... in response to More on Ukrainian Visa, posted by Albert on Aug 12, 2005

I don't know why the heck I didn't just get a multiple entry visa to BEGIN with. Would have save me $100's not to mention the pain in the arse. I'm going to get one regardless.

The rule stated no visa for USA citizens who are in the category of:

"Those who have valid passports and wish to transit Ukraine for a period of up to 90 days..."

OK, so what is the definition of 'transiting Ukraine?'
It can't mean just passing through on the way to somewhere else, since it states 90 days.  A person in decent shape could probably walk across Ukraine in less than 90 days.

So why can't any US citizen who wants to visit Ukraine for up to 90 days be in the 'transit' category.  This would eliminate the necessity for a prior visa within a 6 month time period.

I already have a 5 year multi entry visa, so no consequence to me either way.

But curious anyway to know why everyone from USA could not fit into the 'transit' exception.

... in response to RW's travelling on business, posted by Streetwise on Aug 15, 2005

Well if I compare to Belarus and I kind of have to then I suspect that they're mainly going to a bigger city to get what is impossible to get where they come from.

But as said .... just a shot in the dark.

Your guess might be very valid as it can be a very valid way of income if you're on the average salary in that part of the world.

I have met several Ukrainian ladies who tell me that their work involves travelling around to different cities of Ukraine on business. None of them appeared to be very high earners even by Ukrainian standards, yet some employer was paying their hotel and other expenses to travel to different cities. I never quite understood the nature of their work, although I believe one of them had something to do with accounts.  Has anyone else come across this phenomenon? Are young attracive female business travellers common in Ukraine? One of them answered her phone with airport announcements in the background. Or is this then the "industry jargon" for "gone to Kiev to meet another guy?" Not that that's a problem in the early stages of an acquaintance, but as it seems to be a recurring theme I would be interested to now how many others have been fed the same line.

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Back from a 3 week trip in B..., posted by Cold Warrior on Aug 22, 2005

Sure there's plenty ATM's with access from the streets at the banks. Again do watch the exchangerate it can vary with more than 100 BY Ruples in the same town on the same day. In Mogilev I observed even greater differences at the same day.

I had travellers checks and cash with me because I didn't know the situation and I don't like to loose my card.

When you exchange the travellerscheck you get the amount and pay a fee approx. 10.000,- BY Ruples in fee and then go change that currency to BY Ruples (so have some US $ / Euro's in cash if you use travellers checks.

Why did you meet in Turkey. Visa / Your concers / cheap destination / the sun / You add your reasons ;-)

There's no pain in getting a visa they're more interested in getting the fee than anything else thats my firm belief ;-)

... in response to Re: Re: Back from a 3 week trip in Belar..., posted by YEP on Aug 17, 2005

MY present girlfriend in from MInsk, I've never been to Minsk as we've met a few times in Turkey. I wonder if you can use the ATM there for cash.

... in response to Re: Back from a 3 week trip in Belarus, posted by Streetwise on Aug 17, 2005

[This message has been edited by YEP]

he he .... I hoped you jumped in as I saw your nick on past posts about "Belarus/minsk".

Minsk and Mogilev (+ Mogilev region)

http://www.maporama.com/share/map.asp?SESSIONID=%7BC09A700C-8E0D-4E59-A857-CE74408A3914%7D&NewMapSize=890%2C684&NewMapStyle=maporama_shell&units=0&customize.x=24&customize.y=9&customize=submit
Was trying to find Belarus when in english mode but didn't so here's the "danish" mode ;-)

Arriving on a bad "state" hotel  at the bus-/trainstation on arrivel with my girl but we didn't notice :-)
If you stay there always go for 3'rd floor if you want a shower en suite ;-)
Continued by train to Mogilev the next day. On the return we had a reasonable appartment for US $ 30 a day. She found it in a paper where they have listings with apartments ;-) But the first night on my returntrip we did in a hotel with "seperate beds" (she's watching how we spend money like a hawk and I love that trait of hers) that her sister and "BIL" used as she went to the US as chaperone for some kids earlier this summer.

In Mogilev I rented an apartment for the very acceptable sum of US $ 13 a day for a little more than two weeks. Wasn't perfect but my girl asked me to join and watch others but I trusted her on that one and she was with me the whole time and I'm sure she'd pick another place if it wasn't OK.

