VISA TO BELARUS FOR FOREIGNERS

Do Russians need a visa to Belarus?

Currently, in bilateral relations, Moscow and Minsk adhere to an open border policy. An entry permit is not required from Russian citizens traveling to the neighboring republic. Just like Belarusians, traveling on the Belarus-Russia route will not need visas.

Citizens of the Russian Federation entering the territory of Belarus have the right to:

• travel through Belarusian lands in transit;
• enter and exit an Eastern European country;
• move freely throughout the territory of the state;
• stay in Belarus for an unlimited period of time;
• reside in the republic on a long-term or permanent basis;
• obtain a permanent residence permit (there is no period of residence).

Every citizen of Belarus visiting Russia has exactly the same rights. It does not matter in which world power a Russian/Belarusian regularly lives. “Visa-free” applies in any case. Even when entering from the territory of other states.

Do Ukrainians need a visa to Belarus?

There is a visa-free regime for Ukrainians, but the rules for the presence of this category of citizens were revised in 2021. To visit Minsk or other populated areas of the republic, residents of Ukraine must have a passport. It should be taken into account that a plastic identity document (of a modern type) is invalid on the territory of Belarus.

New Ukrainian passport.

Without registration, tourists will be able to stay in the country for up to 30 days. Then you will need to visit the migration service to register at the local police department. A work permit for Ukrainians is issued after registration at the foreigner’s location.

Travel documentation

So, our compatriots cross the border of Belarus visa-free. But only if they have documents proving their identity. Russians must charmingly have these papers with them. Otherwise, the passage will be closed to them.

You can enter the fraternal republic using any of the following documents:

• Russian passport;
• international passport of the Russian Federation;

passport of a diplomatic officer;

• service passport;
• seafarer's document (ship's role/extract is required).

Let us remind you once again that no entry permit is required. Russian citizens (as well as Belarusians traveling to the Russian Federation) will also not have to fill out a migration card.

On a note! Although Belarusians traveling on the Belarus-Russia route do not require a visa or migration card, they will need an identity card. This can be an internal or foreign passport.

Medical question

When entering Belarus, Russians are not asked for medical insurance. During the visit, our compatriots receive medical services according to the following rules:

1. Persons who are in the republic temporarily are provided with full emergency medical care free of charge. As soon as the threat to the patient’s life is eliminated, planned care will be provided for a fee.

1. Persons who reside in the republic temporarily and work under employment contracts have the same rights as Belarusians to medical care in government health care institutions.
2. Persons who permanently reside in the republic have the same rights as its citizens to receive medical care (including free treatment in public hospitals).

Rules for entering Belarus without a visa

The usual rules for entry into Belarus imply that the tourist has a visa permit. However, in certain cases he can do without it. This opportunity is given to him by special visa-free regimes established by presidential decrees.

1. Entry for 30 days without a visa. Allows representatives of most countries of the world to visit Belarus, visiting any point without restrictions. The only condition is arrival through the Minsk air gate. The regime does not apply to those who arrived by land or used another air terminal.
2. Entry for 10 days into the joint visa-free tourist zone "Brest - Grodno". You can arrive there through two airports and ground control points on the border with Poland and Lithuania. The mode is available to visitors of the Brest tourist and recreational zone and the Augustow Canal park.

The countdown of the time of stay begins from the date of the stamp in the passport. This means that arrival before 12 o’clock at night is counted as the first day of stay in the country. The guest needs to worry about a certain set of documents:

1. Passport.
2. Medical insurance covering risks of at least 10 thousand euros.
3. Cash in the amount of 50 Belarusian rubles for each day of the trip.
4. Migration card.

There are also differences between the two modes that should be taken into account.

1. For a 30-day visit, guests must have return flight tickets departing from the National Airport in Minsk.
2. For a 10-day trip, a foreigner must present at the checkpoint a permit for a group visit to the tourist area, received in a timely manner from the tour operator.

According to Presidential Decree N300, starting from November 10, 2021, the period of visa-free visits to the Brest-Grodno tourist zone is extended to 15 calendar days.

Despite free entry, Russians are required to comply with local customs requirements. Border guards check the permitted number of goods, in particular, one passenger can have with him:

• Up to 2 liters of wine;
• No more than 200 grams of tobacco products;
• Up to 50 kg of personal belongings, if their total value does not exceed 1.5 thousand US dollars.

A categorical import ban applies to:

• Any type of drugs;
• Explosives;
• Representatives of flora and fauna from the Red Book;
• Photos and video materials that threaten the security of the state;
• Firearms.

Belarusian tour with a child

Is it possible to enter an Eastern European country on a “visa-free” basis if a child is involved in the trip? Or do minors need a visa to Belarus? This question is relevant for all parents planning a trip with their children.

