Ukrainian Visa Update

Yesterday the US Embassy in Kiev sent out a warden message stating that U.S. citizens no longer require a visa for short-term travel to Ukraine.

I called the Embassy up to confirm that this was true and they said that it was. I additionally asked them if this meant that Americans would continue to get turned away at the border for not having a visa. Their answer: "Hopefully not."

So for the US Embassy to actually acknowledge visa-free travel, I would be inclined to think that this is actually the case. This was reinforced today when I read that the U.S. Embassy in Kiev is waiving visa issuance fees (as opposed to the $100 visa application fee) for Ukrainians and is setting up a seperate visa application process for Ukrainians that have been issued U.S. visas in the past.

Additionally, a Russian speaking friend of my brother's called up the Ukrainian Embassy in London to try to get clarification from them on the issue. They acknowledged that "there has been some confusion about this subject" but insisted that there were no longer procedures in place to isse single entry visas to American passport holders.

I guess this is all good news, but I remain thoroughly baffled by this. The website of the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington clearly says: Ukraine Sets Visa Free Regime for Revisiting U.S. Citizens

And the text of the presidential decree clearly says: "visa free regime... if they visit Ukraine for the second time within 6 months from the date of their first visit to Ukraine."

Was the Presidential decree wrong? Is MFA just making their own policy about this? Was it just a mistranslation or typo?

To quote Vince Lombardi, what the hell is going on here?

I guess we'll see when my bro arrives on the 25th.