Information for Americans in Ukraine
This page was last updated on April 7, 2022. For the most current information, please see the State Department's travel advisory for Ukraine. To read Congressman Castro's statement on the conflict in Ukraine, click here.
On February 24, 2022, the Government of Ukraine closed its airspace to all commercial flights due to Russian military actions. The State Department previously ordered the departure of most U.S. direct hire employees from Embassy Kyiv on February 12, 2022.
The U.S. Embassy urges U.S citizens in Ukraine to depart now using privately available transportation options if it is safe to do so. Careful consideration should be made to routes and the risks of travel because Ukraine’s roads are in many cases crowded, exposed to combat operations, and infrastructure such as bridges in some locations has been destroyed. Sheltering in place may remain the best option for some.
U.S. citizens wishing to depart Ukraine by land have several options. Most border crossings into Poland and all main crossing points into Moldova are severely backed up and some are experiencing extremely long wait times (well over 30 hours in some cases). We recommend that, if possible, U.S. citizens consider redirecting to border crossings with Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia, which are currently experiencing lower wait times to cross.
Note that conditions at each border can change very quickly and wait times can increase at any time without warning. Be prepared to wait for many hours to cross:
- Have extra batteries and power banks for your mobile phones.
- Bring enough food and water for at least two days.
- Stock up on diapers and baby food, if applicable.
- Bring blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothes.
- Ensure enough pet food if you are with your pet.
- Bring hard copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports [even if expired], any other identification) and don’t rely on cell phones and computer batteries.
- Book accommodations prior to arrival, as many hotels near the borders are already booked.
Local authorities in Romania, Poland, and Moldova have reception centers immediately beyond most border crossings, where you can find food, temporary lodging, clothes, and transportation to the next bigger town. Note that Poland has waived any COVID-related requirements to show vaccination cards and/or PCR tests.
U.S. citizens in Ukraine should complete this online form so that the State Department can communicate with you. U.S. citizens seeking to depart Ukraine can also call 1-833-741-2777 (in the United States) or 1-606-260-4379 (from overseas) for immediate assistance.
We encourage U.S. citizens to enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy to contact you in an emergency.
Read alerts and message on security and border crossing issues from the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine.
Assistance for Americans in Ukraine
- Call +1 606 260 4379 outside the U.S.
- Call +1 833 741 2777 from the U.S.
- Email KyivACS@state.gov
Alternatively, U.S. citizens may schedule routine consular services at any U.S. embassy or consulate outside of Ukraine. U.S. consular services in Kyiv are closed. To locate the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate please visit www.usembassy.gov.
Q: What is the current status of consular services in Ukraine?
The State Department suspended operations at Embassy Kyiv, effective February 28, 2022, and is not able to offer in-person consular services in Ukraine at this time. They continue to encourage U.S. citizens in Ukraine to fill out this online form for assistance and direct communication.
Q: What is the State Department telling U.S. citizens who are in Ukraine or who wish to travel to Ukraine?
Do not travel to Ukraine due to Russian military invasion. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should depart immediately if it is safe to do so using any commercial or other privately available ground transportation options. U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine due to the active armed conflict and the singling out of U.S. citizens in Ukraine by Russian government security officials. All U.S. citizens should carefully monitor U.S. government notices and local and international media outlets for information about changing security conditions and alerts to shelter in place.
Those remaining in Ukraine should exercise increased caution due to the potential for active combat, crime, and civil unrest. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Q: How can U.S. citizens request assistance inside and outside of Ukraine?
U.S. citizens who are still in Ukraine should complete the Department of State’s online assistance form and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). They can also call +1 606 260 4379 (outside the U.S.) or +1 833 741 2777 (from the U.S.) or email KyivACS@state.gov if in Ukraine.
Q: How are you assisting U.S. citizens in countries neighboring Ukraine? What is the status of services in Poland?
U.S. citizens should contact the U.S. embassy or consulate in the countries in which they are located. Please see this website for embassies in your area: The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw closed its American Citizen Welcome Center, located at the SPA Gloria Hotel in Przemysl, Poland, on Wednesday, March 30. Please view the latest on the closure and where to get assistance here.
Information and consular services for U.S. citizens will continue to be available from the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw and the U.S. Consulate General in Krakow and in Warsaw: Call +48 22 504 2784 or +48 22 504 2000 (U.S. Embassy Warsaw), or +48 12 424 5100 (U.S. Consulate General Krakow), or email ACSWarsaw@state.gov or KrakowACS@state.gov if in Poland.
Q: How should U.S. citizens depart Ukraine if they wish to do so?
U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine and those in Ukraine should depart immediately using commercial or other privately available ground transportation options if it is safe to do so. Land border crossings are open for private vehicle travel. Careful consideration should be given to routes and the risks of travel because Ukraine’s roads are in many cases crowded and exposed to combat operations, and infrastructure such as bridges in some locations have been destroyed. Sheltering in place may remain the best option for some. For more information on exiting Ukraine, click here.
