During Soviet times, all citizens had to register their addresses with officials so that authorities could keep tabs on the populace. This system has eased up a bit since independence Р for Ukrainians, that is.
But if you are a foreigner living in Ukraine, you must register with the authorities within three days or face the prospect of spending late nights at the police station yaking with the local cops and maybe making a several-hundred-dollar contribution to the policemenХs fund.
Some people, particularly women, can go years without being approached by police for the customary document check. Others, especially men who look foreign (i.e. dark), can be bothered several times a day.
But even if you manage not to get stopped on the streets, chances are pretty high that if you donХt register, youХll get nabbed on the way out of the country by customs officers.
The cost of registering is about Hr 7, much less than the fine, which varies depending a whole host of factors, such as how long you stayed in the country illegally and how much money you have in your pocket at the time of arrest. Besides the cost of the fine, if youХre not a particularly adverturous person, the experience of being hauled off to the pokey could take years off your life. Trust us; youХre better off registering.
If youХre just visiting Ukraine and are staying in a hotel, you donХt need to worry about registering; hotel personnel will do it for you. And businessmen will be registered by their companies.
However, if youХre staying with friends or with a host family for more than three days, youХll need to register yourself with the office of Visas and Registration (VVIR in Ukrainian, OVIR in Russian).
It is also the place to go to renew a visa. The central VVIR in Kyiv is located at Tarasa Shevchenka 34 (tel: 225-0268 or 224-7957 or 224-1198). The working hours are Monday and Friday 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 10:30 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your passport and a statement from your landlord verifying your address. The statement must be stamped by the ZHEK (House and Utility Service Office).
Do not expect your trip to VVIR to be pleasant. It is usually overcrowded and the workers don’t appear to have much job satisfaction.
Olga Kryzhanovska
