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Traveling to Russia

  • RUSSIA GUIDE 2020
  • RUBLES
  • GUIDED TOURS
  • VISA INSURANCE (PDF)
  • VISA INVITATION (PDF)
  • 1. Visa
    • 1.1. Invitation to Russia
      • Should I indicate nights on the train in the application for an invitation letter or Russian visa?
      • Russian visa invitation. What is it and how to get it in 5 minutes?
      • How do I get the invitation to Russia if I’m staying with Airbnb?
      • How do I get the invitation to Russia if I’m making hotel reservations with Booking.com?
      • How do I get the invitation to Russia if I travel on a cruise ship?
      • Can I modify my invitation to Russia if it contains some incorrect information?
    • 1.2. Visa to Russia
      • How to obtain a Russian Visa in an easy and cost-effective way in 2019
      • Where do I apply for a Russian visa if I live abroad?
      • Is it possible to travel to Russia Visa-Free? Who does not need a visa?
      • Flight Stopover in Moscow: What to See and How to Obtain a Transit Visa
      • Russian Embassies, Consulates and Visa Centers – Updated list
      • Visiting St. Petersburg on a cruise without a visa (visa-free) and with a tourist visa
      • How to get a private visa to visit relatives or friends in Russia
      • Is it possible to change my itinerary or renew my Russian visa?
      • The reasons for refusal of the Russian Visa (and how to avoid them)
      • Business Visa to Russia: Step by step guide
      • How to obtain the Russian electronic visa (e-visa): St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad and Far Eastern regions
      • How to get a 3-year tourist Russian visa (only for US citizens)
      • How to get travel medical insurance for Russian visa (in 5 minutes)
    • 1.3. Registration and immigration
      • Registration in Russia: What it is and how it is done
      • Russian airports: immigration card and customs formalities
    • 1.4. Visa to China, India and post-Soviet states
      • How to travel to Belarus without a visa (visa-free) and with visa
      • How to apply for the electronic visa to Uzbekistan (e-Visa)
      • How to obtain a Chinese Visa in the UK in an easy and cost-effective way
      • How to get an e-Visa to India online: Step-by-step guide
  • 2. Transport
    • 2.1. Arriving by plane
      • Russian airports: immigration card and customs formalities
      • How to go from the airport to the center of Moscow or the Red Square
      • How to find the cheapest flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • How to go from Pulkovo Airport to St. Petersburg
    • 2.2. Russian trains
      • Travelling between Moscow and St. Petersburg: Which is the best way?
      • Trains in Russia: How to buy tickets on-line without the middle-man
      • Train stations in Russia: luggage storage, Wi-Fi and other services
    • 2.3. Metro, bus and taxi
      • How to use the Moscow Metro and what stations to visit
      • How to catch a taxi in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, or in other Russian cities
      • Moscow’s Troika Card: paying all public transport costs with a card
      • St. Petersburg’s Public transport: the Podorozhnik card
      • Traveling by bus through Russia (and how to buy tickets online)
    • 2.4. Car rental
      • Is it worth to rent a car in Russia? Recommendations and requirements
  • 3. Sleep and eat
    • 3.1. Accommodation in Russia
      • Accommodations in Russia: How to choose and where to make a reservation cheaply
      • Ostrovok: the best alternative to Booking.com
    • 3.2. Restaurants in Russia
      • Where to eat in Moscow: from Teremok to Café Pushkin
      • How to book a restaurant in Moscow, St. Petersburg or other Russian cities
      • What do you eat in Russia? Typical dishes and Russian restaurants
  • 4. Destinations
    • 4.1. Moscow
      • Where to eat in Moscow: from Teremok to Café Pushkin
      • What to see and do in Moscow in 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 days
      • What is the Moscow Kremlin and how to buy tickets online
      • St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. Visits, tickets and schedules
      • Official tourist maps of Moscow (PDF)
      • Moscow Tourist Information Offices
      • How to use the Moscow Metro and what stations to visit
      • Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow: tickets and guided tours
      • Guided tours in Moscow: by foot, by bicycle, by boat, or by tour bus?
      • The Free Visit to the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow
      • Shopping in Moscow: from GUM to Izmailovo market
      • Moscow’s Troika Card: paying all public transport costs with a card
