Entry/Exit Requirements

You need a passport and a visa to enter Belarus. You may obtain a visa in advance to visit or transit through Belarus. Information about visas can be found on the Belarusian Embassy web site. In some cases, visas may be issued at the airport. Check the Embassy of Belarus webpage for additional visa information. . All U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Belarus are required to register with the local office of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior (formerly OVIR) within 5 business days of arrival; travelers are not required to register if they plan to spend no more than 7 calendar days (5 working days and a weekend) in Belarus. The registration fee for a temporary stay (up to 90 days) is approximately USD$7 (the exact amount can be calculated by taking half of one National Minimum Tariff Unit. (The dollar amount is calculated here against the current exchange rate of the Belarusian ruble. This may change and travelers should check the Belarusian Embassy website for the most up to date information.). Registration fees for temporary residence (over 90 days within a year) and permanent residence (residence permit for up to 3 years) are currently about $40 each (three National Minimum Tariff Units. Again, the dollar amount is calculated here against the current exchange rate of the Belarusian ruble. This may change and travelers should again check the Belarusian Embassy website for the most up to date information.). Failure to register can result in fines and difficulties when departing. If you plan to stay at a hotel, you will be automatically registered at check-in. Registration performed by a hotel is free of charge.

Visas: Visa validity dates are strictly enforced; travelers should request a visa of sufficient length to allow for changes in arrival and departure plans, and should carefully review the beginning and ending dates of their visa before traveling. Beginning in June 2014, Belarus made health insurance policy a condition on which a Belarusian entry visa can be issued. Visa requests will not be considered without a valid health insurance. Belarus accepts health insurance policies issued by foreign insurance companies, provided Belarus is covered by those policies. The minimum coverage amount is €10,000. An original or a copy of the policy (either one) must be submitted to the consular officer at the time of visa application as proof of purchase. The policy should cover the duration of the applicant’s stay in country. Authorities at the port of entry will not require the insurance policy to be presented at time of entry into the country. However, the U.S. Embassy in Minsk recommends travelers carry a copy of the policy with them at that time. Travelers or their sponsors in Belarus may purchase health insurance from a Belarusian provider.

Airport visas: In some cases travelers may obtain Belarusian visas upon arrival at the Minsk International Airport. An inviting person must submit all required visa support paperwork to the Minsk International Airport Consular office no later than two workdays prior to the visitor’s arrival. Upon arrival, the traveler will be required to complete the visa application form (which can be completed and printed out in advance) and attach one photo of 35X45 mm size. Airport visas are issued prior to immigration control checkpoint at the airport. Please be aware that a consular officer at the airport has the authority to refuse the visa application without explanation. In this case, the traveler will be deported from Belarus and the visa fee will not be refunded.

Airport visa fees schedule for U.S. citizens (temporary stay only) Please note that this prices are subject to change and travelers should check the Embassy of Belarus web page before departure:

• Transit visa -   $300
• Single, double, multiple-entry short term (up to 90 days) visa (individual or group per person) - $420

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to Belarus on a 30-day visit. Long-term residents (more than 90 days a year) or students must obtain an HIV/AIDS test in Belarus and submit the results to the Department of Citizenship and Migration when applying for an extension of stay or residency in Belarus.

Exit Visa: A valid exit visa is necessary to depart Belarus. Generally, the visa issued by a Belarusian embassy or consulate is valid for both entry and exit. Photocopies of visas may be helpful in the event of loss, but note that a copy of a visa will not be sufficient for entry or departure, as Belarusian border officials always require original travel documents. If a traveler overstays their visa’s validity -- even by one day -- they will be prevented from leaving until they have been granted an extension by the Department of Citizenship and Migration. If the traveler is not in a possession of a valid visa, they will face delays in leaving Belarus and may have trouble finding adequate accommodation. By Belarusian law, foreign travelers with an expired visa may not check in at any hotel or other lodging establishment. If a traveler enters Belarus on a short term visa (up to 90 days) which has since expired and the traveler obtains a temporary residency permit to extend the stay (this is typical in cases of work and student visas), the traveler must also obtain an exit-entry visa from the Immigration Office of the Ministry of Interior at the place they registered in Belarus in order to enable the traveler to leave and re-enter the country during his/her stay on a temporary residency permit. The immigration office that issues a temporary residency permit is normally the one that would issue an entry-exit visa.

