Effective September 10, 2011, Ukraine will offer three types of visa, classified by duration of stay. There will be no change to work authorization eligibility requirements. In a related development, it is expected that Ukraine will begin issuing temporary residence permits to foreign nationals working at a representative office of an employer abroad.

In order to harmonize its visa system with that of the European Union, Ukraine will reduce the number of visa types from sixteen to three as of September 10, 2011. There will be no change to work authorization eligibility requirements, but the new visa system may result in changes to visa eligibility requirements, as well as overall processing times. Additional details on the new system are expected from Ukrainian officials.

Ukraine will offer the following three types of visas:

1. B (VB) - A transit visa valid for up to one year, for individual stays of up to five days.

2. C (VC) - A short-term visa valid for six months to five years, used for tourism, business or religious trips, with a cumulative maximum stay of 90 days within a 180-day period. It is expected that dependents accompanying a temporary residence permit holder will also qualify for C (VC) visas based on a marriage certificate for a spouse or birth certificate for a child.

3. D (VD) - A long-term visa for stays over 90 days and for employment stays of any duration.

In a related development, it is expected that under the new visa system, foreign nationals working at a representative office of their overseas employer will qualify for a temporary residence permit if they hold the new D (VD) visa. The temporary residence permit would be valid for the duration of the visa and work authorization and would allow the holder to travel abroad. Currently, foreign employees of representative offices cannot obtain a temporary residence permit and must arrange for a residence registration that expires if they leave the country.