Boryspol

[START2]

For those of you that have recently been through  visa-free Boryspol, could you please relate your experience. Last time I was there(april 05), it was fast but I still had to fill out the Customs Declaration and the other little form where your submit your passport info. What is the process now and how fast did you clear customs?

[START2]

P.S.

I also want to take a small cooler(carry-on size) with some very fine cuts of beef and and prawns packed in dry ice with me. Has anyone here attempted this? Did the cooler draw  much attention? I have been through Boryspol at least 6 times and have never had bags checked, but of course I never carried a cooler with me, only packaged dry goods in my usual luggage and no problems. I think the only questions I have ever been asked "is how much cash I have and did I have gifts", which I always answered "no gifts", and was bid a pleasant  stay and sent on my way.

[Admin]

[user=297]START2[/user] wrote:

For those of you that have recently been through visa-free Boryspol, could you pleaserelate your experience. Last time I was there(april 05), it was fast but I still had to fill out the Customs Declaration and the other little form where your submit your passport info. What is the process now and how fast did you clear customs?

For the official process, you can visit the website for Boryspil airport - which you can find at this link -- http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/forum6/1063.html

That site should give you current information about the official position of the Ukraine government.

Still, as you have done, it is a good idea to inquire from people as to the current 'tone' of Customs in Ukraine - as it does seem to change from time to time.

Also, since you want to take in the cooler, you may want to arrange for entry through the VIP terminal. Officially, it should make no difference in allowances, but my experience is they are much more accommodating to VIP travelers.

- Dan

[START2]

Dan,

Thanks for the response and link and I was aware of that. As you know, depending on certain customs agents attitude and what side of the bed they got up on that day or even how many flights arrived in the last 30 minutes(ie how many peole in line), I was just wondering if anyone  had tried this. Personally I made it a point to get in line where a young female agent was doing the checking. If it was just my imagination or what, it seemed the male agents were a bit more critical and asked more questions. I'll be travelling with my wife and son, and I assume they go through the Ukr. national line. It looked like they went cleared much faster than foreigners. Has anyone else noticed this? Thanks again for the quick response.

[ronin308]

The Ukr national line can clear faster than foreigners, unless one of the flights that arrived at the same time as yours is coming from one of the resort destinations.  In that case almost everyone on those flights are nationals so the line will be a bit longer.

Usually my fiance and I wait in line together, even though she could stand in the Ukr national line.

My last trip through was in march of this year.  With the exception of my first trip in 04 I have never filled in the customs form but every visitor has to fill in the immigration form and keep the half for when you leave.

I've also never had bags searched.

My observations this time is that there seems to be some new people there so processing times can be a bit slower both coming and going. 

[docetae]

[size="2"]Last march I had just to fill out  the little formula with your flight informations(departure and arrival), the duration of your stay and where will you stay.

Ukraine is on my list of countries where you do not seem to be welcome ...

The process to check passport was slow ... (1h30) and I get my bag searched at my departure ! The agent ask me how much money I have with me ... No luck for him, I had just 200 gr in cash ....
[/size]

[user=297]START2[/user] wrote: [/b]

For those of you that have recently been through  visa-free Boryspol, could you please relate your experience. Last time I was there(april 05), it was fast but I still had to fill out the Customs Declaration and the other little form where your submit your passport info. What is the process now and how fast did you clear customs?

[START2]

Doc,

 Sorry to hear you had a difficult time at customs in Ukr. Maybe it's just a law of averages as far as getting searched etc., but for me it's been all smooth. This trip I'll be trying something I haven't tried before so I wanted to hear about experiences from others if they had tried to bring something in out of the ordinary. As far as being welcome, hey, it's a govment job and most E.E. people at work aren't known to put on a happy face and whistle while they work.

Thanks Ron, I'll let Val know she can come through with me if she chooses. Did you walk up to the agent behind the counter together or one at a time?

Thought about that VIP thing Dan. Might be the way to go. Thanks.

[ronin308]

Wow, as of yet I have never had someone try and get me to bribe them in Ukraine.  In Egypt is was very common, actually expected.

As to the passport control, they need to work on scheduling arriving flights better as many times you'll have 4 or more flights arriving to be processed by as few as 7 agents.

As to unfriendly, my worst experiences have still been reentering the US.  Of course I don't have to have my picture taken or be fingerprinted but still this last time going through LAX was well over 2 1/2 hours from getting off the plane to breathing outdoor air.