Well my way to Belarus was a bit different than most of your guys for FSR's as I live in Europe (Denmark) so I took a bus to Berlin and a bus from there to Minsk and then the train to Mogilev from there ;-) (Cheap and a "interesting experience and very cheap leaving me more to spend there).

Main reason is that taking a plane from Scandinavia to Belarus with all the things I had with me would had cost a fortune ....

so I choose the +5 Euro for an extra bag of things than the +5 or more euro for every extra kilo ;-)

Currency
Going rate as ... Belarus Ruple / euro ... it's 2600+ to 1

A dollar was around 2100-2200 (from my head).

Best rate is to be had in BelSwissbank ("belarus Swissbank") in Minsk.

The further away from Minsk the more someone digs into that margin ... so in Mogilev the going rate was 2450 to 2580 pr. euro.

Customs ..... well thats a seperate chapter ;-)

But to get in was a pain of 5 hours at the German/Polish border because their IT-system was down (or some recent diplomatic thing between German/Polish border and then one more time to get into Belarus from Poland some 3-4 hours where the officials squeeze 5 euro per nose in the bus out of each person. I was the only western person in that bus.

This is done in a very clever way ... the money is collected  and one is "chosen" to deliver together with a busdriver. I was actually close to be the one ... but a nice Belarus fella that spoke german went in the way so the only extra squeeze was me being forced to sign an extra healthinsurance  of US $ 8 ;-) what the heck ... I'm alive and just enjoyed the experince of that little trick and laughed "upstairs".
Hopefully I'll be around when it's time to kick a little back then I sure know where to start .... right ... at the border ;-)

Getting back to europe was an experience again

just to get out of Belarus took about 6-8 hours ... and a squeeze (eco-tax as the busdriver told my girlfriend) of 2500 Belarus ruples (almost worse than toiletpaper ;-)  Fun fully intended)

Well I had a little stack of DVD's US $ 2-3 a piece with me back .... but the toll is way more interested in squeezing you than checking your luggage ;-) and as most people on the bus is belarus is from there ... there's not a lot to find there .... ehm saw some euro's move hands as the toll entered the bus so someone needed a little help getting some cash out of the country for some shopping/financing (buying a used car in Germany I suspect or bring some cash into hands of family there).

Hmm I was only at a disco once and that was on the birthday of my girl so and was a local place in Mogilev so my expertise on Minsk is very limited when it comes to the disco and not the main purpose of me going to Belarus.

correction .... had a romantic dinner/evening with my girl in the old town of Minsk the last day I was in Belarus in a little nice place ;-)

Be carefull the drinks isn't the usual 2 cl a piece I had a double which more turned to be a 5x2cl or more ;-)

On the other hand I saw the whole family and went to a "holiday-resort" (resort is a joke - cold water only) of a Metal factory that has been open for people not working in that plant. But nature was fine and I did some fishing with the "BIL" (his great interest).

Other obvious answers.

I only visited one woman over there as I think I did my "homework" reading/lurking this site for about a year and hanging on different free sites for the same ;-)

But hey you never know where the lightening will strike. It just happend to hit me in Belarus ;-)

You guys just keep the questions comming and I'll try my best else I'll check with my girl and I'm sure she can deliver on more exotic questions. Her english is excellent btw

... in response to Back from a 3 week trip in Belarus, posted by YEP on Aug 17, 2005

Which part(s)of Belarus did you visit? Did you stay in an apartment and if so, might I ask what is the current going rate over there? Any recommended places to go in the evenings? I was briefly there a coupe of years ago (Minsk) and I recall it was pretty quiet for a capital city. How was it at the airport? I recall Customs gave me a good going-over on departure, hoping to find undeclared currency and earn a pay-off.

... in response to Re: Re: Back from a 3 week trip in Belar..., posted by YEP on Aug 17, 2005


Correction ..... Mogilev is not the region next to Ukraine ... that's the "Gomel" region ....

But my guess is that some kids from the south of the Mogilev region needs a holiday from their normal surroundings ;-)

... in response to Re: Back from a 3 week trip in Belarus, posted by Bobby Orr on Aug 17, 2005


No not really I ate what the people around me ate and as they know what to do and not I bet I was in safe waters at all times.

Btw the sister of my "girl" is/was caperone for kids who just spent summer in the US btw to get some time away from their hometown.

Didn't ask if it was their local area or she just does the work for this organisation ;-)

But as the Mogilev region is bordering to Ukraine .... I suspect it's the kids from that region as some of the areas of the Mogilev-region will have been effected by radiation ;-)