Visa policy of Belarus

Visitors to Belarus must obtain a visa from one of the Belarusian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.

Belarusian visa issued to a German citizen, 2002

Belarus's visa and other migration policies are also implemented in accordance with the mobility rights arrangements within the Commonwealth of Independent States and the rules of the Single Economic Space of the Eurasian Economic Union.

In 2024, Belarus received 6.6 million international arrivals, 80% of which were Russians; many of the others were from China.^[1]

Visa policy map

External image
Map of international land border crossings of Belarus[2]

  Belarus

  Freedom of movement

  Visa-free, indefinite period

  Visa-free, 90 days

  Visa-free, 30 days

  Visa-free, 30 days, only by air

  Visa-free, 30 days, only by air, replacement visa required

  Visa required in advance

Mutual recognition of visas between Russia and Belarus

Sample of Russian notification of granting an eVisa

Main article: Visa policy of Russia

Holders of a valid visa or residence permit of either Belarus or Russia and a mutually recognized identity document may enter both countries, within the validity of the visa.^[3][4] In cases where one country has a visa-free regime and the other requires a visa, the person must hold both the ID document and a visa for the latter.^[4]

Foreign nationals with temporary permanent residency or a document for attending an international event have the right to enter, exit, stay, and transit without a visa within the validity of their documents.^[4]

Stay duration is calculated from entry into one country from a third state.^[4]

The common visa does not apply to individuals restricted from entering either country.^[4] Officials retain the right to deny entry or reduce the duration of stay for any foreign national or stateless person, as well as to check compliance with entry, exit, transit, or stay regulations.^[4]

Crossing between Belarus and Russia via land is allowed only at the following 6 international border crossing points:

• Yukhovichi – Dolossy (Opochka – Novopolotsk)
• Yezeryshche – Nevel (Kyiv – St. Petersburg)
• Lyozno – Kruglovka (Vitebsk – Smolensk)
• Redki – Krasnaya Gorka (Minsk – Moscow)
• Zvenchatka – Dubovichka (Bobruisk – Moscow)
• Selishche – Novozybkov (Gomel – Bryansk)

Visa-free access

Via economic integration and international treaties

Special travel conditions and exceptions to the usual rules, including special migration rules for foreign citizens, their family members and conditions for the provision of medical care are provided through international agreements and treaties to the following foreign citizens. The conditions for citizens of a specific country should be clarified in advance because not all countries are parties to all agreements.

• Union State of Russia and Belarus
• The rules of the Single Economic Space of the Eurasian Economic Union (Armenia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan)
• Mobility rights arrangements of the Commonwealth of Independent States (present and former countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, including Ukraine and Georgia, but not Turkmenistan)

Holders of ordinary passports

Holders of ordinary passports of the following countries and territories may enter Belarus without a visa for stays up to the duration listed:^[5][6]

Freedom of movement RussiaIP Indefinite period Armenia Georgia 90 days Argentina1 Azerbaijan Libya Mongolia Tajikistan Uzbekistan Venezuela 90 days within any 180 days Brazil Israel Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Moldova Ukraine United Arab Emirates 30 days Albania China1 Cuba Ecuador Hong Kong Macao1 2 Montenegro Nicaragua1 North Macedonia3 Qatar Saint Kitts and Nevis Serbia Turkey Vietnam1

_{IP - Internal passport accepted if arriving directly from Russia or Kazakhstan.}

_{1 - No more than 90 days within any 1 calendar year.}

_{2 - For holders of MSAR passports or MSAR Travel Permits.}

_{3 - Currently visa exempt through other waivers until the end of 2024. Must present a tourist voucher or an invitation letter in order to enter Belarus without a visa.}

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.[7][8] 26 April 1990 (signed as USSR): North Macedonia (signed as Yugoslavia)[9] 10 March 1999: Cuba[10] 10 February 2000: Serbia[11] 19 June 2008: Venezuela[12] 14 June 2011: Qatar[13] 4 September 2013: Mongolia[14] 1 June 2014: Turkey[15] 13 February 2015: Ecuador[16] 26 November 2015: Israel[17] 30 April 2016: United Arab Emirates[18] 25 November 2016: Brazil[19] 27 November 2016: Macao[20] 19 May 2017: Argentina[21][22][23] 13 February 2018: Hong Kong[24] (length of stay extended on 10 April 2019)[25] 10 August 2018: China[26] 5 August 2019: Montenegro 23 August 2019: Saint Kitts and Nevis 15 July 2020: Albania[27] 14 February 2024: Nicaragua[28] 30 January 2025: Vietnam[29] 11 March 2025: Libya 09 April 2025: Colombia[30] Cancelled: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania : Unknown Turkmenistan : 19 July 1999 Slovakia : 1 January 2001[31] Poland : 1 October 2003[32]

