 2014 a woman in Crimea he is a citizen of Crimea and a United States citizen since 2006. We applied for a non-immigrant Visa in 2014 for his wife, in Sept 2016 we had an appointment at the US Consulate in Moscow. US state department not recognizing Crimea as a part of Russia, the US Embassy transferred their appointment to Kiev Ukraine. My question is is a visa required to travel from Crimea to Kiev?  He has a u.s. passport and internal and external Russian ones. She only has her Russian passports and no Ukrainian passport. Anyone have any ideas of what to do? Is there any phone number we can contact in Ukraine that would answer this question. I assume we have to talk to somebody in Ukraine or Russian Embassy. No idea even if ther is a Russian embassy in Kiev . The wife can talk to them their language. I have heard starting October 25th that there are no direct flights from Moscow to Kiev. Thank you all for any advice in advance.

1.  There is a Russian embassy in Kyiv.  It has been painted blue a number of times in the past couple of years.   

2.  You should check to see if the trains are running.  It would be much easier to take a train from Krim to Odessa and catch a flight to Kyiv.  Cheaper, too, I should think.  I know that the trains were running last year but I am unsure since the border crackdowns if there is still train service.

[Anotherkiwi]

According to Wikitravel, there are no trains OR buses now running from "mainland" Ukraine into Crimea.  The only way across the land bridge is by car, although I would hazard a guess that buses might run to and from a stop at each side of border crossing points.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Crimea

The page was last updated on 9th September, so I would infer that the information is up to date.

[jone]

You are one smart Kiwi.

[jone]

One more thing, and I'm sure you've thought of this.  When she presents her documents to the US Consulate, I would suggest handing them a UKRAINIAN passport, even if it is outdated.  Even though they may ask for a current Russian passport.

[BillyB]

Russians do not need visas to enter into Ukraine. Cars are getting into and out of Crimea but you must use a checkpoint that is controlled by Ukraine for entry and exits to be legal.

http://mfa.gov.ua/en/consular-affairs/entering-ukraine/visa-requirements-for-foreigners

Call or email the US embassy for questions. The US consular in Ukraine will handle immigration needs to America regardless of nationality.

http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/

[Wayne]

The train station in Simferopol is and has been closed since Crimea was taken. Yes, there are no direct flights from Russia to Ukraine.
An American citizen does not need a visa to enter Ukraine.
This year in March, my Wife and Daughter left Crimea and came to USA. They hired a private car to drive them to Kyiv; then flew from there. They had an EXTREMELY DIFFICULT trip getting out of Crimea. There was an eight or nine hour wait at the crossing into Ukraine.
Transaero Airlines went bankrupt. They had the best flights from Crimea to Russia.
Another problem is that the US Embassy in Kyiv cannot return the passport with visa attached to Crimea. There is not delivery service working! They will need to stay in Kyiv, rent an apartment and have the passport delivered there. There is also one place in Kyiv where they can go to pick up the passort.

Another problem is the identification required when picking up the passport. They will like to see an Ukrainian internal passport--not anything Russian! They will also want to put the visa into a Ukrainian international passport.

If they can make it from Crimea to Kyiv, they should not return to Crimea, but plan on leaving from Kyiv.
They should not purchase any airplane tickets until after they receive the passport with visa attached.

EXPECT MANY PROBLEMS!

[Faux Pas]

The train station in Simferopol is and has been closed since Crimea was taken. Yes, there are no direct flights from Russia to Ukraine.
An American citizen does not need a visa to enter Ukraine.
This year in March, my Wife and Daughter left Crimea and came to USA. They hired a private car to drive them to Kyiv; then flew from there. They had an EXTREMELY DIFFICULT trip getting out of Crimea. There was an eight or nine hour wait at the crossing into Ukraine.
Transaero Airlines went bankrupt. They had the best flights from Crimea to Russia.
Another problem is that the US Embassy in Kyiv cannot return the passport with visa attached to Crimea. There is not delivery service working! They will need to stay in Kyiv, rent an apartment and have the passport delivered there. There is also one place in Kyiv where they can go to pick up the passort.

Another problem is the identification required when picking up the passport. They will like to see an Ukrainian internal passport--not anything Russian! They will also want to put the visa into a Ukrainian international passport.