The Embassy advises that a transit visa is required for those who plan to travel through Belarus to other countries. Travelers are advised that there is a transit-visa requirement for entering and leaving Belarus. Transit visas are required even for those transiting on a direct overnight train with no stops or transfers on Belarusian territory. Transit visas should be obtained prior to any journey that requires travel through Belarus. Transit visas are good only for transiting from Belarus to another country. Depending on travel plans, the traveler should make sure they request an appropriate number of entries for a transit visa. Transit visas can be single-, double-, or multi-entry, but with no more than 48 hours of stay permitted in country per entry. If a traveler attempts to reenter the country from which they originally entered, using an invalid or expired transit visa, they will not be allowed to exit Belarus without paying a fine and obtaining an exit visa. Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Russian visas are not a substitute for the transit visa. Many travel agencies, including those in Russia and CIS countries, as well as train ticket sales personnel, are often not aware of this visa requirement and may not seek a transit visa for a traveler unless instructed by the traveler to do so.

U.S. citizens attempting to transit Belarus without a valid Belarusian transit visa have been denied entry into the country and forcibly removed from trains. In some instances, local border and railway authorities have threatened passengers who did not possess a valid transit visa with jail or extorted “fines.” It is the Embassy’s recommendation that a traveler not pay any border or railway officials for transit visas or “transit-visa fines,” as these officials are not authorized to issue such visas. If a traveler is in Belarus without a transit visas, and is confronted by border or train personnel, they should request to be put in contact with consular officials at the U.S. Embassy in Minsk.

If a travel route to Belarus goes through Russia, then the traveler must possess a Russian transit visa in addition to a Belarusian visa. Russian embassies outside of the United States, including the Russian Embassy in Belarus, generally do not issue transit or tourist visas to U.S. citizens. Russian transit visas are not normally obtainable at Russian airports. For more information, please check the Consular Information Sheet on Russia.

Limitations on Length of Stay: The Law on the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus states that all foreign citizens may be granted permission for a temporary stay (up to 90 days in a calendar year counted from first entry), temporary residence (over 90 days up to one year), or permanent residence (up to three years). Belarusian embassies and consulates will issue visas for temporary stays only. A temporary stay visa will allow a traveler to be present physically in Belarus for a maximum of 90 days in a calendar year in which the visa is issued. Once they have spent 90 days in Belarus, at one time or through a combination of visits, they will not be eligible to receive another visa through the end of that calendar year.

If a traveler receives a visa for a temporary stay, but wishes to remain in Belarus for longer than 90 days, they must apply for temporary or permanent residence with the Ministry of Interior. The application must be made in Belarus within the 90 days allotted for a temporary stay. Permission for temporary residence can be granted to students, spouses, or close relatives of Belarusian citizens, or for “work, business, or other activities.” Travelers may contact the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Minsk for more information about application procedures for temporary or permanent residence. Please note that the Embassy cannot make these arrangements for travelers. Every non-Belarusian entering Belarus is required to fill out a migration card. Travelers should retain this card for the period of stay and present it to the border authorities when exiting Belarus.

As a foreign citizen without a valid Belarusian visa, migration card, or proper registration with the Department of Citizenship and Migration as a temporary visitor or resident, travelers can be subject to sanctions up to and including administrative arrest and subsequent deportation under the provisions of the Code of Administrative Offenses. Depending on the circumstances, as a deportee, a traveler may also be banned from returning to Belarus for a period from one to ten years.

Visiting and transiting Belarus, a traveler should also be prepared to demonstrate sufficient financial means to support their stay. For individuals staying in Belarus less than one month, this amount is equal to two National Minimum Tariffs (approximately $25/day/person). For those staying for longer than one month, the requirements call for an amount equal to 50 National Minimum Tariffs (about $580/month/person). Belarusian officials may request this proof of funds at the time of visa application, at the border, or during registration. According to the Ministry of Interior, cash, credit cards, paid hotel reservations, or a letter from an inviting party pledging full financial support are sufficient means to demonstrate financial wherewithal.

When entering Belarus, a traveler may be charged 4 Euros per kilogram of luggage in excess of 50 Kg (121 lbs). That fee must be paid in dollars or Euros. Additionally, the aggregate value of goods transferred (exclusive personal effects) may not exceed the equivalent of €1,500 for ground borders and €10,000 for air borders. In accordance with current customs regulations, a traveler may enter Belarus and exit the country with up to $10,000 in cash without submitting a written declaration. For additional information on customs rules for Belarus, please see the Belarusian State Customs Committee official website.

