Why people often do not know about a ban
An entry ban is usually imposed together with a forced return decision or after an expulsion. Sometimes the foreigner left Ukraine on their own and never received the decision, or lost it long ago. They then learn about the ban only at the border or at a consulate, when they are refused. What a ban is and why it is imposed is explained in the article on entry bans.
Document checklist
0/4 doneThere is no online check
On the website of the ДМС (State Migration Service, DMS) there is no public online service for checking an entry ban. The site does offer a migration calculator that helps you work out your permitted period of stay, but it does not show bans.
Websites and middlemen offering to "check for a ban" for a fee have no access to state databases. Do not send them a copy of your passport and do not pay for such a "check".
Documents worth reviewing
Start with your own papers. If a forced return or expulsion decision was taken against you during a previous stay, you should have been given a copy. It sets out the grounds, how to appeal and what follows from non-compliance, including an entry ban.
Look through your passport as well. If you have already been refused entry because of a ban, the passport should carry a mark recording the ban for the period stated in the decision. Find any fine rulings and the receipts showing you paid them, since unfulfilled penalty decisions are themselves a ground for a ban.
A request to the authority
Entry bans are imposed by the DMS, the СБУ (Security Service of Ukraine, SBU), the State Border Guard Service or the National Police. Send your request to whichever of them may have imposed the ban. If you do not know which one it could be, the request goes to several authorities.
Your right to an answer comes from Article 8 of the Law "On Personal Data Protection". Everyone has the right to know whether their personal data is being processed and to receive its content, except in cases provided for by law. The time limit for replying to such a request is thirty calendar days. Foreigners lawfully staying in Ukraine may also apply to authorities under the Law "On Citizens' Appeals".
Through a representative
From abroad, it is easier to send the request through a representative in Ukraine. This requires a power of attorney certified in a way Ukrainian authorities will accept. How to legalise a document issued abroad is explained in the article on apostille and legalisation.
Besides sending the request, a representative can assess straight away whether a ban, if one exists, is worth challenging.
A new passport does not help
An entry ban applies to the person, not to a particular passport. A new passport, a passport with a different spelling of your name or a passport of another country does not remove the ban. Trying to enter on a different document can end not only in refusal but in a new, longer ban for breaching the earlier one.
With more than one citizenship, give the details of every passport in your request. This helps the authority find all records about you.
Checking before inviting an employee
Employers should keep entry bans in mind when they invite a foreigner who has worked in Ukraine before. A work permit can be issued even for a person under a ban, but that person will not be able to enter. If a candidate has overstayed in the past or left fines unpaid, ask them to check their situation before you file for the permit. How the permit process works is set out in the guide to the Ukraine work permit.
A visa refusal as a signal
When a consulate refuses a visa citing a record in the database of persons barred from entry, this almost certainly means there is a ban. Reapplying makes no sense until the ban has been lifted. What to do after a refusal is explained in the article on visa refusal.
What to do if there is a ban
Once a ban is confirmed, establish the authority and the ground. If the ground has fallen away, for example the fine has been paid, ask the authority to review its decision. An unlawful decision is challenged in court. You must not enter before the ban is lifted, because breaching it extends its term.
Lawyer's experience
Most people come to me after they have been stopped at the border or refused a visa by a consulate. By then the money for tickets and the visa fee is already spent. If you had violations in the past, I advise checking before the trip rather than after it.
My second piece of advice concerns middlemen. Clients sometimes come to me after paying for a "database check" and receiving an invented result. Only a state authority gives an official answer, and that is where we send our requests.
If you suspect you may be banned, our entry ban removal work begins with official requests to the authorities.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Is there a website where I can check for an entry ban?+
There is no official public service. The DMS website has a migration calculator for working out your period of stay, but it does not show bans. Paid websites offering to "check for a ban" have no access to state data.
Where should I send the request?+
Send it to the authority that may have taken the decision. That is the DMS, the State Border Guard Service, the SBU or the National Police. The simplest route is through a representative in Ukraine.
Can I find out about a ban from abroad?+
Yes. The personal data protection law gives you the right to know whether your data is being processed and what it contains. The authority has thirty calendar days to reply. A representative acting under a power of attorney can send the request for you.
Can the authority refuse to give me the information?+
The law allows exceptions set by law. An answer about a ban imposed on national security grounds may be restricted.
Will a new passport get me around the ban?+
No. A ban attaches to the person, not to the document. Trying to enter on a different passport can end in a new and longer ban.
This article is general guidance, not individual legal advice.