Visa exemption agreement for ordinary passports for 90 days was signed with Colombia in 9 April 2025 and is yet to enter into force.^[33]

Visa-free access in 2025 for citizens of 35 European countries

Citizens of the following 35 European countries are already exempt for entries through the Minsk Airport and until 31 December 2025 they may enter Belarus without a visa through land border crossings, with a maximum stay of 90 days within any 1 calendar year:^[34]

All European Union member states1 Andorra Bosnia and Herzegovina Iceland Liechtenstein Monaco North Macedonia Norway San Marino  Switzerland United Kingdom Vatican City

_{1 - Including non-citizen residents of Estonia and Latvia.}

Holders of diplomatic or official/service passports

Holders of diplomatic or official/service passports of the following countries and territories may enter Belarus without a visa for the following period:^[5]

Freedom of movement Russia 180 days Armenia 90 days ASEAN member states (except Brunei and Philippines) Argentina1 Azerbaijan Bosnia and Herzegovina El Salvador Georgia1 Guatemala Hungary Libya Mongolia Nicaragua North Korea Peru Slovakia South Korea Tajikistan Uruguay Uzbekistan 90 days within any 180 days Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Moldova Ukraine United Arab Emirates 30 days Albania Algeria Bangladesh Bolivia Brazil China Colombia Cuba Chile Ecuador Egypt Hong Kong India Iran Macao Montenegro Oman Qatar Saint Kitts and Nevis Serbia Sri Lanka South Africa Syria Turkey Turkmenistan

_{D - Diplomatic passports only.}

_{1 - No more than 90 days within any 1 calendar year.}

Additional requirements

All visitors are required to have an adequate health insurance.^[5]

Regional visa-free regime

Visa-free access through Minsk National Airport

Since February 2017, foreign visitors who are citizens of certain countries are allowed to enter Belarus without a visa through the Minsk National Airport for a 30-day stay.^{[35][36][37][38][39][40]} Registration is mandatory for stays exceeding 5 days in length. Visitors must also depart from Minsk National Airport; departure by other methods such as by train is not permitted. The number of visa-free entries is unlimited.^[41] By November 2017, 54,000 foreigners visited Belarus through the visa-free program.^[42][43]

All European Union member states1 Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Australia Barbados Bahrain Bosnia and Herzegovina Canada Chile Dominica El Salvador Iceland Indonesia Japan Kuwait Liechtenstein Malaysia Mexico Micronesia Monaco New Zealand Nicaragua North Macedonia Norway Oman Panama Peru Saint Vincent and the Grenadines San Marino Saudi Arabia Seychelles Singapore South Korea  Switzerland United Kingdom Uruguay Vanuatu Vatican City Conditional2 Egypt Gambia Haiti India Iran Jordan Lebanon Namibia Pakistan Samoa South Africa Vietnam

_{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.}

Since 2021, a visa is required for citizens of the United States to travel to Belarus.^[44]

Brest-Grodno visa-free territory

Parts of Belarus covered by Brest and Grodno regional visa-free provisions

Since November 2019, citizens that qualify for the visa-free program through the Minsk National Airport may visit a visa-free zone in the Brest Region and the Grodno Region for 15 days without a visa.^[45][46] However, only the border between Terespol in Poland and Brest is open to passenger traffic.^[47]

The visa-free zone consists of the following territories:

• parts of Brest Region
  • Brest
  • Brest District
  • Kamieniec District
  • Pružany District
  • Žabinka District
• parts of Grodno Region
  •  Grodno
  • Bierastavica District
  • Hrodna District
  • Lida District
  • Ščučyn District
  • Svislač District
  • Vaŭkavysk District
  • Voranava District

• 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)^[48] and Augustów Canal area including Grodno (since October 2016).^[49]

Electronic Visa (e-Visa)

An e-Visa for stays up to 30 days is available for citizens of the following 67 countries.^[50] Visitors may enter Belarus with an e-visa at all international checkpoints. The fee is €35 for citizens of European Union member states (except Denmark and Ireland) and €60 for citizens of other regions. It is free for Japanese citizens, citizens of European Union member states under the age of 12, and citizens of other regions under the age of 14. Everyone must pay a service fee of €6.

European Union member states[a] Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Australia Bahrain Barbados Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Canada Chile Colombia Dominica El Salvador Iceland Indonesia Japan Kuwait Liechtenstein Malaysia Mexico Micronesia Monaco New Zealand North Macedonia Norway Oman Panama Paraguay Peru Saint Vincent and the Grenadines San Marino Saudi Arabia Seychelles Singapore South Korea  Switzerland United Kingdom United States Uruguay Vanuatu Vatican City

See also

• Belarus portal

• Belarus–Russia border
• Visa requirements for Belarusian citizens

Notes

1. including holders of an alien passport of Estonia and holders of a non-citizen passport of Latvia.