Agreement between Belarus and Russia on mutual recognition of visas legalized

As a result of the necessary domestic procedures completed by both parties, the agreement signed on June 19, 2020, between the government of the Republic of Belarus and the government of the Russian Federation on mutual recognition of visas and other issues related to the entry of foreign citizens and stateless persons into the territories of the states participating in the Treaty on the Creation of a Union State will come into force on January 11.

This was reported by BELTA, citing the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The agreement regulates the procedure for crossing the joint border of the states participating in the Treaty on the Creation of a Union State by foreign citizens and stateless persons, including its land section, which was previously open only to citizens of Belarus and Russia.

According to the agreement, the parties mutually recognize visas that grant the right to enter and stay in the territory of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, as well as marks on crossing the external border of the Union State.

Each party reserves the right to refuse entry or shorten the stay of any foreign citizen or stateless person on its territory, as well as to check their compliance with the rules of entry, exit, transit, or stay.

"The agreement is an important component of the unified migration space of the Union State," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized.

Who can benefit from the new procedure?

Foreign citizens and stateless persons who enter, exit, stay, and/or transit through the territories of Belarus and Russia under a visa regime and have a visa from one of the two countries, as well as a document recognized by both states as an identity document, have the right to enter, exit, stay, and transit through the territories of both states during the validity period of such a visa.

If they are subject to a visa-free regime in both Belarus and Russia under international treaties, then a document recognized by both states as an identity document is sufficient for entry and stay in both countries.

If a visa-free regime applies to these persons in one country and a visa regime in the other, then a visa will be required for entry and stay in the latter, in addition to an identity document. Foreign citizens and stateless persons who have a temporary residence permit, a residence permit, or a document for attending an international event in one country and an identity document have the right to enter, exit, stay, and transit through the territory of the other country without visas during the validity period of these documents.

The period of stay of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the territories of Belarus and Russia is calculated from the date of entry into the territory of one of the states from the territory of a third state.

The agreement does not apply to foreign citizens and stateless persons who are restricted from entering the territory of one of the two states.

Through which points can one enter and exit both countries?

The entry into the territories of Belarus and Russia is possible through international border crossing points, as well as directly via international railway and air routes, and on the road routes listed in the annex to the agreement.

Currently, the agreement provides for six such sections: Yukhavichy - Dolostsy (Opochka - Novopolotsk), Yezerishche - Nevel (Kiev - Saint Petersburg), Liozno - Kruglovka (Vitebsk - Smolensk), Redki - Krasnaya Gorka (Minsk - Moscow), Zvenchatka - Dubovichka (Bobruisk - Moscow), Selishche - Novozybkov (Gomel - Bryansk).

Crossing the land section of the Russian-Belarusian border by other routes is not allowed and will be considered a violation of the state border.

Special procedure for Ukrainian citizens

A special procedure for entering the territory of the Russian Federation remains in place for Ukrainian citizens. According to the decision of the government of the Russian Federation, Ukrainian citizens enter Russia through the checkpoint at Moscow's Sheremetievo Airport and the Ludonka motor checkpoint in the Pskov Region.