Ratification of the Agreement between Russia and Belarus on Mutual Acknowledgement of Visas

Law No. 2-FZ "On Mutual Ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on Mutual Acknowledgment of Visas and Other Issues Related to the Entry of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons to Member Countries of the Agreement on Establishment of the Union State," dated 27 January 2023, entered into legal force on 1 February 2023 (hereinafter, the "Agreement").

Pursuant to the Agreement:

• Foreign citizens/stateless persons may enter, exit, stay in and transit through Belarus and Russia on the basis of identification documents as well as a valid visa of one of the countries. There is no requirement to obtain any additional visa
• Foreign citizens/stateless persons who have obtained a temporary or permanent residence permit in one of the countries may enter, exit, stay in and transit through the other country during the effective term of the aforementioned documents
• Foreign citizens/stateless persons, who may enter, exit, stay in or transit through a country that is a Party to the Agreement without a visa under that country’s international agreements, but are required to have a visa in the other country that is a Party to the Agreement, are entitled to enter the country of such other Party to the Agreement on the basis of an identification document and a valid visa of such other Party
• Foreign citizens/stateless persons who are administrative, technical or service staff of diplomatic missions, consular officers, service staff of the consular offices of third countries and the representative offices of international organizations as well as family members of such persons accredited in accordance with the established procedure may enter, exit, stay in and transit through Belarus and Russia for no more 5 days after the date of entry to a country of the Agreement

The provisions of the Agreement do not apply to foreign citizens/stateless persons:

• who plan to enter regions of either Party to the Agreement that require special permission pursuant to the law of the country that is a Party to the Agreement
• whose entry into the country is restricted by a decision of the Party to the Agreement

The period of stay of foreign citizens/stateless persons in countries that are Parties to the Agreement is calculated from the date of entry to the country that is a Party to the Agreement from a third country. The Parties mutually acknowledge border-crossing marks for purposes of controlling the period of stay of foreign citizens.

When entering one of the countries of the Agreement, foreign citizens/stateless persons are required to register with the local migration authorities in their place of residence in accordance with the deadline and procedure established by the law of the Party where the person is staying.

Foreign citizens/stateless persons who have obtained permission to enter, exit or stay for purposes of work, education and temporary or permanent residence are entitled to work, study and reside temporarily or permanently in the country that is a Party to the Agreement whose authorized authorities issued such permissions.

Foreign citizens/stateless persons enter and exit the country of each Party to the Agreement:

• via checkpoints
• from the country of the other Party by international rail and air routes as well as by roads established in the Appendix to the Agreement

In the context of the Agreement, the Parties plan to establish a system for exchanging data on issued and cancelled documents authorizing the entry and stay of foreign citizens/stateless persons in each Party to the Agreement as well as on border crossings between Russia and Belarus via checkpoints.

B1 is monitoring the situation and will keep you informed of future legal developments.