The U.S. Embassy to Ukraine issued a record number of nonimmigrant visas to Ukrainian citizens in 2015, and since 2014 the U.S. has been issuing visas for business and tourist trips, which are valid for 10 years, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt said in an interview with the Segodnia newspaper.

The diplomat also noted that Ukrainian sailors, aircraft and commercial ships crews were also entitled to 10-year visas starting from October last year.

Besides, Pyatt said there were a number of conditions Ukraine needed to comply with under the visa-free program. These included the joint use of security data bases, e-passports, less than 3% level of visa refusals in the country at large, high level of anti-terrorist activities and high standards of border control.

The ambassador stressed that human relations between the U.S. and Ukraine were very important. He also said he was looking forward to even closer ties, as a powerful bond for relations.