A trip with children will not require collecting a voluminous package of documentation. Visa-free entry into the country is allowed for young Russians.

It is not necessary to obtain a passport for a child. Citizens of the Russian Federation under 14 years of age are allowed into the neighboring country using a birth certificate. Teenagers from 14 years of age travel to Belarus with Russian passports. But if your son/daughter has a foreign passport, you can go on tour with this certificate.

Entry nuances

There is no border control between Russia and Belarus. But customs control has not been abolished. Our table will tell you what can and cannot be transported across the border of an Eastern European state:

Note! When importing pets into Belarus, you may need a veterinary certificate stating that the animals are vaccinated against rabies.

Voyage in your own car

Citizens of the Russian Federation traveling to a neighboring country by car can use a Russian driver's license. They will be considered valid for up to 90 days from the date of entry.

The Green Card has been introduced in the republic. If you do not have it, insurance can be purchased at Belgosstrakh. The company's offices operate, among other things, at the border. Insurance will cost about $20 for 1 month.

Here's what else motorists need to know when traveling to the fraternal state in personal transport:

1. In general, Belarusian traffic rules are similar to Russian ones.
2. Average price of 1 liter of gasoline:

• AI-92 – 35 ros. rub.;
• AI-95 – 37.5 rub.;
• diesel - 38 ros. rub.

1. The approximate cost of parking for 1 hour varies from 30 to 150 RUR. RUR, for 1 day – from 250 RUR. rub. However, there are not enough parking spaces.

If you want to rent a car upon arrival, you will have to pay about $120 per day.

Obtaining an entry transit visa to Belarus (type B)

A transit visa is issued solely for the purpose of transit through Belarus on the way to another country. A transit visa can be single, double or multiple. The visa is issued for a period of no more than 1 year and provides the right to stay in Belarus for no more than 2 days from the date of entry.

The condition for obtaining a transit visa is the presence of a visa from the state to which the foreigner is traveling in transit through Belarus. If such a state allows entry into the country without a visa, then in order to obtain a transit visa to the Republic of Belarus, you must have tickets for travel by rail, air, or road transport or confirmation of their reservation.

After arrival

A foreigner’s knowledge of the rules of stay on the territory of Belarus will help to avoid problems with the law. Thus, a foreign citizen staying in the Republic of Belarus must register. This rule applies even to those who come for tourism purposes. You can register at the nearest police station. A foreigner must complete the required procedure no later than 5 days from the date of arrival. However, Russians are exempt from registration within 1 month (30 days) from the date of entry. The registration process is paid. Its cost depends on the length of stay in the republic.

How to choose a visa

Short stay visas (C) are the most commonly used visa type. They are issued for up to 90 days and are suitable for:

• businessmen
• students
• entry for private business

Short-term visas can be for single, double or multiple entry depending on the need.

Tourists usually obtain a group short-stay visa through a travel agency.

Long-term visas (D) are issued for a period of validity of over 90 days, but not more than five years, and provide for multiple entries into Belarus. They are suitable for:

• frequently visiting businessmen
• tourists who want to stay in the country longer

A transit visa (B) is issued for a period of up to one year and provides the right to stay on the territory of Belarus for two days from the calendar date of entry for each transit passage.

Will Russians need a visa to work?

The “visa-free” visa, valid on the territory of Belarus for Russian citizens, applies not only to tourist and guest trips. We have already mentioned that even long-term/permanent stay will not be a condition for visa entry. And if you are going to work in an Eastern European country, you won’t have to worry about a visa either. Russians have the same right to work as Belarusians.

Labor activities are regulated by agreements between employers and employees, concluded in full compliance with the law. Citizens of both countries have equal rights according to the following criteria:

• salary;
• safety and necessary working conditions;
• work schedule;
• time of rest and vacation, etc.

Visa-free regime in Belarus

Today, foreign citizens can visit Belarus in a simplified version.

To enter under the 30-day visa-free program you need to have with you:

• passport/document for traveling abroad;
• cash (for each day at least 2 basic units);
• medical insurance policy;
• For citizens of Vietnam, Haiti, India, Lebanon, Namibia, Samoa, a mandatory document is a valid multiple-entry visa from the EU or Schengen countries with a stamp of entry into their territory, as well as air tickets with confirmation of departure from Minsk National Airport within 30 days from the date departure.

Short stay visa

A short-term visa (type C) is a visa valid for up to 90 days with the right to one, two or multiple entries and the right to stay on the territory of the Republic of Belarus for up to 90 days:

• carrying out a business trip, participating in sports/cultural tourism events;
• for private matters;
• study;
• work (with the right to work for hire);
• visiting burial sites;
• implementation of humanitarian programs;
• carrying out journalistic activities;
• maintaining religious ties;
• for permanent residence.

