The EU representative persuades Crimeans to become citizens of Ukraine in order to enjoy “visa-free”

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Press Secretary of the European Union Delegation to Ukraine David Stulik said that residents of Crimea will be able to travel to the EU without visas only if they have a biometric passport of a citizen of Ukraine. He announced this at a press conference in Kyiv, UNIAN reports.

“There is a growing interest in being a Ukrainian citizen, which is a very important message for residents of Crimea and the occupied territories (Donbass - Rosbalt), because there are many people there, for example in Crimea, who want to travel to the EU. Now they are given the opportunity - either you travel with Russian passports, apply for visas, pay 60 euros - or you have a biometric passport of a Ukrainian citizen, and you travel without visas,” Stulik said.

“Ukraine needs to use this message in information policy for these territories, this shows how important and necessary it is to be a citizen of Ukraine... I think that for many people this will be a definite argument to change their minds about what is happening there,” the press officer added. secretary.

“The EU, as part of its policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea, also does not recognize Russian passports issued in Crimea after the annexation. That is, with these passports you cannot enter the EU territory, you can only with a Ukrainian passport... or with those passports of the Russian Federation that were issued by the Russian consulates in Crimea earlier. That is, there are restrictions here for residents of Crimea, because de jure they are residents of Ukraine,” the press attaché said.

Let us remind you that on April 6, the European Parliament voted to simplify the visa regime for Ukrainian citizens who have a biometric passport and are traveling to the EU for short-term trips. It was reported that in the first hours after this news, the Ukrainian official website for issuing foreign passports “collapsed”.

The liberalization of exit procedures is expected to come into force in early June.

However, Ukrainian citizens living in Crimea can receive a Schengen visa in their foreign passport. To obtain an entry permit, you must contact the consulate of the selected EU country on Ukrainian territory. Citizens of Ukraine living in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and having a biometric passport are allowed to cross the European border visa-free. To enter the EU without a visa, you must collect and present a package of supporting documents to a border guard. This is extremely difficult to do, since documents issued by the Crimean authorities are not recognized in Ukraine and Europe.

Citizens of the Russian Federation who received a foreign passport before the illegal annexation and live in Crimea can continue to use their current passport to obtain a Schengen visa. Those documents that were issued after annexation are not considered valid, therefore visa applications for them will not be considered by the consulate.

The European Union also does not recognize documents issued in the DPR and LPR. Ukrainians living in the occupied territory of eastern Ukraine can enter Europe by opening a Schengen visa in a previously issued foreign passport or by obtaining EU citizenship.

Kyiv is about to sign an agreement with the European Union. According to some reports, residents of Crimea have hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian passports in their hands. And making new ones is not a problem

This week Ukraine will sign an agreement on a visa-free regime with the EU. Against the backdrop of this event, as well as statements by the Ukrainian president about the hope for the return of Crimea and Donbass, an opinion has emerged that Crimeans will supposedly also be able to enter the European Union without problems - after all, many still have Ukrainian passports.

As Crimean journalist, public figure and blogger Alexander Gorny told Business FM, in order for residents of the peninsula to receive a document of a Ukrainian citizen, they do not even have to go to a neighboring state:

Alexander Gornyjournalist, public figure and blogger“Many Crimeans did not surrender their Ukrainian passports, many kept them, civil servants were obliged to surrender them. As far as I understand, many gave up, but it’s quite easy to restore these passports: you crossed the border, or you don’t even have to cross, paid a hundred dollars, and intermediaries will arrange these passports for you remotely. According to available information, which even the Ukrainian side provides, about 60 thousand new type of biometric passports were issued to Crimeans in 2015-2016. As far as I understand, Crimeans do not automatically fall under the visa-free regime; they will be required to undergo certain procedures; in principle, this is also possible, as I understand it. Here such interesting information arises that some Crimean officials even managed to enter the territory of Ukraine in 2015-2016.”

According to the blogger, Crimeans now have hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian passports in their hands. Is this true? This question is answered State Duma deputy from Sevastopol Dmitry Belik:

“I’m not ready to say how many passports the Crimeans and Sevastopol residents have in their hands; I think no one can say that. The most important thing is that when the sixth federal constitutional law was adopted, when Crimea and Sevastopol became part of the Russian Federation, a certain period was given, in my opinion, three months, during which Crimeans and Sevastopol residents, unless they confirmed otherwise, automatically became citizens of the Russian Federation. Anyone who disagreed with this law could submit applications to the Federal Migration Service and remain a citizen of Ukraine.

— Now, with the entry into force of Ukraine’s visa-free regime with EU countries, will this somehow affect the desire of Crimeans, those who still have Ukrainian foreign passports, to visit these EU countries, will this be possible with their passports?

— I’ll tell you more, Crimeans and Sevastopol are patriots of their Motherland, and there will actually be only a few of those who want to travel with a Ukrainian passport. The vast majority of Crimeans and Sevastopol residents will take advantage of Russian documents to go on vacation, if they want to go somewhere in Europe or other countries.

Last Thursday, the EU Council approved the final decision to grant Ukraine a visa-free regime. The document states that Ukrainians will be able to stay in the Schengen countries for no more than 90 days within six months. However, this type of agreement does not apply to labor relations.

Western bait was thrown to territories not controlled by Kyiv

Crimeans who kept their Ukrainian passports were lured by visa-free Europe

Dmitry Dzhus

More than 3 million people in Ukraine own biometric passports, which are necessary for visa-free travel to the EU. By the end of the year, according to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov, the state migration service will be able to issue approximately 1.5 million biometric documents. The excitement began after last week’s positive decision by the European Parliament to liberalize the visa regime for Ukraine.

The decision of European deputies is not the last stage of the movement towards a visa-free regime that began in 2008. A vote is scheduled for April 26 by ambassadors of EU member states, which will determine whether the Ukrainian issue will be included on the agenda of the ministerial meeting.

The Council of Ministers of the EU itself, which will have to put an end to the decision to grant Ukraine a visa-free regime, will meet on May 11. If the decision is positive, the document will be published and will come into force 20 days from the date of publication. That is, if everything goes according to plan, then around mid-June Ukrainians will be able to cross the western border without a visa in their passport.

Only those who have managed to obtain a biometric passport will take advantage of this advantage. Outwardly, it looks like an old international passport book. But in the new document, the first page contains an electronic chip with a digitized photograph, index fingerprints and the signature of the owner. Such a document is drawn up at the migration service offices, regardless of the place of registration. The applicant is required only to have an internal passport, an identification code (issued by the tax authorities) and a military ID (for men).

You can return your old passport when you receive a new document or leave it if necessary (for example, if you have a long-term work visa). Those who do not want or do not have time to obtain a biometric passport by the summer will be able to travel abroad as before after receiving a visa.

The EU appears to be preparing for liberalization. At a round table held recently at the Gorshenin Institute, press attache of the EU Delegation to Ukraine David Stulik said that Brussels is already starting an information campaign for Ukrainians so that everyone understands where, how and for what purpose they can go without a visa. As NG wrote, citizens of Ukraine will be able to travel within the Schengen zone no more than 90 days every six months, and the purpose of travel cannot be permanent work or study. Only tourism, scientific cooperation or visiting.

David Stulik noted that the EU Delegation seeks to debunk myths regarding visa-free travel: “One of the most common is that documents that were previously submitted to the consulates will now need to be taken with you at the border. Ukrainian citizens who will travel are no different from citizens of other third countries to which the visa-free policy applies. At the border, they may be asked about the purpose of the trip, whether they have sufficient finances, where they will live, and who they will visit. That is, these are documents that everyone already has with them. For example, some kind of electronic hotel reservation or invitations to business fairs or festivals. Someone going to a sporting event will show the ticket. You won’t need to carry with you all these certificates about the status of your bank account or the availability of real estate, or confirmation from your employer - all this won’t be needed.”

Stulik answered a sensitive question about the prospects for visa-free travel for Crimeans (Ukraine officially recognizes Crimea as its, but “temporarily occupied” territory) and residents of the part of Donbass not controlled by Kyiv. Those who have retained Ukrainian citizenship will be able to obtain a biometric passport at migration service offices in Ukraine.

Expert of the public organization “Europe without Borders” Ekaterina Kulchitskaya in a commentary on the Ukrainian radio program “Crimea. Realii" suggested that in Crimea and Donbass they will now "remember Ukrainian passports." She noted that all citizens of Ukraine, regardless of place of residence, enjoy the same rights. Questions may arise for some - for example, for those who try to travel to the EU using a Ukrainian passport from the territory of the Russian Federation.

The European Union is also tightening inspection rules at its external borders. The corresponding orders of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, adopted in mid-March of this year, came into force on April 7. The country's State Border Service clarified that the innovations do not directly affect citizens of Ukraine. The point is that even EU citizens, for whom the borders of the Schengen zone were previously invisible, will now have to undergo control when crossing the external border of the EU; data on their entry and exit will be entered into a special database. However, experts are convinced that tightening controls will also lead to more meticulous checks of third-country citizens seeking to join the EU. There are fears in Brussels new wave migrants.

Analyst at the Ukrainian Institute of World Politics Ekaterina Zarembo, in an article for the publication “Mirror of the Week,” noted that most likely Europeans will soon be convinced of the groundlessness of their fears - those who wanted and could leave Ukraine for the EU earlier. She cited data from the research company GfK for 2015, which indicates negative dynamics informal employment citizens of Ukraine abroad (the flow of migrants decreased from 328 thousand in 2006 to 209 thousand in 2015). “We should not expect a massive influx of asylum seekers from Ukraine,” Zarembo is convinced. She noted that in 2015 there were almost 21 thousand, in 2016 - half as much, about 11 thousand.

Experts believe that the success of internal reforms in Ukraine determines whether Ukrainians will seek to enter the EU for the purpose of illegal employment or will be able to travel to Europe as tourists. “I would like to see Europe increase quotas for our products on EU markets and create jobs. Everyone who wanted to get Schengen received it a long time ago and traveled safely,” he said to the radio program “Crimea. Realities” managing partner of the Ukrainian anti-crisis group Taras Zagorodniy. Director of the consulting company “Party of Power” Elena Dyachenko, in a commentary to RIA Novosti Ukraine, noted that visa liberalization “will not change anything in the lives of 90% of Ukrainians living at or below the poverty line. Europeans are waiting for us only if we want to spend money there - as tourists or for business purposes... For solvent Ukrainians, only the border crossing procedure will change.”

The head of the Institute of Ukrainian Politics, Konstantin Bondarenko, also believes that the issue of a visa-free regime “is only considered important at the elite level.” For ordinary Ukrainians, this event is in 10th–12th place in importance: “In the first place are high tariffs, unemployment, the problem of war...” The political scientist noted that a third of Ukrainian citizens previously had international passports, but only half of the owners used them. “The authorities are simply substituting concepts: instead of European integration, they present us with a visa-free regime as a victory... If Poroshenko hopes that, say, he will last until the fall on the euphoria in connection with the visa-free regime, then he is mistaken. Visa-free travel can add 1.5–2% to its not very high rating. But these percentages will be situational and will only last until the end of summer. And in the fall, new problems will begin related to the economic and social situation.”

President Petro Poroshenko immediately after the announcement of the positive vote of the European Parliament (521 votes for, 75 against, 36 abstained) said that now the government will do everything to make travel to the EU more accessible for ordinary citizens: “To make travel cheaper, to Low-cost airlines have come to Ukraine.” He noted that young people will be able not to stand in lines at consulates and visa centers, not to pay 30-60 euros for a visa, but simply to go to neighboring countries and “see with their own eyes and be convinced of the advantages of European values, the European system.” He noted that the decision of the European Parliament “is not yet the opening of borders, we are still waiting for the decision of the EU Council, we are working to ensure that no one pushes back or delays this decision.” Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin also told reporters that he would celebrate only when the first citizens of Ukraine with biometric passports cross the EU border without visas.

