Airport and customs

FIRST, after you enter the airport you will need to purchase Ukrainian short-term health insurance. This is required for all foreigners traveling to Ukraine, except British citizens. (The average cost is $7.00 per person for a two week stay).
SECOND, proceed to passport control and present your insurance that you purchased and your passport with the visa stamped in it. The passport officer will stamp your passport and give you a slip of paper that looks like an advertisement for a casino. This slip is very important and should be kept for your exit from Ukraine.

After you go through passport control, you will then pick up your luggage. Once you have your luggage, there are two lines - one for those who have items to declare and one for those who do not wish to declare anything. Place the luggage through the x-ray machine. Once your luggage has been x-rayed, you will need to pass through customs. A declaration is required for all who go through the RED LINE. This means that you need to declare any "expensive" items which you intend to take back to the your native country with you, on your departure from Ukraine: i.e., laptops, cameras, watches, jewelry, etc... If you do not declare these items, you may be required to pay a heavy tax upon your departure.

(NOTE - you do not need to declare items that you are bringing for the Ukrainian church, for the missionaries, or that you are planning to leave in Ukraine.)

You are also required to declare moneys that your are bringing into the country, if over $1000.00. At the customs desk, present your passport and declaration form to the officer. They may or may not ask to look through your luggage. Then you proceed to the hall where you meet your greeting party.

If you have declared items upon your arrival to Ukraine, then when departing the country you will need to fill out a new customs declaration and give the officer your passport, old and new declaration forms, plane ticket, and time stamped entry form. The officer may ask about any Ukrainian money you desire to take out and may ask to look in your luggage, if you listed that you are carrying out "restricted" items listed on the declaration form (paintings, icons, antiques, firearms, drugs, etc...)

Ask your team leader or Ukrainian church leader about taking out anything that seems suspicious or that a Ukrainian may give you as a gift or ask you to deliver to someone in the US.