      • Russia Travel itineraries: Big capitals, the Trans-Siberian Route and the Golden Ring
      • Flight Stopover in Moscow: What to See and How to Obtain a Transit Visa
      • Places to enjoy the best views of Moscow
      • How to buy tickets for the Russian circus in Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • Russian Folklore Shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • Moscow in Space: from the Museum of Cosmonautics to the Planetarium
      • What is a Russian banya and why you should visit it
      • The Seven Sisters of Moscow: The Stalinist Skyscrapers secrets
      • The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour of Moscow: you will not believe its story
      • What to see in Red Square in Moscow (and best things to do)
      • Novodevichy Convent (and cemetery), one of my favorite places in Moscow
      • Star City Moscow, where the cosmonauts live – What to see inside?
      • Moscow City: Skyscrapers & Observation Decks (You can go up to enjoy for its views)
      • Traveling to Moscow with children: What to see and do as a family
      • The Tretyakov Gallery: Russian art like you’ve never seen before
      • VDNH (VDNKh), my favorite park in Moscow: Back to the USSR!
    • 4.2. St Petersburg
      • Opera and ballet in St. Petersburg: Where to go and how to buy tickets
      • The Hermitage of St. Petersburg: What to see and how to avoid queues
      • What to see and do in St. Petersburg in 1, 2, 3 or 4 days
      • The Palaces and Gardens of Peterhof, a must-go site in St. Petersburg
      • Catherine’s Palace in St. Petersburg: how to buy tickets online
      • The main cathedrals of St. Petersburg: Tickets and schedules
      • Russia Travel itineraries: Big capitals, the Trans-Siberian Route and the Golden Ring
      • St. Petersburg’s Public transport: the Podorozhnik card
      • How to buy tickets for the Russian circus in Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • Russian Folklore Shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg
      • The Church of the Savior in St. Petersburg: How to buy tickets and schedules
      • Saint Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg: how to buy tickets and schedules
      • What is a Russian banya and why you should visit it
      • Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg: Guide to not get lost
      • White Nights of St. Petersburg: When the city doesn’t sleep
      • Essential tourist maps of St. Petersburg (PDF and JPG)
      • Visiting St. Petersburg on a cruise without a visa (visa-free) and with a tourist visa
      • Drawbridges (and Pedestrian Bridges) of St. Petersburg: Schedules and Recommendations
    • 4.3. Trans-Siberian
      • Organizing a Trans-Siberian Train Trip
      • Russia Travel itineraries: Big capitals, the Trans-Siberian Route and the Golden Ring
      • What is a Russian banya and why you should visit it
      • What to see (and do) at Lake Baikal between Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude
      • Yekaterinburg, where Europe and Asia come together
      • Next stop: Novosibirsk. Welcome to Siberia!
    • 4.4. The Golden Ring of Russia
      • The Golden Ring of Russia: from Sergiyev Posad to Suzdal
      • Russia Travel itineraries: Big capitals, the Trans-Siberian Route and the Golden Ring
    • 4.5. Veliky Novgorod
      • Trip to Veliky Novgorod: the birthplace of Russia
    • 4.6. Kazan
      • The Kazan Kremlin: it will captivate you
  • 5. Practicalities
    • 5.1. Ruble exchange and prices
      • Where is it better to change pounds for rubles?
      • How to send money to Russia: WesternUnion, PayPal or TransferWise?
      • Is Russia an expensive or cheap country to travel? Tips to reduce expenses
      • How to request a VAT refund in Russia (Tax Free)
      • How to pay for purchases in Russia without losing money in ruble exchange?
    • 5.2. Weather, health and safety
      • Is Russia a safe country for tourists? Travel tips
      • When is the best time to travel to Russia (and which clothes to wear)
      • What is a Russian banya and why you should visit it
    • 5.3. Telephone and Internet
      • How to buy a Russian SIM card for your smartphone (online or in a store)
      • 5 Essential Apps for a Trip to Russia
    • 5.4. Russian products
      • Which souvenirs to buy in Russia? From Matrioskas to Cheburashka
      • 15 maps that will give you a better insight of Russia
      • Traveling to Russia with a travel agency or on your own? What is better?
You are here: Home / 1. Visa / 1.4. Visa to China, India and post-Soviet states / How to travel to Belarus without a visa (visa-free) and with visa

