Ukraine Visa to visit the UK

[sjg-uk]

Hi - I'm an Englishman living and working in Kharkov, Ukraine. I married a Ukrainian lady here. We have just visited the Uk for a 10 day tourist trip. It took bloody ages to sort out the Visas for my wife and 2
step-daughters ! We all had to go to Kiev a number of times , to the VFS Global Office. They have made things alot harder to Visit the UK.
Link to British Embassy Ukraine;
http://ukinukraine.fco.gov.uk/en
The UK is not part of the Schengen Visa Agreement, as is the rest of Europe.
Schengen Visa Countries are easier and cheaper for Ukrainians to visit.
Link to Schengen visa;
http://www.eurovisa.info/
Here is a link to Countries that Ukrainians can visit without needing to get a Visa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...ts_for_Ukrainian_citizens
 To help a Ukrainian to get their first Visa, it is a good idea to get a local company to write a letter stating the she works for them and that she has a good salary. Many business will do this for a small fee of around 70-100 rpH.

[sjg-uk]

Update - we have started to change family names on the Ukrainian Passports - note they have 2 passports, one is their internal Ukraine passport which most people carry everyday as an ID, and then they have an International Passport. The Visa is put in the International Passport. When there are changes to this, ie family name changes etc, this goes back to the Government and a new one is issued. This meens that the bloody Visas that we spent ages getting are lost !!
I have spoken to the British Embassy in Kiev and this is correct - so the 12 month Multi Visit Visas to the UK are now gone and we have to do the whole process again !!
Sod it, there are lots of countries in the world to visit that don't need complicated Visa applications, here is the map showing where Ukrainians can go without needing a Visa;
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Ukrainian_citizens
The Ukrainian , EU and British Governments just make Visa applications too long winded , we dont want to move to Britain, just visit for a week to do some shopping, as things are alot cheaper in the UK than here in Ukraine.

[Gylden]

Yep ! you are right, but the visa in the new passport is more or less automatic. It is the same for all countries, who require a visa I believe. Happened to us to for my wife's B1-M visa to the US.
 

[sjg-uk]

Hi Gylden
Having spoken to Brit' Embassy in Kiev, they say we need to reapply on line to VFS Global, then make appointment to go to their office for another load of Biometric Prints, then we will have to go back again to collect the Visas a few weeks later. Kharkov to Kiev is about 6 hours drive each way !!
Stuff it - don't think we'll bother !! - Barbados looks alot more inviting and we don't need visas for a holiday there !!

[daveyj]

Stuff it - don't think we'll bother !! - Barbados looks alot more inviting and we don't need visas for a holiday there !!

Your best flight deal would be a tuesday departure from Kiev, booked three weeks or less prior. ($1400<).
http://www.expedia.ca/pub/agent.dll?qscr=fexp&qryt=2&tovr=-1294527294&ps3u=&&altd=&hqot=&pddt=&prdt=&altg=&hftp=&flag=q&wsds=EX01951909970%24FE!2%24FF%24EF!601000%249F%248610%24F0%24A2%249A%243B4XMU%24F0%24A2%249A%243B4XMU%24F0%24A2%249A%243B4XMU%24F0%24A2%249A%243B4XMU%24F0%24A2%249A%243B4XMU!90!8%24FF!90221010002!70122!4%24FF!90100001!V0!4%24FF!C0%2415000X%2436%2430%2432%2431%2430%2431%2430MDM%2430%2438X%2439%2431D%2435M%2439U!9013JPLDBJ000%24AAy%24D6%240C100003DBJJPL000%240A%249C%24D6%240C100003!90%24E0%2480%24E9H100003!90%24E0%2480%24E9H100003!90%24E0%2480%24E9H1!O0!8%24FF0001!J0!4%24FF!50%24A6%24C0201!C01000!4%24FF!G0%24E0%2480%24E9H%24E0%2480%24E9H13101!602!D0!4%24FF!80&shpr=w&gptc=0&rfrr=5004&ftid=&sfcf=1&city1=IEV&citd1=BGI&date1=29%2F6%2F2010&time1=362&date2=6%2F7%2F2010&time2=362&flcr=&tktt=3&stkc=1&stkp=1&rdct=1

If you book further in advance, it goes up to $2100.