Hi Jaggis
Firstly when you apply for your Visa D . Do it online in the UK. Then book an appointment. When you arrive ( I guess LONDON) they will look at your passport and a very quick look at your bank statement, its more to show , you have an account, not what is in it. Pay for the Visa D by bank card, cash is not a good idea. They will take your passport of you, and give you it back in about 20 days time, with the visa D.. I would also suggest that you get your visa D to start a few days after the date you will collect it, as the start date you need to be traveling to Ukraine. This is because although you have a visa D it is still only valid for 90 days. and when you arrive in the Ukraine you need to be looking to starting your TRP. This can take up to 30 days. One good thing is, that if you find a problem with your TRP application your visa D will be extended. When you get your TRP you need to register at your wife's address or at an address. You need medical insurance , get one that covers you for 90 days, when you arrive in the Ukraine, buy Ukrainian health insurance its about £50 for a year. Why you ask. well the Ovir needs to see it in Ukrainian and it could cost almost the same to get a translation. Trust me , my first insurance was for the year £560. paperwork 68 pages double-sided and the Ovir asked for the lot to be translated. Then she said get a Ukrainian insurance to cover 35,000 euros and bring to her and all good. You will need a notarized copy of you passport with the Visa D in it. They will also keep it till TRP is granted. If you married in the Ukraine then they will need a copy and see the original. If you got married outside that also needs to be notarized. May sound complicated but really its not. Total cost for the TRP is around 2500 uah translation first time 300 to 600 and normally 100 uah per copy. Translation from 100 to 300 uah per page (side)
Hope that helps
martin