How to travel to Belarus without a visa (visa-free) and with visa

Posted on: 19.08.18 | by Irena Domingo

Since July 2018 it is possible to visit Belarus without a visa (visa-free) for a period of 30 days, enough time to visit the capital and the main tourist attractions of the country. In this post I will explain which requirements you must meet and what documents you need to travel to Belarus without a visa and with visa.

Article published on December 26, 2017 and updated on August 19, 2018

 

Visa-free - Belarus- 30 days

At the end of July 2018, it was approved a Presidential Decree in Belarus allowing citizens of 74 countries to visit Belarus without a visa for a period of up to 30 days. Among these 74 countries there are the European Union countries, as well as Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, United Kingdom or the United States, among others.

The 30-day period starts counting from the moment you stamp your passport when you cross the border. If you leave the country later than 30 days, you can receive a fine of up to 550 euros, unless it is due to illness, natural disaster or other unfortunate circumstances.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • 1. Requirements for traveling to Belarus visa-free
  • 2. Mandatory documentation
  • 3. Registration in Belarus
  • 4. How to apply for the Belarusian visa

1. Requirements for traveling to Belarus visa-free

The requisites are basically two:

  • You must be a citizen of one of these 74 countries. The list can be found at this link.
  • You must enter and leave Belarus by plane through the border control post of the Minsk National Airport. This means that to be able to enter Belarus without a visa you can’t do it by bus, car or train (or to leave either).

In addition, you must bear in mind that this free visa regime does not apply to people arriving by plane from Russia or to people who intend to travel by plane from Belarus to Russia, even if they have a Russian visa. This is because flights between Minsk and Russia are considered internal flights.

Therefore, if you are planning to visit Russia as well, you will have to take an international flight to leave Belarus, for example, to Poland or Lithuania (or another country) and from there take a flight to Russia.

Minsk airport

2. Mandatory documentation

If you meet the above requirements, you can travel to Belarus without a visa for 5 days, but you must bear in mind that you have to provide a series of documents upon arrival at Minsk airport border post:

  • Valid passport
  • Financial means: have at least 25 euros (or its equivalent in dollars or rubles of Belarus) for each day of stay. That is, if you are going to spend 5 days, you will need 125 euros.
  • Medical insurance: coverage of at least 10,000 euros and that is accepted in Belarus. You have two possibilities:
    • You can buy it at the airport itself, in a window that says “Obligatory medical insurance”. The policies sold are either from Belgosstrakh and Eximgarant. They are quite economic. These companies don’t sell insurance online on their website.
    • You can bring your own printed international insurance, which must have coverage in Belarus or specify that it has worldwide coverage. It is convenient that the insurance is in Russian or English. For example, World Nomads travel insurance (You can get this insurance in 5 minutes online).

Travel Insurance from World Nomads - Travel insurance to Belarus

In summary, the documents that you need to bring are very easy to obtain.

minsk airport - passport control

Note: If you are a citizen of China, Haiti, Honduras, Gambia, India, Lebanon, Namibia, Samoa or Vietnam, you must have a valid document for travel abroad, with a valid multiple visa of the member states of the European Union or a participating Schengen State, with a note of entry into the territory of a member of the European Union or a member Schengen State and notes confirming the departure of the Minsk National Airport within 30 days from the date of entry to Belarus.

