Citizens of a number of states can come to Belarus without a visa if it is stipulated by international treaties.
The head of state approved several visa-free travel programs with varying duration and terms of stay. Thus, travelers who would normally need a visa to come to Belarus, can visit the country under a simplified procedure. Travelers may opt for one of them:
- to 30 days
No visas are required provided travelers cross the Belarusian border via Minsk National Airport - to 10 days
No visas are required to visit two visa-free zones (including the country's large cities of Grodno and Brest) provided travelers have a special document issued by a certified travel agency in their home country.
Who requires the Belarusian visa
Most foreign visitors need a visa to come to Belarus. However, some of them are entitled to visa-free travel options.
In accordance with the international treaties of the Republic of Belarus, no visas are required for citizens of:
- Azerbaijan
- Argentina (for stays up to 90 days)
- Armenia
- Brazil (for stays up to 90 days)
- Cuba (for stays of up to 30 days)
- Ecuador (for stays up to 30 days)
- Georgia
- Israel (for stays up to 90 days in each period of 180 days)
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Macedonia (provided they have a private invitation or a tourist voucher)
- Moldova
- Mongolia (for stays up to 90 days)
- Montenegro (for stays up to 30 days provided they have an invitation or a tourist voucher)
- People's Republic of China (for stays up to 30 days)
- Qatar (for stays up to 30 days)
- Russia
- Serbia (for stays up to 30 days)
- Tajikistan
- Turkey (for stays up to 30 days)
- United Arab Emirates (for stays up to 30 days)
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Venezuela (for stays up to 90 days)
Investors and other people included in the lists compiled by the administration of the Industrial Park Great Stone can stay in Belarus for 180 days without visas. Besides, Ordinance No. 8 "Concerning the development of the digital economy" has introduced the ability to enter Belarus without visas for foreigners employed by the resident companies of the Hi-Tech Park and the founders of the resident companies of the Hi-Tech Park.
There are also some exceptions for diplomatic passport holders from:
- Bangladesh
- Bolivia
- Hungary
- Vietnam
- Egypt
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Cambodia
- People's Republic of China
- Republic of Korea
- Laos
- Myanmar
- UAE
- Oman
- Peru
- Poland
- Romania
- Syria
- Slovakia
- Turkmenistan
- Thailand
All other foreigners need visas to travel to Belarus.
What kind of visa do you need?
The most commonly used visa is the short-term visa. These are valid for up to 90 days and suitable for:
- business travellers
- students
- private travellers on family business.
Short-term visas can be single, double or multiple entry, depending on requirements.
Tourists usually receive a short-term group visa via their travel agency.
Long-term visas are usually valid for one year and allow multiple entry to Belarus. They are suitable for:
- frequent business travellers
- private travellers wishing to stay longer in the country
Transit visas for Belarus are valid up to one year and allow the holder 2 days to travel across Belarusian territory.
How do you get a visa?
Visas are issued by the following bodies:
- Consular sections of Belarus
- Diplomatic Representative offices of Belarus
- Consular Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Minsk Airport (for nationals of countries without Belarusian representative offices)
In order to receive a visa, you must submit the following documents to your local Consular Section or representative office:
- a completed visa questionnaire
- 1 passport photo
- supporting documents (original letter of invitation, with the signature and, if a business, seal of the inviting party)
- other documents stipulated by the Consular office (depending on nature of visit and type of visa required)
- passport (with an expiry date at least 90 days after the expiry of the visa)
Can you get your visa after you arrive?
Foreign nationals arriving in Belarus via Minsk National Airport can get a visa at the airport.
Before arrival a foreign national needs to submit in advance (not later than the established timeframe) the documents to the Foreign Admissions Division (FAD) of the Consular Directorate of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Belarus, which is located at the airport:
- for short-term visas – not later than 3 business days before the expected arrival date;
- for long-term visas – not later than 5 business days before the expected arrival date.
Visa support documents may be submitted by the inviting company or person or by post taking into account the delivery time.
Address: Foreign Admissions Division of the Consular Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus,
National Airport Minsk, Minsk, 220054.
Phone: +375 17 279 20 58
In case of serious illness or death of a close relative (family member) visa support documents can be submitted at the time of application for a visa.
How long does it take to get a visa?
Successful applications will be processed within 5 working days of receiving the request.
Visa fees
The new rates of the consular fees for entry visas became effective in Belarus on 1 January 2017.
- An individual visa – €60 (for all types of visas, regardless of the number of entries);
- A group visa (per person) – €10.
Fees are discounted for nationals and some categories of residents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland:
Transit visa (type B):
- Single – €10;
- Double – €15;
- Group single (per person) – €10;
- Group double (per person) – €18;
- Multiple-entry – €35.
Short-term visa (type C):
- Single – €25;
- Double – €35;
- Group single (per person) – €10;
- Group double (per person) – €18;
- Multiple-entry – €60.
Long-term visa (type D) – €60
No consular fees are collected for issuing visas to citizens (residents with a special status) of Latvia, Lithuania and Poland under the age of six.
Citizens of Japan and Serbia are exempted from consular fees for any kind of visas.
Visa applications are subject to a surcharge in cases when:
- visa applications are handled urgently (within two days) by foreign diplomatic institutions of the Republic of Belarus (surcharge of 100%);
- visa applications are submitted to the central consular affairs office by nationals of the countries where there is no Belarusian diplomatic mission (surcharge of 50%);
- a visa is requested at the central consular affairs office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by nationals of the countries where there is a Belarusian diplomatic mission (surcharge of 200%).
А Belarusian entry visa for underage foreigners (up to 14 years old) is free of charge.
Visas processed at Minsk National Airport usually cost double the standard tariff.