Europe

Visas

Visas are required to enter or transit Belarus. This includes anyone travelling by train on popular routes such as Warsaw-Moscow and St Petersburg-Kiev. If you attempt to transit Belarus without a visa, the border authorities will send you to Minsk to obtain the appropriate visa. You may also be required to pay a fine of up to $300 and you may face deportation. Belarusian diplomatic offices and consulates issue visas. 

 

Passport validity

Before setting off, you should ensure that your passport has at least six months' validity and two unused pages.

 

Registration

Anyone staying more than three days in Belarus must register with the local police office (OVIR) in the district in which they are staying.  If you are staying in a hotel this will be arranged by the hotel. If you are not staying in a hotel this must be organised by your host. There are fines for not registering in time. If arriving at the weekend the earliest you will be able to register is Tuesday. Tuesday will count as the first of the three days.

Since February 2006, you need to complete a migration card to enter Belarus.  Part B of the card will be stamped on arrival and should be retained.  You will need to return it when leaving the country. The migration card must also be stamped at the local OVIR. This is done at the same time as registration. If you are staying in a hotel, they should do this for you. You should state on the migration card the period that you intend to stay in Belarus. If you decide to stay longer than the period stated, you should ensure you extend the validity of the migration card (and your visa if necessary) at OVIR. A new migration card was introduced on 1 November 2006, which is common to Russia and Belarus. The format and procedures remain the same.

 

Declaration of currency and goods

You must complete a currency and goods declaration form on entering Belarus.  This must be completed accurately and must be stamped on entry by a Customs Officer.  You will not be allowed to take out from Belarus more currency than you originally declared on the currency declaration form on entry to Belarus.  You should keep these forms for the duration of your visit.  When leaving Belarus you will have to complete a new form but you should also have the original form to hand.  If you do not do so, your journey may be delayed and you may be fined.

 

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. Children of Belarusian parentage, regardless of where they were born or any other nationality they may have, are required to have a Belarusian travel document to travel to Belarus.