Those looking for information on crossing land borders. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should fill out this online form and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Q: Are dual national U.S. citizens not being allowed to depart due to Ukrainian conscription?
U.S. citizens holding dual nationality may be subject to mandatory military service in a foreign country. This obligation may be imposed immediately upon arrival or when attempting to depart the country.
Q: Can U.S. citizens cross into EU countries from Ukraine at this time?
Yes. U.S. citizens may enter Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania across the land border with Ukraine. No advanced approval is required. For information from the Polish government for Ukrainians and others entering Poland, click here.
For information on other border crossings in Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, and Romania, please click here.
Q: I am a U.S. citizen and need a passport to depart Ukraine. What should I do?
The State Department is not able to offer in-person emergency consular services in Ukraine at this time. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should fill out the online assistance form and the State Department will respond.
Q: What U.S. embassies are open for nonimmigrant visa applications?
U.S. embassies and consulates in neighboring countries can accept nonimmigrant visa applications from anyone physically present in their consular district. Please find a list of embassy websites here.
Interested applicants should follow instructions on the respective Embassy website to apply for a nonimmigrant visa.
Poland (Warsaw or Krakow): https://www.ustraveldocs.com/pl/en
Slovakia (Bratislava): https://www.ustraveldocs.com/sk/
Hungary (Budapest): https://www.ustraveldocs.com/hu/
Romania (Bucharest): https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ro/
Moldova (Chisinau): https://www.ustraveldocs.com/md/
Q: What services are available to Ukrainians in Poland?
For information provided by the Polish government for Ukrainians and others entering Poland, see: https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc/ukraina-en.
Q. Can Ukrainians apply for visas?
Please refer to the State Department’s latest guidance on immigrant and nonimmigrant visas for Ukrainian nationals.
Q. Can Ukrainians apply for immigrant visas?
Immigrant visas are for foreign nationals who intend to live permanently in the United States. In most cases, a relative or employer sponsors the individual by filing a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt is now the processing post for immigrant visa applications for citizens of Ukraine. Further information on immigrant visas can be found here.
Q: Can Ukrainians apply for a nonimmigrant visa?
Nonimmigrant visas are for temporary stays in the United States. If you apply for a nonimmigrant visa, you must be able to demonstrate intent to return to a residence abroad after a defined visit to the United States, or the officer may refuse your application in accordance with INA 214(b).
Q: Will the United States have a refugee program for Ukrainians?
President Biden recently announced that the United States plans to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia’s aggression. To meet this commitment, the Administration is considering the full range of legal pathways to the United States, including the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, parole, and visas.
Q: We are hearing from people that their friends and relatives who departed from Ukraine are now facing very long wait times to apply for U.S. visas. What is the State Department doing to solve this?
Because of the suspension of operations at Embassy Kyiv, the Department has designated Consulate General Frankfurt as the primary processing location for immigrant visas for residents of Ukraine. Individuals seeking IR-3 or 4 adoption visas or A or G visas should apply at Embassy Warsaw, where we are expediting these categories. Nonimmigrant visas may be processed wherever a Ukrainian applicant is physically located and can schedule an appointment.
While the State Department is aware that some embassies and consulates face extended visa interview wait times due to increased demand and COVID impacts, embassies and consulates neighboring Ukraine do continue to schedule urgent and routine visa appointments for Ukrainian nationals. They are prioritizing, to the extent possible, Ukrainian applicants with U.S. citizen immediate family members and emergency travel needs. Information about appointment wait times is available on the visa wait time tool.
Q: Is the State Department doing anything to assist families that are in the process of adopting children from Ukraine or have surrogacy agreements in place? Can anything be done to help expedite these processes?
We understand how difficult this situation is for families pursuing parenthood through adoption or surrogacy in Ukraine. We strongly encourage prospective adoptive parents and those pursuing parenthood through surrogacy to defer travel to Ukraine at this time and for those currently in Ukraine to depart immediately if it is safe to do so. U.S. citizens currently in Ukraine should complete this online form and the State Department will respond directly. We recommend prospective adoptive parents remain in regular contact with their adoption service providers in the United States.
Prospective adoptive parents should review the information on the State Department’s website. On March 13, 2022, the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy issued a statement confirming that intercountry adoption, including for cases already initiated, is not possible at this time. (See Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy's Statement on the Department’s website.)
Q: Can American families who previously hosted a child through a temporary hosting program bring these children to the U.S?
The Government of Ukraine has informed the U.S. government that it is not authorizing children to travel abroad for hosting programs in the United States at this time. The State Department doesn’t have a role in hosting programs, which are coordinated by private organizations with the permission of the Ukrainian authorities. While many families that host a child subsequently pursue intercountry adoption, not all the participants are orphans under Ukrainian or U.S. laws, and therefore may not be eligible for intercountry adoption.