Belarus enforces a requirement for special permits to travel in “limited entry border zones.” The Government of Belarus has not provided information defining the parameters of those zones. Generally, such zones are drawn in close proximity to the country borders and require special permissions for entry. Permission is issued in advance by the State Border Guards Committee. Travelers should be alert for warning signs, road barriers, and/or border guard posts, and are advised not to cross into such areas without permission.

Religious Group Travel: Foreign missionaries may not engage in religious activities outside the institutions that invited them unless they have a religious worker visa. One-year validity, multiple-entry, "spiritual-activities" visas, which are required of foreign missionaries, can be difficult to get, even for faiths that are registered with the government and have a long history in the country. Approval often involves a difficult bureaucratic process.

Belarusian law requires all religious groups and organizations to register with the government; most organizations have done so. Unregistered religious groups may not legally gather for religious purposes. Many unregistered groups continue to meet, however, leaving themselves vulnerable to selective implementation of the law by authorities. The law also stipulates that only Belarusian citizens can head religious organizations in Belarus. In recent years, authorities have harassed, warned, fined, and briefly detained members of some unregistered and so-called "non-traditional" faiths for engaging in unsanctioned worship or proselytism. U.S. Embassy Minsk strongly recommends that should the traveler choose to attend a religious service of an unregistered religious group, they do so only after consulting with members of the group about the risk of harassment or possible arrest by local law enforcement authorities. Travelers are also urged to contact U.S. Embassy Minsk in the event they encounter any problems with authorities due to your participation in such services or events.

Departure Restrictions: A list of foreigners whose travel OUT OF Belarus is restricted was introduced in 2012. A non-Belarusian may be added to this list if they have unresolved tax issues in Belarus, have debts to the government or are a defendant in a criminal or economic crime case.

Driving a car to/through Belarus: Under the current customs regulations, it is illegal to transfer a car registered in the name of a non-resident to a resident of Belarus without paying import tax on it. For example, if a resident of Belarus is pulled over by the local police while driving a car belonging to a foreigner, it is considered that a transfer of the car took place, which can lead to fines, car confiscation, or import tax payment. The foreigner is added to the list of foreigners whose departure from Belarus is restricted until he/she has paid all taxes and duties. (The Embassy is aware of several such cases involving Polish, Moldovan and German nationals who could not leave Belarus, as their cars had been driven by locals and they were not in the car at the time the road police pulled it over.

Dual Nationality: A Belarusian citizen who obtains U.S. citizenship through naturalization may not have automatically lost Belarusian citizenship. In the majority of cases, naturalized U.S. citizens retain their Belarusian citizenship unless they take specific steps to renounce it. The Belarusian authorities will allow naturalized U.S. citizens from Belarus to enter the country without a valid Belarusian passport on a “certificate of return” issued by Belarusian embassies and consulates. Please note that a valid Belarusian passport will be required to leave the country. It can take two to four weeks to receive a new Belarusian passport. For additional information, please consult with the Embassy of Belarus in Washington, D.C.

Belarusian citizens, including those who also hold passports from other countries, are subject to Belarusian laws requiring service in Belarus’s armed forces, as well as other laws pertaining to passports and nationality. An individual who holds both U.S. and Belarusian passports and is of military age and does not wish to serve in the Belarusian armed forces should contact the Embassy of Belarus in Washington, D.C. It is important that they learn more about an exemption or deferment from Belarusian military service before going to Belarus. Without this exemption or deferment document, they may not be able to leave Belarus without completing military service, or may be subject to criminal penalties for failure to serve.

Children born to Belarusian parents or to one Belarusian parent and one non-Belarusian parent, even if born in the United States and in possession of a U.S. passport, may not be issued a Belarusian visa for travel to Belarus. The Belarusian Government considers these children to be Belarusian citizens until age 18, when they may choose to reject that claim to citizenship. Instead of a visa, a "certificate of return" is issued that will allow the child to enter Belarus. It is imperative that parents of such children understand that, in order to leave the country, the child will be required to have a Belarusian passport if he/she does not already have one. It can take anywhere from two to four weeks to complete the application procedures and receive a new Belarusian passport.

Visit the Embassy of Belarus website for the most current visa information, or contact the Embassy of Belarus at 1619 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20009, tel: 202-986-1604, fax: 202-986-1805.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet