Yes, you can travel to Ukraine: the land border is open, Spanish citizens do not need a visa and tens of thousands of foreigners enter every month. What does not exist is a risk-free trip. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against travel in all cases, and that advice has practical consequences you should know about.
What exactly does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say?
The travel advice for Ukraine is at the highest level: "travel is not recommended under any circumstances", and Spanish citizens in the country are asked to leave if they can. It is not a legal prohibition: no Spanish citizen commits an offence by entering Ukraine. But the advice has three effects:
- Spanish travel insurance is void in Ukraine (why).
- Consular assistance is limited. The Embassy in Kyiv is operating, but it cannot arrange individual evacuations or pay medical expenses.
- Companies sending employees usually require specific cover and written consent.
What is the situation by area?
| Area | Usual situation | Recommended insured sum |
|---|---|---|
| West: Lviv, Uzhhorod, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk | Normal life, frequent air-raid alerts but sporadic strikes, mostly on energy infrastructure. | €3,000 or €30,000 |
| Kyiv and region | City fully functioning. Missile and drone strikes several times a month, active air defence, shelters in the metro. | €30,000 |
| Odesa, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Sumy | More frequent strikes, local restrictions, longer curfew in some cities. | €30,000 |
| Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and front-line regions | Artillery fire and guided bombs. Only for professional reasons and with a supporting organisation. | €30,000; consider the radiation option in Zaporizhzhia |
| Occupied territories and Crimea | Entering from Russia is a criminal offence under Ukrainian law and results in a ban on entering Ukraine. | No cover |
How do air-raid alerts work?
Each region has its own alert. When the siren sounds (and the Air Alert app vibrates), it means missiles or drones are in the air that could affect that region; it does not mean they are going to land on your street. Most Ukrainians carry on with their lives during short alerts; for ballistic missile attacks, which arrive within minutes, it is worth going down to the shelter or, at the very least, moving away from windows and getting between two walls.
Hotels point out the nearest shelter. In Kyiv, the metro stations are the default shelter.
Curfew and other restrictions
- National curfew from 00:00 to 05:00; the same in Kyiv and Lviv, longer in Kharkiv and Sumy. During those hours you cannot be on the street without authorisation.
- It is forbidden to photograph military installations, checkpoints, air defence and the damage from a recent strike until the authorities allow it.
- Document checks on the street are normal. Carry your passport with you at all times.
- Alcohol sales are restricted to certain hours in some regions.
Who travels now, and why?
Mixed Spanish-Ukrainian families visiting parents and grandparents, volunteers from NGOs and private initiatives, journalists and documentary makers, business people in agriculture, energy and construction, and an increasing number of reconstruction professionals. They all share the same requirements: a passport, Ukrainian insurance and common sense.
What to have ready
- Passport and Ukrainian insurance on your phone.
- Registration in the Foreign Ministry's Travellers' Register.
- The Air Alert and Ukrzaliznytsia apps installed before you leave.
- Cash in euros to exchange and a card that works abroad.
- A power bank: power cuts return every winter.
And read the guide on the Spanish Embassy in Kyiv to find out what it can and cannot do for you.