Long-term visa

long-term entry visa (type D) is a visa valid for up to 1 year with the right to stay up to 90 days, unless otherwise provided by international treaties of the Republic of Belarus, for the following purposes:

• business trips;
• participation in sports (cultural) events;
• private affairs;
• visiting burial sites;
• maintaining religious ties;
• implementation of humanitarian programs;
• journalistic activity;
• Job.

Who needs entry paper

Some Russian residents will still need a visa to Belarus. It is required for a foreign citizen or stateless person living in our country temporarily/permanently. The Belarusian diplomatic missions are in charge of processing the document. You can request entry rights:

• at the consular department of the embassy (the department operates in the Russian capital);
• in embassy branches in the regions (representative offices operate in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Ufa, Kaliningrad, Rostov-on-Don, N. Novgorod, Smolensk, Krasnoyarsk, Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk).

Consular centers receive visitors according to their districts of residence. Applications must be submitted to the embassy office in which your region belongs.

Note! You can get a Belarusian visa not only at the embassy, ​​but also at the visa center. However, the final decision on the request will still be made by an official at the diplomatic service.

Permit on arrival

Foreign citizens have the opportunity to obtain an entry permit at the National Airport of the country (Minsk-2).

The right to obtain a permit on arrival is available to citizens who arrive from countries that do not have consular centers of the Republic of Belarus and do not have visa support.

Visa sticker form

The consular post, which is located on the territory of the airport, operates around the clock. To obtain a visa, tourists fill out an entry form, attach a photograph to it, and pay a consular fee.

If permission upon arrival is received for transit through the country, consular center employees require a visa to the country of destination. If a foreign citizen does not require a visa to the country of destination, he is asked to present papers that confirm the route and the need to transit through Belarus.

Russians do not need a permit to enter the Republic of Belarus.

Types of visas

Entry papers of the Eastern European power are divided into 3 categories. They can be:

1. Transit (type B).
2. Short-term (type C). The shelf life of such documents is up to 3 months (90 days).
3. Long-term (type D). The validity period of these documents is up to 1 year. Staying in the republic on their basis is allowed for up to 3 months (90 days), unless otherwise provided by international agreements. With a good visa history, some categories of applicants are granted 2-year/3-year multi-visas with a stay of up to 90 days.

Visas are also grouped by the number of entries:

• 1-entry permits 1 entry, maximum 3-month stay and exit;
• 2-entry permits 2 entries, maximum 3-month stay and exit;
• a multi-visa allows multiple entries, an annual stay of a maximum of 3 months (unless otherwise provided by international agreements) and exit.

Another criterion by which Belarusian visas differ is the reasons for the visit. They may be:

• tourist;
• private;
• business;
• workers;
• cultural/sports (participation in relevant events);
• educational;
• transit.

When obtaining a transit visa, it is worth considering:

• the maximum validity period of the document is 1 year;
• the visa is valid for 2 days after entry;
• “transit” can be 1-fold, 2-fold, multiple.

Who needs a Belarusian visa?

Most foreigners need to obtain a visa to visit Belarus, unless the tourist is eligible for visa-free regimes .

According to the current international treaties of the Republic of Belarus, a visa is not required :

• citizens of Azerbaijan
• Argentine citizens – for stays up to 90 days
• citizens of Armenia
• Brazilian citizens – for stays up to 90 days
• Venezuelan citizens – for stays up to 90 days
• citizens of Georgia
• Israeli citizens – for stays of up to 90 days in each period of 180 days
• citizens of Kazakhstan
• Qatari citizens – for stays up to 30 days
• Chinese citizens - for a stay of up to 30 days, but not more than 90 days in a calendar year; * citizens of the Hong Kong - up to 30 days per trip; the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China - up to 30 days, but not more than 90 days in a calendar year
• citizens of Cuba – for a stay of up to 30 days
• citizens of Kyrgyzstan
• citizens of Macedonia - with an invitation or tourist voucher
• citizens of Moldova
• citizens of Mongolia – for stays up to 90 days
• citizens of the United Arab Emirates - for a stay of no more than 90 days from the date of entry within 180 days
• citizens of Russia
• citizens of Serbia – for a stay of up to 30 days
• citizens of Tajikistan
• Turkish citizens – for stays up to 30 days
• citizens of Uzbekistan
• citizens of Ukraine
• citizens of Montenegro – for a stay of up to 30 days
• citizens of Ecuador – for a stay of up to 30 days

Investors and other persons can enter without visas (up to 180 days) according to lists compiled by the administration of the Great Stone Industrial Park . In addition, Decree No. 8 “On the Development of the Digital Economy” establishes a visa-free entry procedure for foreign citizens hired by residents of the High Technology Park , as well as for the founders of HTP residents.