In Kyiv they are convinced that they are putting a spoke in the wheels Russian forces. This thesis is repeated by both politicians and many experts. An example is the false report of a fire in the European Parliament building last Wednesday, just as European MPs were due to begin considering the issue of visa liberalization for Ukraine. Political analyst Taras Chornovil believes that after an unsuccessful attempt to disrupt the meeting, “Russian propaganda turned on.” He criticized the thesis that the majority of Ukrainian citizens will not be able to take advantage of visa-free travel to Europe. “In fact, there are people who today cannot and will not want to go anywhere. And when the situation was better, there were also many people who had never been to Kyiv or the neighboring region, although they could have gone. They won’t go today... But the young will find an opportunity to see the world. Especially when, in a visa-free space, an air ticket from Stockholm to Barcelona is much cheaper than from Kyiv to Odessa,” Chornovil wrote in his blog.

SIMFEROPOL, February 29 - RIA Novosti (Crimea). Spring and summer are traditional times for travel, so Crimeans are already actively looking for holiday destinations. If earlier resorts in Turkey, Egypt and European countries were affordable for residents of the peninsula, then after the introduction of sanctions and restrictions, the number of foreign holiday destinations where Crimeans are welcome has decreased. However, along with sanctions restrictions on entry into a number of countries, dozens of visa-free destinations have become available to Russian Crimeans. The correspondent figured out where Crimeans are welcome and where they are not.

Crimeans were given the green light in 70 countries

Crimeans have become Russians, which means that they can visit 70 countries visa-free. In particular, with a Russian passport, residents of the peninsula can visit Azerbaijan, Abkhazia, Georgia, Hong Kong, Bosnia and Herzegovina, relax in the resorts of Brazil, Cuba, Morocco, the Dominican Republic, Singapore, Thailand, and plunge into island life in the Maldives, Seychelles and the Bahamas. A total of 70 countries are visa-free.

The length of stay in them varies - from two weeks to several months. In addition, some countries require a certain amount of money, a tour package, confirmation of a hotel reservation, or an invitation from a resident of the country.

As RIA Novosti (Crimea) was told by one of the largest travel agencies on the peninsula that sells tours abroad, after the suspension of air traffic with Egypt and the entry into force of the decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin banning the sale of tours to Turkey, residents of the peninsula switched to other destinations.

“Thailand, the Emirates, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Maldives are very popular this year. These countries have completely different services, which determines the price category. In Malaysia and Indonesia, on average, a vacation costs about 8 thousand rubles per day, in Thailand 10- a day tour for two with a flight can be purchased for 78 thousand rubles. That is, prices are affordable for most destinations,” said travel agency manager Ekaterina.

Vietnam is becoming increasingly popular among Crimeans, the travel agency emphasized. Package tours there are now much more affordable in price, although it varies greatly - depending on the time, hotel and vacation spot. For example, a twelve-day vacation at the Nha Trang resort for two can be purchased for 90-100 thousand rubles.

One of the popular destinations this year was Cyprus, where Crimeans can travel with a Pro-Visa.

“This visa was created in order to simplify the process of traveling to Cyprus as much as possible for Russians. It is issued free of charge and does not require personal presence. So Cyprus has become accessible to Crimeans,” said tour sales manager Larisa Korostoyanova.

At the same time, tour operators emphasized that a visa-free regime does not guarantee entry into a particular country, since the final decision on this is made by border services. For example, if a tourist has already been found to have violated order in the country or has exceeded the permissible period of stay, then he may be denied entry into the country.

Crimeans strive to reach Europe bypassing sanctions

In 2014, EU countries announced non-recognition of the fact of reunification of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russian Federation, closed their consular missions and visa centers on the peninsula and have since. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, residents of the peninsula can apply for visas only at consular offices located on the territory of Ukraine, and.

