Let's talk about Visa policy of Belarus. This is a topic that has captured the attention of many people in recent years. With Visa policy of Belarus, numerous debates, studies and research have arisen that have tried to decipher its complexity and its impact on society. From its origins to its influence today, Visa policy of Belarus has generated unprecedented interest, being the subject of discussion in areas as diverse as politics, science, culture and everyday life. In this article, we will explore different aspects related to Visa policy of Belarus, analyzing its causes, consequences and possible solutions.
IP - Internal passport accepted if arriving directly from Russia or Kazakhstan. 1 - No more than 90 days within any 1 calendar year. 2 - No more than 90 days within any 180-day period. 3 - For holders of MSAR passports or MSAR Travel Permits.
Date of visa changes
Citizens of Armenia (2003), Azerbaijan (2007), Georgia (1992), Kazakhstan (2002), Kyrgyzstan (2002), Moldova, Russia (2002), Tajikistan (2002), Ukraine (2010), Uzbekistan (2006) have never required a visa to enter Belarus. However, visa-free agreements have been signed with these states.
26 April 1990 (signed as USSR): North Macedonia (signed as Yugoslavia)
10 March 1999: Cuba
10 February 2000: Serbia
19 June 2008: Venezuela
14 June 2011: Qatar
4 September 2013: Mongolia
1 June 2014: Turkey
13 February 2015: Ecuador
26 November 2015: Israel
30 April 2016: United Arab Emirates
25 November 2016: Brazil
27 November 2016: Macao
19 May 2017: Argentina
13 February 2018: Hong Kong (length of stay extended on 10 April 2019)
D - Diplomatic passports only. 1 - No more than 90 days within any 1 calendar year. 2 - No more than 90 days within any 180-day period.
Additional requirements
All visitors are required to have an adequate health insurance.
Regional visa-free regime
Temporary visa-free access through land borders
Citizens of the following countries may enter Belarus without a visa only if they use land border crossings, with a maximum stay of 90 days within any 1 calendar year (until 31 December 2024):
Foreign visitors who are citizens of designated countries are allowed to enter Belarus without a visa through the Minsk National Airport, except for flights departing to and from Russian airports.
The allowed length of stay is up to 30 days, with mandatory registration for stays exceeding 5 days in length.
Visitors must also depart from Minsk National Airport, departure by other methods (for example by train) is not permitted.
The number of visa-free entries is unlimited.
The decree "On establishing a visa-free order of entrance and departure of foreign citizens" was signed by the President of Belarus on 9 January 2017 and it entered into force on 12 February 2017.
It was amended by another presidential decree on 24 July 2018, which entered into force on 27 July 2018.
1 - Including non-citizen residents of Estonia and Latvia. 2 - Only if they have a multiple entry visa (i.e., a 'C' or 'D' type visa) from a European Union or Schengen area member country, an entry stamp from one of these countries and a valid air ticket with departure from the airports located in Minsk, Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno and Mogilev. The EU residence cards are not accepted for this purpose.
In September 2017 it was announced that Belarus is planning to extend the visa-free access to 10 days and to other checkpoints.
In November 2017 statistics were published showing that 54,000 foreigners visited Belarus through the visa-free program, mostly citizens of Germany, Poland, Italy, United States and the United Kingdom.
Effective since 17 October 2021, visa is required for US citizens to travel to Belarus.
Brest-Grodno
The single visa-free territory "Brest – Grodno" was established by a presidential decree signed in August 2019 and has been in effect since November 10, 2019.
The list of eligible citizens is the same as that for the visa-free program through the Minsk National Airport, only without restrictions for certain citizens.
The visa-free zone consists of the following territories:
Parts of Grodno and Brest regions not listed above – when traveling on a tourist route as a member of an organised travel group.
The legislation superseded the previous decrees that established two separate visa-free zones: Brest area including Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park (since June 2015) and Augustów Canal area including Grodno (since October 2016).
Future plans
Plans for introduction of digital visas and travel authorization system were announced by Belarus in July 2018.
Plans to expand the regional visa-free regime to land border crossings and regionals airports were announced by Belarus in November 2019.
^"Об установлении безвизового порядка въезда и выезда отдельных граждан" [On the establishment of a visa-free entry and exit procedure for individual citizens]. National Legal Internet Portal of the Republic of Belarus (in Russian). National Center of Legal Information of the Republic of Belarus. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^Previously part of the visa exemption when arriving at and departing from Minsk National Airport from 12 February 2017
^"Об установлении безвизового порядка въезда и выезда иностранных граждан" [On the establishment of a visa-free entry and exit order for foreign citizens]. National Legal Internet Portal of the Republic of Belarus (in Russian). National Center of Legal Information of the Republic of Belarus. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^"Об установлении безвизового порядка въезда и выезда иностранных граждан" [The decree "On establishing a visa-free order of entrance and departure of foreign citizens"]. National Legal Internet Portal of the Republic of Belarus (in Russian). National Center of Legal Information of the Republic of Belarus. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
^"Комментарий к Указу № 462 от 26 декабря 2017 г." [Commentary to Decree No. 462 of December 26, 2017] (in Russian). Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
1British Overseas Territories.
2 These countries span the conventional boundary between Europe and Asia.
3 Partially recognized.
4Unincorporated territory of the United States.
5 Part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
6Egypt spans the boundary between Africa and Asia.