3. Registration in Belarus

It is mandatory to register only if the stay is longer than 5 days and must be done during these first 5 days. If you stay in regulated accommodation such as hotels or hostels, the administration of these accommodations will be responsible for making the registration..

This is the promotional video of the Government of Belarus to visit the country without a visa. At the beginning, in February of 2017, it was 5 days, but since July of 2018 it’s 30 days:

4. How to apply for the Belarusian visa

If you do not meet the requirements to process the Belarus visa-free, either because your stay is longer than 30 days, either because you enter another place different to the Minsk international airport or because later you will travel directly to Russia (or come from Russia), then you must apply for the visa to Belarus.

The procedure is explained on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus: http://mfa.gov.by/en/visa/procdurevisa/

Procedure for obtaining visas to enter the Republic of Belarus - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus

There are basically 3 visa categories:

  • Transit (Type B), to cross the Belarusian territory to another country (for example to Russia) and that is valid for 2 days from the date of entry.
  • Short term (Type C), valid up to 90 days. It can be for tourism, business, studies or private affairs.
  • Long term (Type D), valid for up to 1 year with the right to stay up to 90 days. It can be for work, business, sporting events, journalistic activity, private affairs, etc.

For all types of visa (which may be one, two or multiple entries) you must submit the following documentation:

  • Fill out the visa application form, you have to sign and paste a photo of 35 x 45 mm.
  • Original passport.
  • Visa support documents that justify the trip. It depends on the type of visa and the reason for the trip: letter of invitation from tourist agency or educational institution, hotel reservations, visa of the country of destination (in the case of transit visa), etc. In this link are detailed the necessary documents according to the type of visa.
  • Payment of consular fees.
  • Medical insurance policy.

You must present all the documentation in person at the nearest Belarusian Consulate, although some consulates allow you to send the documentation by courier service:

  • Embassy of Belarus in the United States of America (Consular section in New York)
  • Embassy of Belarus in Canada (Consular section in Ontario)
  • Embassy of Belarus to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Consular section in London)
  • Embassy of Belarus in Australia (Closed on 7 August 2018)

 

 

Have you visited Belarus without a visa? What has been your experience?

 

 

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Plan your trip to Russia online in 10 steps in an easy way

Steps Days in advance Links
1 Plane tickets 60 days Find cheap flights with Momondo
2 Visa application 30-45 days Fill out the online application
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3 Train tickets 30-45 days Use the official website of RZD
4 Accommodation 30 days Book accommodation with free cancellation
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8 Exchange Russian Rubles 7 days Currency Exchange with Travelex
9 Restaurants 5 days Book online with Resto.ru
10 Taxis 2-3 days Book online with KiwiTaxi

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About the Author

Irena Domingo's avatar

Hello, my name is Irena. I was born in Russia in 1974 during the Soviet era. I worked as a Russian teacher and as a translator and interpreter for the past 15 years. One of my main hobbies is traveling. Therefore, through this blog I want to help those people who want to travel to Russia.

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Hey! I’m Irena Domingo

I was born in Russia in 1974 during the Soviet era. I started this blog with one goal: to create the most complete guide ever written to travel to Russia and beyond!

I want to know about …

  • 1. Visa
    • 1.1. Invitation to Russia
    • 1.2. Visa to Russia
    • 1.3. Registration and immigration
    • 1.4. Visa to China, India and post-Soviet states
  • 2. Transport
    • 2.1. Arriving by plane
    • 2.2. Russian trains
    • 2.3. Metro, bus and taxi
    • 2.4. Car rental
  • 3. Sleep and eat
    • 3.1. Accommodation in Russia
    • 3.2. Restaurants in Russia
  • 4. Destinations
    • 4.1. Moscow
    • 4.2. St Petersburg
    • 4.3. Trans-Siberian
    • 4.4. The Golden Ring of Russia
    • 4.5. Veliky Novgorod
    • 4.6. Kazan
  • 5. Practicalities
    • 5.1. Ruble exchange and prices
    • 5.2. Weather, health and safety
    • 5.3. Telephone and Internet
    • 5.4. Russian products

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