Cookie Policy
Last updated: 19 May 2026
This Cookie Policy explains how UkraineBorder.com (operated by LLC «WELCOME TO UKRAINE», USREOU 44559356) uses cookies and similar technologies. It is a companion to our Privacy Policy.
If you only want to change your cookie settings, go directly to the Manage cookies page or open the cookie banner from the footer link.
1. What cookies are
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by a website. They allow the site to remember information about your visit — for example, your language preference or whether you have accepted cookies. Similar technologies (local storage, session storage, pixels) work in a comparable way; we treat them the same in this policy.
2. Our consent approach
We use a default-denied approach: when you arrive on the Site, no optional cookies are set until you make a choice. The cookie banner appears on first visit and offers three options:
- Accept all — turns on all categories.
- Reject non-essential — only strictly necessary cookies are set.
- Manage cookies — fine-grained control per category.
You can change your decision at any time from the Manage cookies page or via the footer link.
Strictly necessary cookies do not require consent under ePrivacy Directive and GDPR — they are always active because the Site cannot function without them.
3. Cookie categories
3.1 Strictly necessary
These cookies are essential for the Site to work — security, session integrity, remembering your consent decision. They cannot be turned off.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
ub_consent_v1 | Stores your cookie-consent decision (per-category choices + timestamp). | 1 year | First-party |
authjs.session-token | Admin session token (only set after admin login). Used only by /admin/* routes. | Session / 30 days | First-party |
__ub_insurance_session | Temporary opaque identifier for an insurance application in progress (httpOnly, 30-minute TTL). Used to recover from page refresh during the OTP step. | 30 minutes | First-party |
3.2 Functional
Functional cookies remember preferences that improve your experience (e.g., language switcher state, dismissed banners). Currently we do not set any functional cookies; this category exists to allow future preferences without re-prompting consent.
3.3 Analytics
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use the Site so we can improve it. They are set only if you accept the analytics category in the consent banner.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga, _ga_*, _gid | Google Analytics 4 — anonymous visit counting, page-view tracking, traffic-source attribution. IP is anonymised. | Up to 2 years | Google LLC (third-party — see §4) |
Google Analytics is configured with IP anonymisation and no advertising features. Data is processed under EU SCCs and the EU–US Data Privacy Framework.
3.4 Marketing
Marketing cookies are used to deliver advertising relevant to your interests. We currently do not run advertising on the Site. This category exists in the consent banner for transparency and to prevent silent future additions.
4. Third-party cookies
We use the following third-party services that may set cookies on your device. Each is contractually bound as a data processor or joint controller; see our Privacy Policy §4 for details.
- Google Analytics 4 (Google LLC, USA) — only if you grant analytics consent. Google's privacy policy.
- WayForPay (payment processor, Ukraine) — sets payment-flow cookies only on the WayForPay-hosted checkout page, not on UkraineBorder.com itself. WayForPay's privacy policy.
- Vercel (hosting, USA) — sets functional cookies for routing, caching, and security on the hosting layer. Vercel's privacy policy.
We do not embed third-party widgets that set tracking cookies (no social-media share buttons that load before consent, no embedded videos, no chat widgets).
5. Server-side consent log
When you accept or reject cookies, we record the decision server-side for accountability (GDPR Art. 7(1)). The log entry contains:
- The action taken (accept all / reject non-essential / save preferences)
- A snapshot of which categories you enabled
- A SHA-256 hash of your IP address (truncated — we do not store the raw IP)
- A truncated user-agent string
- Timestamp
This log is retained for 2 years and is used only to demonstrate consent if challenged.
6. How to manage cookies
You have three main controls:
- The consent banner / settings panel on this Site — Manage cookies. You can change your choice at any time with immediate effect.
- Your browser settings — most browsers let you block or delete cookies. Note that blocking strictly necessary cookies will break parts of the Site (you will not be able to log in to the admin area or complete an insurance application).
- Browser-level "Do Not Track" / Global Privacy Control signals — we currently treat GPC as equivalent to "Reject non-essential" for new visitors.
Common browser instructions:
7. Changes to this policy
We update this policy when our cookie usage changes or when laws change. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent change. Material changes are announced via the consent banner (your previous choice may be invalidated, prompting a fresh decision).
8. Contact
Questions about cookies or this policy:
- Email: editor@ukraineborder.com
- Postal: LLC «WELCOME TO UKRAINE», Ushinsky str, bldg. 40, office 302, Kyiv 03151, Ukraine
- Privacy request form: /legal/privacy-requests