Visa support

The requirements depend on the traveller’s citizenship, the type of passport, the purpose and length of the trip, and the route. That is why we look at every request individually.

Do you need a visa?

Entry to Belarus can follow one of these options:

• visa-free entry;
• an electronic visa;
• a regular visa issued by an embassy or consulate of Belarus;
• a visa on arrival at Minsk National Airport, in the cases provided for by law.

Before you book flights or pay for tourist services, we recommend checking the entry conditions for your particular citizenship and route. Trips with a connection or with entry through the Russian Federation need particular care.

How BelDiscovery helps

As part of visa support we:

• check whether the traveller needs a visa;
• determine the right way to enter, taking into account citizenship, the purpose of the trip and the route;
• advise on the list of documents required;
• draw up and confirm the programme of the stay in Belarus;
• book the hotel, transfers, excursions and other tourist services;
• draw up the tourist services contract;
• where needed, prepare the visa application letter: the visa support document issued by a Belarusian tourism operator;
• help check that the visa application form is filled in correctly;
• advise on the medical insurance requirements;
• provide instructions for submitting documents to an embassy, a consulate or the online system;
• explain the rules on entry, registration and stay for foreign citizens in Belarus.

Visa support is provided for a real tourist trip, confirmed by a contract, a programme of stay and booked tourist services.

Electronic visa

Citizens of a number of countries can get an electronic visa through the “E-Pasluga” system. The electronic visa is individual and single-entry, and can be issued for a tourist trip of up to 30 days. It requires no visit to a Belarusian embassy or consulate and no separate visa support document.

An application is considered within seven calendar days. BelDiscovery can help establish whether an electronic visa suits you, check the route and prepare the trip details.

Important: entry to Belarus from the Russian Federation on a Belarusian electronic visa is currently not possible. The current conditions are published on the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs page “Electronic visa of the Republic of Belarus”.

Regular tourist visa

If visa-free entry or an electronic visa does not fit, a foreign citizen can apply for a regular tourist visa at a diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Belarus.

A tourist visa can be single- or double-entry and is issued for the period stated in the visa support document, up to 90 days. It can be issued on the basis of an application letter from a Belarusian tourism operator.

An applicant usually needs to provide:

• a completed visa application form;
• a photograph of the required format;
• a valid passport;
• the visa support document;
• medical insurance;
• proof of payment of the consular fee;
• any further documents the consular officer asks for.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, a decision on a regular visa application is usually made within five working days, or within two working days under urgent processing. That period does not include the time BelDiscovery needs to prepare the documents or their delivery to the consulate. The detailed official requirements are on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

Visa on arrival at Minsk National Airport

In some cases a visa can be issued right after arrival at Minsk National Airport. For that, BelDiscovery has to prepare the visa support documents in advance and hand them to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office at the airport.

The documents must be submitted no later than two working days before the traveller’s expected arrival. A copy of the accepted application letter, stamped by the Ministry, is sent to the traveller to show the airline at check-in.

A visa on arrival is not issued to passengers flying into Belarus from the Russian Federation, so this option has to be agreed with BelDiscovery before you buy tickets. More: visas at Minsk National Airport.

Visa-free travel to Belarus

Citizens of a number of countries have permanent or temporary visa-free regimes. Their conditions can differ in the permitted length of stay, the points of entry and exit, the type of passport and the route.

Even with visa-free entry a traveller may need:

• a valid passport;
• medical insurance;
• proof of sufficient funds;
• return tickets;
• documents confirming the purpose of the trip and the place of stay.

Check the current visa-free conditions right before the trip on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

How to get visa support

1. Tell us your citizenship, country of permanent residence, and the dates and purpose of the trip.
2. Give us the full route, including connection countries and the border crossings you expect to use.
3. Choose a tour programme, a hotel and any additional services you need.
4. Get BelDiscovery’s preliminary assessment of the right way to enter and the cost of the service.
5. Once the contract is signed and paid, we prepare the documents and instructions required.

We recommend asking for visa support at least three to four weeks before the planned trip. Some citizenships and routes may need more time.

If the purpose of the trip is work

A tourist visa is not meant for working in Belarus.

Entry for employment follows a separate procedure. The visa support document is usually a special permit to work, obtained by the Belarusian employer in the established way. The BelDiscovery recruitment team supports the contact between the candidate and the employer, helps organise the documents and explains how to enter and take up work lawfully.

Important information

BelDiscovery provides advisory and documentary support, but it is not a state or consular authority. The final decision to issue a visa rests with the authorised consular officer, and the decision to let a traveller across the state border rests with the border control authorities.

Visa support does not guarantee a visa or permission to enter. Consular fees, insurance, bank charges, postage and other payments to third parties are paid separately unless the chosen tour package expressly includes them. Refunds for BelDiscovery’s services are governed by the contract concluded; payment, cancellation and refund conditions are set out in the booking terms.