As of 19th July 2024, the Republic of Belarus announced visa free travel for citizens of 35 European countries to enter or exit Belarus by land border crossings which include both road and railway. This new visa exempt scheme is to ease the travel of many European passport holders and to further expand and grow the tourism sector of the country.
The following 35 nationalities have been granted visa-free access to enter Belarus as a tourist for up to 30 days valid until the 31st December 2024.
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and The Vatican.
This affects the current visa-free program by land for Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
Belarus visa free travel for other countries
Freedom of movement still applies for Russian passport holders and indefinite periods for Armenian and Georgian citizens.
90-day visa-free applies to Argentina, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.
90 days within any 180 days including Brazil, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Ukraine, and United Arab Emirates.
30-day visa-free travel includes Albania, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Macao, Montenegro, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Serbia, and Turkey.
Visa free travel on arrival to Minsk International Airport
Visa free travel to Belarus if you are arriving and departing in Minsk International Airport is still valid for 80 countries including all EU member states, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and others. Click here for more information.
This option has always been popular with YPT, however, the pandemic and sanctions against Belarus have limited this favourable option.
Belarus tourism and growth
Belarus has experienced many harsh sanctions since the war in Ukraine and the Ryanair Flight 4978 incident which has imposed border closures and EU airspace restrictions. This has further resulted in limited and expensive flights into Minsk which offer visa-free travel on arrival. The new move by Belarus is to demonstrate the “openness and peacefulness” towards their Western neighbours.
This simplicity means travellers from the nations above can now join our private or group tours to Belarus even more easily than before. All you require is a valid passport, which expires 6 months from your date of departure from Belarus, and proof of travel insurance.
What if I am not from a visa free country to Belarus?
No problem, on YPT group or private tour to Belarus, YPT provide full visa support. It will require you to physically visit a Belarusian embassy or consulate, pay the visa fee, and collect your Belarusian visa.
YPT Ravi meeting Mr Andrei Yeudachenka, the Belarusian ambassador at The Hague.
Are there any restrictions on where I can travel in Belarus?
There are no restrictions on where you can travel in Belarus, although the border between Belarus and Ukraine has many military and security personnel which we advise avoiding. During our group tours to Belarus, we visit the Belarusian Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, there are some restrictions of movement due to health and safety reasons.
How to visit Belarus?
YPT offers a number of group tours throughout the year to Belarus which include overland border crossing from Vilnius. Alternatively, we can arrange private tours to Belarus, contact us for more information.
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