[wxman]

I was there at the end of February and the lines are getting longer as there are more flights to Kiev nowadays. Bribery, it does work. Actually, I know someone who gets people through customs without a second look. I pay him $30, and he takes my passport and customs form, brings me to front of line, and custom agents waves me through. While I'm getting my luggage, they stamp my passport, and this person I know brings it to me where the luggage is. They never check my luggage, never a hassle and never any questions. I get through customs in less that 5 minutes everytime. This person just give a split of his earnings to the agents, and he has a little office with a safe in it in the room where the customs agents keep their stuff in lockers.

[TomT]

START2,

Have you have read the Ukraine customs regulations about bringing raw meat and fish into their country?

 

 

[ronin308]

Start2, I've done it both ways with her and with her going to a seperate booth.

As to bribing someone to pass through customs. wxman do you mean customs or passport control.

Once through passport control and after I pickup my luggage I pass through customs without speaking to the customs officer generally. 

[Son of Clyde]

Passport control will never change.

The lines can be very long and the processing time can be very slow. I have waited an hour at passport control.

What bothers me is the unfriendly, unsmiling faces of the employees, so a minute or two can seem like a year in these lines.

Having a Ukraine visa takes only about 30 seconds to review. It does save some time if you count the number of seconds times the number of people standing in the long lines.

[docetae]

When I was back from Zhitomir to Kiev, we get stopped by policemen ... 30gr ...

I do not talk and let my driver negotiate ... at passport check, telling that custom agents are unfriendly is just an euphemism ... When you leave the controlled zone, you have a crowd of people offering you taxi services ...

I get my driver waiting for me and everything was fine after.

[Charles]

I would echo Dan's suggestion about the use of the VIP terminal.   I was in and out of the termainal in about 5 minutes from the time I arrived at the VIP terminal.   They pick you up in a special bus while the remaining passengers are still boarding the bus from the plane to passport control, followed by the inevitable slow moving line. 

[Son of Clyde]

Does this mean we can elect to be a VIP? I am not a CEO of a huge company nor am I a senator or congressman. This is sort of like flying first class? I do remember a group of State Department employees getting through the line very quickly and even though I had been speaking with several of them for a long time, at Dulles airport, I was just ignored by them at passport control and never saw them again. It was like a free for all at passport control.

[Admin]

[user=130]Son of Clyde[/user] wrote:

Does this mean we can elect to be a VIP? I am not a CEO of a huge company nor am I a senator or congressman. This is sort of like flying first class? I do remember a group of State Department employees getting through the line very quickly and even though I had been speaking with several of them for a long time, at Dulles airport, I was just ignored by them at passport control and never saw them again. It was like a free for all at passport control.

Yes, you can "elect" to become a VIP - for a price. The information is available in the link provided above. The price, last time I checked, was $65 per person.

- Dan

[Blade]

Hello, Can someone tell me, what is the cost of the basic VIP service at Boripol?

Thanks!

[dorogoyroberto]

http://www.airport-borispol.kiev.ua/vip/rates.html

530 UAH is about $105...

Roberto
Kiev, Ukraine

[Blade]

Roberto,

I am interested in working and living in Ukraine.  Can you be of any help?

I will be in Kiev July 1st.

Thanks, Blade

 

[dorogoyroberto]

Roberto,      I am interested in working and living in Ukraine.  Can you be of any help?      I will be in Kiev July 1st.      Thanks, Blade

Mr. Blade,

As I am retired, the local job scene really is not my bailiwick.

Might I suggest you contact a member named Longshanks via Private Message? He is a gentleman, very knowledgeable and helpful.

Good luck!

Roberto
Kiev, Ukraine

[START2]

$65 sounded correct to me to but if it's $100 +/person now .....YIKES.  That would be X3. Can't say I'm feeling that important  today:shock: Anyway, on the way home tonight I stopped at a store and saw these insulated coolers that are about double the size of a large camera bag and that's what it looks like. I was thinking with a little dry ice that might do the trick. I guess it comes down to "You takes your chances".Thanks for the replies!!

[wxman]

The person I use is named Alex. He will get you through passport control for around $40. His price has gone up slightly. As earlier stated, I have used his service 5 times and never a problem.

I'm at work and don't recall exact email address but it is either alex_lucky@mail.ru 

or alex-lucky@mail.ru  

Try sending to both and give him your name, date of arrival, flight number and request to use his service to get through customs. Also ask him to respond back to make sure he received your email. He will respond back if he received your email and will be waiting for you when you arrive. He will call your name out once you get into the terminal right before customs.