An exception is also made for holders of diplomatic passports of a number of states.

All other foreigners need visas to visit Belarus.

Visa procedure

Citizens wishing to obtain a Belarus visa proceed as follows:

1. Collect the documentation required for a particular visa subcategory. For example, the list of documents confirming the need for multiple trips is slightly different from the list of documents for a 1-entry and 2-entry visa.
2. Fill out the form in Russian, Belarusian or English. The form can be downloaded here https://www.embassybel.ru/files/Visa_anketa.pdf.
3. They submit the application form and documents justifying the need for a visa to the diplomatic mission in their consular district.
4. They are being interviewed.
5. A non-refundable fee is charged. It is set in euros, but is charged in Russian. rub. at the current Central Bank exchange rate on the day of payment. Money is accepted at the cash desks of diplomatic missions when submitting an application. Children under 14 and Japanese citizens of all ages are exempt from fees. For others, the cost of visas is as follows:

• 60 euros for 1-entry, 2-entry and multiple-entry transit/short-term visas, as well as for long-term multi-visas;
• 10 euros per person for group 1-entry/double-entry B and C visas.

1. We are waiting for a response to the application. Processing of the dossier takes 5 days (excluding holidays and weekends). Urgent requests are considered within 2 business days. In this case, the fee is taken at a double rate:

• 120 euros for all visas B, C and D;
• 20 euros per person for group 1-entry/double-entry B and C visas.

Please keep in mind that the consul has the right, at his discretion, to reduce the frequency and validity of the requested visa. That is, applicants for a multi-visa can be issued a 1-entry document. And those who want to purchase 3-month paper can get a 1-month option.

In addition, the embassy has the right to refuse an application without giving a reason. This decision will be final. You cannot appeal. However, the money paid for consideration of the application will not be returned to you.

It is important to know! In most cases, the fee for citizens of Poland and the Baltic states is lower than for other applicants. Single-entry visas will cost them 10 (type B) and 25 (type C) euros. 2-fold – 15 (type B) and 35 (type C) euros. Multiple entry costs 35 (type B) and 60 (types C and D) euros.

Basic visa documentation

Some of the documentation submitted depends on the purpose of the trip. But most of the papers are prepared by all visa candidates. This applies to the following documents:

1. Original passport:

• valid for at least 3 months at the time of intended departure from Belarus;
• with at least 2 blank visa pages.

1. Photocopied page of a foreigner with a photo.
2. Visa/residence permit in the Russian Federation. The original and a copy are supplied.
3. Migration card and registration (notification of federal registration of the Russian migration service). The original and a copy are supplied.
4. Visa support documents (depending on the purpose of stay, list below).
5. Completed application form (1 copy).
6. Photo card:

• up to six months ago;
• 1 piece;
• 35 by 45 mm;
• on a light background.

1. Medical insurance of international standard with coverage starting from 10 thousand euros.

Types of visas

According to national legislation, foreigners must comply with the visa policy of Belarus. State authorities distinguish different categories of passes. The type of visa required depends on the purpose of travel. For tourist purposes a tourist type is provided. Tourist groups have the opportunity to obtain a general pass. If the applicant intends to work in the country, visit friends or attend business meetings, a document (corresponding to the project) is required.

A transit visa belongs to group B and is a short-term permit for a traveler to stay. Validity period: up to 2 days for each transit trip; valid for multiple entries.

To obtain the desired document, guests must take care of the relevant diplomatic missions before departure. Once the application is approved, the person will receive an admission sticker in their passport.

A business visa to Belarus allows foreign guests to stay in the state for more than 90 days. Athletes, musicians and artists participating in sports or cultural events in the republic have the opportunity to obtain a business pass. An application for the document must be submitted to the consular section of the embassy or consulate general before departure.

Business visa for travel to Belarus.

Additional visa documentation

Our sign will tell you what papers certain categories of applicants bring to the embassy:

Samples of applications from the receiving party are available on the website of the Belarusian Embassy (section “Visas”).

Belarus visa at the airport

Visas upon arrival are issued through the department of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the entry of foreigners. The receiving party submits visa support to the department strictly in the original. Papers must be provided in advance:

• 3 days before the planned arrival of the foreign guest (for C visas);
• 5 days before the planned arrival of the foreign guest (for D visas).

If the department approves the host's application, the citizen will receive a visa upon arrival. Additionally, you will need to fill out an application form and a migration card, submit a photograph and pay a fee. The cost of airport visas can be found at https://mfa.gov.by/upload/tt/airport_price.pdf.

Where Belarusians do not need a visa and who does not need a visa to Belarus