The government of Belarus has decided to make certain adjustments to the republic’s rules regarding visas.
We are talking about the introduction of electronic visas for foreign citizens from March 20 next year.
The decision on this is contained in the Council of Ministers Resolution No. 953 of December 16 of this year.
The document was officially published on the legal Internet portal of Belarus.
Who and how can get an electronic visa
According to the decree, citizens of 67 countries will need to obtain electronic visas from March 20, 2025.
This applies to residents of all EU countries, Great Britain, Japan, the USA, Canada and a number of other countries.
To obtain such a visa, the applicant must submit an application in the personal account of the unified portal of electronic services of the OAIS.
The period for consideration of the submitted application is seven calendar days.
These electronic permits for visiting Belarus are single-entry. That is, they will only allow one entry into the country.
As for the maximum period of stay in the republic on such visas, it is limited to 30 days.
Four types
Visas will be issued in the AS "Consul" within the framework of the electronic service for issuing visas.
It should be noted that the mentioned automated system has been operating in the country since 2016 – it was created to automate consular activities.
Foreigners will be able to apply for one of four types of electronic visas (depending on the purpose of stay in Belarus):
- business trip;
– participation in sports, cultural, scientific, educational events and internships;
– travel for personal purposes;
- tourist voyage.
In Belarus, foreigners will be required to present a copy of their electronic visa in paper or electronic form upon request of the competent authorities.