And if a year ago Crimean tour operators recommended that citizens do this, accepting Ukrainian documents from them, then the new rules for obtaining Schengen visas using Ukrainian passports with the submission of biometric data have greatly reduced the flow of tourists from Crimea to Europe, the tour operators noted.

“Since June 23 last year in Ukraine, in order to obtain a visa, people must first submit fingerprints, which can only be done in person at consulates or visa centers. Until this moment, tourists submitted documents to Italy, Spain, France, Holland and they all received visas, that is, the main thing is a good package of documents, financial guarantees. And now we don’t deal with registration, everyone who wants to travel on their own with Ukrainian documents goes to the consulates and tries to apply privately,” noted the manager of the reservation department of one of the Crimean travel agencies. .

However, some EU countries are already more loyal to the residents of the peninsula. This year, according to tour operators, some previously closed countries are already giving Crimeans the green light.

“With Russian foreign passports, Crimeans are given Italian visas, but through one person, the probability of getting it is 50/50. Tourists also applied for France, and they were also granted visas, but here the cases are rare; rather, it’s a matter of luck,” said travel agent Ekaterina .

Another travel agency on the peninsula emphasized that they do not recommend their clients try to open Schengen, since the risk of refusal is too great.

“Officially, we ask our largest Russian tour operator partners for help in booking tours and obtaining a visa, but they always tell us that this is at our own peril and risk. That is, if tourists want to take risks, then let them, but most likely they will not receive a visa “Our tourists are completely rejected,” noted travel agency representative Irina. “If a tourist goes to submit documents privately to Moscow, then there is a chance, but some tour operators recommend doing so - going on your own, booking a tour to countries loyal to us. , but always take out insurance in case of failure."

More or less loyal countries include Greece and Spain. However, there are no guarantees of getting into them either. As one of the tourists told the agency, there are travel agencies on the mainland that deal with issuing visas to Europe, which for a certain amount provide fictitious documents about registration, place of work and other papers to residents of the peninsula, and according to the documents, a Crimean citizen becomes a resident of mainland Russia. On average, a package of “correct” documents for a visa to Spain costs about 12 thousand rubles.

By the way, previously, in case of refusal, this entire amount was non-refundable, but now if visas are rejected, tour operators return half the amount to the tourist.

Egypt and Türkiye are open to “savages”: is there any point in taking risks?

Officially, after the terrorist attack in the skies over the Sinai Peninsula on the Kogalymavia airliner, where 224 people were killed after a bomb explosion, and the tragedy with the Russian Su-24 bomber shot down by the Turkish Air Force over Syrian territory, charter flights to Egypt and Turkey have been cancelled. However, some people still want to relax on the Mediterranean or Red Sea or visit these countries. For what? There are a lot of everyday situations.

One of the reasons for Russians traveling between countries is mixed marriages, since many of our compatriots are married to Egyptians and Turks. If at the time of flight cancellation the husband and wife were in different countries, then they will one way or another have to violate the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and look for an opportunity to get to each other.

In addition, our fellow citizens remained working at the resorts of both countries as guides, animators, instructors and service personnel. They are also forced to live on a break and look for options for moving.

As the Crimean travel agency said, there are such methods. In particular, residents of the peninsula can independently fly to resorts through other countries, for example, Ukraine or Belarus, by issuing tickets and booking a hotel. By the way, the visa-free regime was introduced by Russia; Türkiye did not introduce a similar measure for our compatriots.

Crimeans want to travel around their country

This year, tours around Russia are in particular demand among residents of the peninsula. Tour sales manager Larisa Korostoyanova emphasized that exactly Russian destinations have become dominant among the clients of the travel agency she represents.

“The main destination that we sell today is Russia. Baikal, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Karelia, as well as cruises from St. Petersburg are what are of particular interest to the residents of the peninsula today,” the manager noted, emphasizing that after the complicated relations with the former countries that are attractive for tourism, most Russians quickly reoriented towards domestic tourism.