Travel visas for Belarus

Most foreign travelers need a visa to come to Belarus. Belarus issues transit, short-term and long-term visas depending on the purpose of the visit and length of stay and also single-entry, double- and multiple-entry visas.

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 15 days
  No visas are required to visit visa-free tourist zone (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.

Learn more about visa-free travel options and the list of countries whose citizens may use this option

Visa-free travel area, travel time expanded in Brest Oblast, Grodno Oblast

COVID-19: Belarus Travel Advice

Belarus government and the Healthcare Ministry endorsed certain measures to prevent the import and spread of the coronavirus infection. In this regard, please be ready for increased attention and control and keep in mind that you will have to self-isolate if you arrive from the countries where COVID-19 cases were reported. The complete list of such countries is available on the official website of the Healthcare Ministry.

UPDATE! 11 June 2020. The Belarusian Healthcare Ministry has updated the list of countries where COVID-19 infection cases are being registered. Taking into account the evolving epidemic situation and the measures being taken, the list no longer includes Austria, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Croatia, Montenegro, Czechia, Switzerland, Sweden, Estonia, and China. People coming from these countries do not have to stay in self-isolation for 14 days upon arrival in Belarus.

UPDATE! 25 June 2020. Being guided by the adopted criteria, the Healthcare Ministry has updated the list of countries that still register new cases of the novel coronavirus. As of 25 June, another 14 countries were struck off the list: Australia, Egypt, Israel, Georgia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the USA, Turkey, and Japan.

UPDATE! 9 July 2020. Another 12 countries have been removed from the list. These include Algeria, Andorra, Vietnam, Cyprus, Cuba, Lebanon, Mauritius, Malaysia, New Zealand, San Marino, Thailand, Tunisia.

UPDATE! 15 July 2020. Russia has been removed from the list of countries that still register new cases of the novel coronavirus. “People coming from Russia are not required to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival in Belarus,” the press service of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry said.

UPDATE! 4 August 2020. Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Tanzania, Fiji and Sri Lanka were removed from the list.

UPDATE! 10 September 2020. Uzbekistan was excluded from the list. Spain, Montenegro, Israel, Andorra and Malta were added to the list again.

UPDATE! On 21 October the list included 28 countries excluded from it earlier. These are France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Moldova, United States, Lebanon, Netherlands, Iceland, Czech Republic, UK, Romania, North Macedonia, Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, Poland, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Malta, Bulgaria and Canada. People coming from the above-mentioned countries are required to self-isolate for 10 days upon the arrival in Belarus. 

UPDATE! 3 November 2020. The list has been expanded by Albania, Germany, Italy, Cyprus, San Marino, Monaco, and Latvia.

UPDATE! As from 3 December 2020, the list includes eight new countries: Austria, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Greece, Georgia, Serbia, Turkey, and Estonia.

According to Council of Ministers’ Resolution No.705 of 7 December 2020, starting from 21 December 2020 foreigners over six years old arriving in Belarus must have an original or a copy of a medical document either in hard copy or an electronic form, confirming a negative COVID-19 test result. The PCR test must be done no later than three days before the border crossing date (this period includes the date of border crossing). The requirement does not apply to citizens with temporary or permanent residency permits.

Foreign nationals and Belarusian citizens arriving from the countries included by the Healthcare Ministry of Belarus in the list of COVID-19 high-risk countries are required to self-isolate for 10 days from the date of arrival. They cannot cross the state border of the Republic of Belarus until the expiration of the self-isolation period.

At the same time, the self-isolation requirement does not extend to foreign nationals returning home in transit via Belarus. Exemptions are also made for people who need to travel a lot for work.

More details are available here:

Belarus’ government outlines measures to curb coronavirus

Belarus sets self-isolation rules

People entering Belarus should self-isolate for 10 days

UPDATE! 13 October 2020. Self-isolation period reduced to ten days in Belarus

Belarus’ Healthcare explains 10-day self-isolation rules

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)

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.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus provides a regularly updated list of consular fees.

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