When visiting Kiev (or Ukraine) do you have to pay off the police with 10 or 20USD to get them to leave you alone?
I heard a story (which I doubt) that there was a guy leaving Kiev and at the end of his vacation and heading back to the USA and at the airport, the police strip searched him and took his remaining money, 1000USD, and then put him on the plane for home. Is this possible and/or likely? I'm going there in May. I'm a 39 year old Awerican male. Do I need to be very careful?
petty theft, corruption
Recent Activity
View all Europe activity »
- 1 To Madrid/Barcelona on Sunday! 8 Qs to help make the trip amazing
- 2 Moonliner bus question - can you help please?
- 3 BULGARIA/GOLDEN SANDS/BALKAN HOLIDAYS
- 4 Golden Sands Bulgaria online guide
- 5
TR Provence, Israel, Switzerland, Italy..April 16 a day of AA infamy
- 6
Tales from Venice, Bologna, Pienza and Rome
- 7 American Citizen Buying a Home in Spain
- 8 Driving from Bordeaux south into Spain- tips please!!
- 9 Rome's night of the museums 18 May 2013
- 10 Travel in Spain
- 11 When is the best time to buy train tickets/where?
- 12
Germany: From the Mosel to Munich - A Detailed Trip Report
- 13 Shopping in France for the larger than average...
- 14 Gothenburg or Aarhus?
- 15 Seems to me this forum is a lot less active than in years past....
- 16 Lucerne where to stay
- 17 Torun and Zamosc similar?
- 18 Spain Pyrenees overnight stopover Help needed with route?
- 19 I Need To Vent!
- 20 France: CDG to Beaune
- 21 Athens licensed tour guide
- 22 Comfortable shoes to wear in Italy this summer and not look like a tourist
- 23 Transportation from Landshut to Munich Airport?
- 24 Venice Hotel near Cruise Terminal
- 25 The Adventure Begins.. Sarge56 in Italy
I have been to Kyiv (the Ukrainian name for Kiev) twice, and did not have any problems. I felt very safe in downtown Kyiv even late at night, and did not have problems with the police.
Some of these countries have a hang-up about taking foreign money out. Any excuse for a shake-down by these bribe fuelled economies will do, so I make damm sure that I have my ducks in line, where I know I'm going to encounter officialdom, like airport departures, arrivals, etc. Cant do much about the spontaneous stuff though.
Pete:
I have been to Ukraine four times in the last two years and have never seen any problems like the story you describe. I even carried a large amount of US cash into the country on one occasion. I declared the currency, almost 10K US dollars. They did like to count it and hold it and look at it, but no problems. I have found them to be very glad to have visitors. Have a nice trip.