Foreign citizens entering the Republic of Belarus are obliged to observe the legislation of the Republic of Belarus dealing with the matters of foreign citizens stay in the country.

 

Passport, other identification documents and visa are required to be submitted at border outpost of the Republic of Belarus opened for international transport.  

 

For issuing visas to enter the Republic of Belarus, consular fee levied in compliance with consular fees tariff of the Republic of Belarus is provided.

 

Visas are issued by the country’s consular establishments abroad (for this, one should have an invitation). One can get a visa when arrived at the consular office of the airport “Minsk 2” – in case original invitation and 2 photograph prints are available. The consular office of the National airport “Minsk 2” issues visas for foreign citizens arriving in the Republic of Belarus from the countries which do not have consular establishments of the Republic of Belarus. Nevertheless, citizens from the states having visa service of the Republic of Belarus also can obtain visa here. The consular department is open twenty four-seven.

 

Extension, changing of visa type, and obtaining of exit visa or exit/entry visa is a function of passports and visas service departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Double, triple and multiple visas are not subject to extension; they are reissued.

 

There are several types of entrance visas in the Republic of Belarus – guest, tourist and business visas etc. The easiest way to get a visa is to address a travel agency, however, there exist other ways. In order to obtain a visa to enter the Republic of Belarus a foreign citizen shall submit a filled visa application form and following documents to diplomatic representative offices or consular establishments of the Republic of Belarus abroad:

 

In order to obtain a business visa – an original of facsimile copy of a legal entity invitation of the Republic of Belarus (representative offices of foreign firms, banks etc. do not have the rights of legal entity, therefore the right to issue invitations). The invitation shall be filled in a blank sheet of inviting organization with provision of requisites and registration number signed by the head, and sealed. The invitation shall contain the following information: surname, name, year of birth, passport number of an invited person, their citizenship, work status, specific intents and duration of a visit, and also obligations of inviting party to ensure observation of residency and registration rules by invited citizens on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. A business visa shall be issued for 90 days. 

 

In order to obtain a guest visa - an original of invitation filled as established by law via the subdivisions on citizenship and migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus. The guest visa shall be issued for a term specified in an invitation by not exceeding 90 days. The guest visa can be issued without an invitation, drawn up by subdivisions on citizenship and migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus in case there are:
 

a). notes of the Belarusian Society of the Red Cross or local authorities, confirming the fact of burial and presence of an applicant’s close relatives grave on the territory of the Republic of Belarus;

b). telegraphic message drawn up as established by law confirming the necessity of an urgent trip to the Republic of Belarus in connection with severe illness or death of a close relative;

c). application of a citizen of the Republic of Belarus certified as established by law at a consular establishment of the Republic of Belarus.

 

Multiple guest visa for a term of 1 year is issued for foreign citizens and members of their families (husband, wife, children under age 18), having close relatives who are citizens of the Republic of Belarus (parents, blood brothers and sisters, husband, wife, children, grand mother, grand father) in case correspondent invitation drawn up by subdivisions of passports and visas service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

 

In order to obtain a tourist visa – voucher (hotel voucher) or a confirmation about the reception of a group of foreign citizens in the Republic of Belarus providing the data on duration of stay, number of tourists, and their accommodation place, drawn up by a Belarusian travel organization licenced to implement international tourist activity. The tourist visa shall be issued for a term of 30 days.

 

 In order to obtain a transit visa (enables for single crossing of the territory of the Republic of Belarus in one direction and is valid within 48 hours since the moment of entry the Republic of Belarus) – the visa of a country a foreign citizen is heading to through the territory of the Republic of Belarus. In case third country doesn’t require a visa, other evidence of the necessity to move through Belarus’s territory is taking into consideration.

 

 The decision to issue a single visa granted by diplomatic representations and consular establishments of the Republic of Belarus is made within 5 working days since the moment of visa application submission. 

 

A foreigner who enters the Republic of Belarus should have some means needed for payment of their stay in Belarus expenses and present the means, entry permit to other state or permit for return in the state of their citizenship or permanent residence when asked by officers of border-security forces.

 

All foreign citizens arrived in Belarus are subject to mandatory registration. Foreign tourists who lodge in hotel are registered automatically, and those who have arrived by guest or business visas and lodge in private apartments should register at the Passport and Visa Service Department within 3 days.

 

- Heads and employees of foreign diplomatic representations and consular establishments, employees at the Defense Attache Office, trade representations, and close relatives, residing together with the above persons, guests of the heads and employees of foreign diplomatic representations and consular establishments;

- Employees (including family members) of international organizations representative offices who – according to incorporation documents of these organizations or correspondent international agreements – enjoy privileges and immunities, and members of their families. The above persons are given diplomatic, office and consular cards upon completion of registration procedure.

        

Single registration period in Minsk is set 45 days with an availability to further extension (state due is levied for registration and extension).

 

In case stay in the country makes 90 days per year, one shall draw up correspondent permission of the internal affairs bodies (IAB).
 

Registration period shall not exceed validity of visa of the Republic of Belarus.

 

Provided change of domicile takes place, a foreign citizen is obliged to register at new place of residence registration bodies within 3 days.

 

- members of delegations (their families) upon the invitation of public bodies of the Republic of Belarus;

- persons having the UN passports;

- crew personnel of international means of transportation.

 

One can freely move along the territory of the Republic of Belarus except for the cases special permits of the internal affairs bodies are needed.