The State Department’s Office of Children’s Issues posted information about Visas for Ukrainian Children, which includes additional information and clarifications.
COVID-19 Travel Requirements for the United StatesAdditionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has determined that it is in the national interest to permit the entry to the United States of certain individuals traveling from Ukraine without showing proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to traveling to the United States. For more information on this National Interest Exception, please refer to the DHS website.
More information can be found on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website
COVID-19 Travel Requirements for Other Countries
You must comply with COVID-related testing and vaccination requirements of the countries you visit as well as the regulations of the airlines. If you fail to do so, you may be denied entry or boarding. As requirements vary from country to country, please make sure you fully understand the COVID requirements of each country you plan to visit. Most of the country-specific requirements can be found on the website of the U.S. embassy located in that country.
Ukraine has seen a sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases, and U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated to facilitate international travel. You can find information about COVID-19 testing facilities in Ukraine here.
Departing Ukraine by Land:
In most cases, U.S. citizens departing Ukraine must present a valid U.S. passport and proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Travelers are also encouraged to present a negative test result from a PCR or antigen COVID-19 test taken as recently as possible, which will facilitate international border crossing. U.S. citizens should be prepared to comply with country-specific entry requirements, which may differ from the entry requirements for travelers arriving by plane.
The State Department encourages those traveling by land from Ukraine to cross at the border crossings listed below, if you need assistance from a U.S. consular officer:
Guidance on Land Border Crossings
U.S. citizens wishing to depart Ukraine by land have several options, listed below.
Note that conditions at each border can change very quickly and wait times can increase at any time without warning. Be prepared to wait for many hours to cross:
- Have extra batteries and power banks for your mobile phones.
- Bring enough food and water for at least two days.
- Stock up on diapers and baby food, if applicable.
- Bring blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothes.
- Ensure enough pet food if you are with your pet.
- Bring hard copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports [even if expired], any other identification) and don’t rely on cell phones and computer batteries.
- Book accommodations prior to arrival, as many hotels near the borders are already booked.
Local authorities in Romania, Poland, and Moldova have reception centers immediately beyond most border crossings, where you can find food, temporary lodging, clothes, and transportation to the next bigger town.
Specific info on entering neighboring countries from Ukraine
Poland
Information and consular services for U.S. citizens will continue to be available from the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw and the U.S. Consulate General in Krakow (contact information below).
The Government of Poland has established reception centers for temporary accommodations of people arriving from Ukraine at many locations near the border and throughout Poland and is providing transportation to these reception centers.
- Official information in English from the Government of Poland is available here.
- A map of the Polish reception centers is available here.
- For detailed information on crossing the border, contact the Polish Border Guard helpline at: +48 82 568 51 19.
Read messages and alerts from the U.S. Embassy in Poland on security and border crossing issues.
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Poland, call +48 22 504 2784 or +48 22 504 2000 (Embassy Warsaw), or +48 12 424 5100 (Consulate General Krakow), or email ACSWarsaw@state.gov or KrakowACS@state.gov.
Romania
Read messages and alerts from the U.S. Embassy in Romania on security and border crossing issues.
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Romania, call +40-21-270-6000 or email ACSBucharest@state.gov.
The Romanian Border Police’s website also provides relevant information.
Hungary
Read messages and alerts from the U.S. Embassy in Hungary on security and border crossing issues.
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Hungary, call +36-1-475-4400 or email ACS.Budapest@state.gov.
The Hungarian Police’s website also provides relevant information.
Slovakia
Find info on entering Slovakia from Ukraine on the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia’s website.
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia, call +421-2-5443-0861 or +421-903-703-666 or email consulbratislava@state.gov.
Moldova
U.S. citizens traveling into Moldova by land from Ukraine should avoid the Transnistria region and cross into Moldova either to the north or south of the region. The main Moldova-Ukraine border crossing south of Transnistria is Palanca – Mayaki Udobnoe. The main border crossing north of Transnistria is Otaci – Mohyliv-Podilskyi.
Read messages and alerts from the U.S. Embassy in Moldova on security and border crossing issues.
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Moldova, call +373-2240-8300 or email ChisinauACS@state.gov.
Belarus
Do not travel to Belarus due to the arbitrary enforcement of laws, the risk of detention, the Russian military attack on neighboring Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military in Belarus along the border with Ukraine, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions. U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately via commercial or private means. Read the State Department's travel advisory for Belarus.
Russia
Do not travel to Russia due to the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces, the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens by Russian government security officials, the singling out of U.S. citizens in Russia by Russian government security officials including for detention, the arbitrary enforcement of local law, limited flights into and out of Russia, the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, and terrorism. U.S. citizens residing or travelling in Russia should depart Russia immediately. Read the State Department's travel advisory for Russia.