If they can make it from Crimea to Kyiv, they should not return to Crimea, but plan on leaving from Kyiv.
They should not purchase any airplane tickets until after they receive the passport with visa attached.

EXPECT MANY PROBLEMS!

Wayne -
What's going on with your house in Crimea?

[Wayne]

We have house, flat and dacha in Crimea. I was planning to retire and live there. Since Russia took over, plans have changed. We will probably sell everything there.

When is was Ukraine, we could live on my social security like kings! Now, everything costs three times as much. There are many new taxes. My wife was telling me about a new tax for NOT working.

People just disappear! and nobody finds out what happened to them. No freedom!

[Faux Pas]

We have house, flat and dacha in Crimea. I was planning to retire and live there. Since Russia took over, plans have changed. We will probably sell everything there.

When is was Ukraine, we could live on my social security like kings! Now, everything costs three times as much. There are many new taxes. My wife was telling me about a new tax for NOT working.

People just disappear! and nobody finds out what happened to them. No freedom!

Yeah I can feel for you. I know you were looking forward to the new diggs. Crimea seems to be the new Transnistria. The no mans land where anything can and does happen. Who's watching over the property?

[jone]

I think that Eastern Ukraine is the new Transnistria.  Russia treats Krim as a part of Russia.

[krimster2]

I put his here in case in the future someone is searching for info on this topic
this info is valid as of 3-1-2017

there is only 1 direct way from Crimea to Ukraine, the M18 north to Novooleksiiyka.
you will face 2 check points, first a Russian one and the a Ukrainian one.
they will both check your luggage, a huge list of banned material, only take essentials. you will get hassled, you will wait in line and you will waste a couple of hours
a visa is not required. 
however, I’ve also heard that Crimean residents are now able to apply at the Moscow embassy because Crimeans no longer have valid Ukrainian documents.  If anyone would like I can supply some info in Russian...

[tone867]

Ty all. It had been taken care of. They flew.

[krimster2]

I assume to Moscow first...????

will be headed to Krim myself in the summer through Moscow Simpheropol (sigh...)
my first trip to Crimea I ended up capturing one of their women and taking her prisoner 
this time I'll just get some souvenir rubles for my future grand kids collection...

[LAman]

I assume to Moscow first...????

will be headed to Krim myself in the summer through Moscow Simpheropol (sigh...)
my first trip to Crimea I ended up capturing one of their women and taking her prisoner 
this time I'll just get some souvenir rubles for my future grand kids collection...

Where exactly did you get the spelling of Simferopol with a 'ph'?

What is wrong with rubles from Moscow.....are they different than ones in Crimea? ))

As far as I know, it would be wiser to change money into rubles while in Moscow. Two reasons, better rate in Moscow and much more difficult in Crimea to change money into rubles.

I will beat you into 'Krim' by a few months!! )))

[krimster2]

simpheropol is the way I pronounce  Симферополь, I developed the habit of spelling Krim place names phonetically when I lived there, it's just something I do,

don't intend to spend much time in Mockba, and would rather hang on to $$$ until I need to exchange in Krim.

I'm looking for old rublei that might be collectable in my grandkids time, easier to search for in Krim for me...

did your wife have much difficulty getting a Russian visa to Krim?

[LAman]

simpheropol is the way I pronounce  Симферополь, I developed the habit of spelling Krim place names phonetically when I lived there, it's just something I do,

don't intend to spend much time in Mockba, and would rather hang on to $$$ until I need to exchange in Krim.

I'm looking for old rublei that might be collectable in my grandkids time, easier to search for in Krim for me...

did your wife have much difficulty getting a Russian visa to Krim?

May I ask why there would be old 'rublie' in Crimea? Since it had been many years as part of Ukraine?

As far as I understand, not easiest thing to exchange $$ in Krim, as I said rates are low.

Which wife are you speaking of???))

What area are you visiting?

[krimster2]

I have extensive contacts with merchants in 5th km market, I can always get good Xchange rates there, I never Xchange at banks!!!

which wife?
the pretty one!

not really old rublei, I already have the shipov notes from around 1910, no I'm looking for early post soviet, early 90's