Cabinet of Ministers Simplifies Entry Visa Procedure for Foreigners

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine made alterations to the Rules for Granting Visas to Enter Ukraine and Transit Visas, reported the Institute for Religious Freedom.

The alterations were made due to the coming into effect of the new wording of the Law of Ukraine “On Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons.”

The resolution expands the possibilities  of foreign religious figures coming to Ukraine. The purpose of their activity can now include “preaching of religious teachings, administering of religious rites and other canonical activity.”

However, invitations of religious organizations for foreign religious ministers should be “certified by the state authorities where the religious organizations are registered.”

According to the experts of the Institute for Religious Freedom, the authorities copied without any specification and included in the text of the resolution a contradictory formulation of the new wording of the Law on the legal status of foreigners and stateless persons.

As IRF stressed earlier, such an ambiguous norm leaves it unclear whether religious organizations should apply for certification of the invitations to the regional state administrations who registered their statutes or to state registrars who issue the certificate of registration of a legal person.

In view of the above, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations stressed the importance of making more active the specialized Public Council of the Ministry of Foreign Afafirs of Ukraine on cooperation with religious organizations.