How to get permission to export a painting or other cultural property abroad

Below is a simplified step-by-step guide on how to obtain a permit to export a painting or other cultural property abroad. The instructions are based on the description provided and are intended for those who are new to this process.

1. Prepare information about the painting

You will need:

• Name of the painting
• Dimensions (in centimeters)
• Year of painting
• Name of the author (artist)
• Estimated cost of the painting

All information must be provided in Ukrainian, as required by Ukrainian customs services.

2. Obtain a conclusion from an authorized organization

To export a painting from Ukraine, you need a conclusion (conclusion) from the relevant state body – usually this is:

• The Department of Culture of the Kyiv City State Administration (in Kyiv)

or

• The Expert Department of the National Art Museum of Ukraine (NAMU)

This conclusion confirms that your painting does not have cultural value and can be exported outside Ukraine.

Contacts of the NAMU Expert Department

• Phone / Viber: +38 093 290 26 52
• Reception of applications: Monday – Friday from 10:00 to 15:00

You can write in Viber and indicate:

• How many paintings (works) do you have
• Do you need to combine all the works into one document (form) or issue a separate one for each painting
• How exactly will you transport the painting (via courier service, in the trunk of a car, etc.)
• The approximate date of shipment or border crossing
• If necessary, the address or method of receiving finished documents (Nova Post or self-pickup)

3. Prepare a scan/photo of the document for registration of the application

• First page of the passport of a citizen of Ukraine (the person who applies for the examination)
• Application (you will receive the form from NAMU after you specify the number of works and details)

The organization (NAMU) registers your application based on this data.

4. Pay for the service after the examination

1. First, NAMU experts will check your application and prepare a conclusion.
2. When the documents are ready, you will be informed of the details for payment to the museum’s account.
3. After payment, you can:

• Personally pick up the finished documents in Kyiv (6 Hrushevskoho St.) by prior arrangement

or

• Receive them by Nova Post (Tuesday and Thursday are usually shipping days)

5. Get a ready-made permit

As a result, you will have a state examination of cultural values ​​from NAMU or a conclusion from another authorized body. This document (together with the export permit itself) will confirm the right to export your painting abroad.

Important points

• The cost of the service depends on the number of paintings and other parameters (number of separate forms, urgency, etc.). You will be informed of the exact prices in the expert department itself
• All information for customs services must be submitted in Ukrainian
• The process of reviewing and processing documents takes time, so contact us in advance to have time to process everything by the planned date of shipment

This is a basic instruction “from scratch” so that you understand the essence of the procedure. If you have additional questions or need assistance in filling out the forms, please clarify the details directly with the NAMU expert department or the relevant government agency.