Agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on mutual recognition of visas enters into force

On January 11, 2025, upon completion by both parties of the necessary domestic procedures, the Agreement 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 - parties to the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State, signed on June 19, 2020, will enter into force.  

The Agreement regulates the procedure for foreign citizens and stateless persons to cross the joint border of the states parties to the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State, including its land section, which was previously open only to citizens of Belarus and Russia. 

In accordance with the Agreement, the parties mutually recognize visas entitling them to enter and stay on the territory of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, as well as marks on crossing the external border of the Union State. 

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

If both Belarus and Russia have a visa-free regime in accordance with international treaties, then an identity document recognized by both states is sufficient to enter and stay in both countries. 

In case the above persons are subject to visa-free regime in one country and visa regime in the other, a visa will be required to enter and stay in the latter country 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 of one country and an identity document have the right to enter, leave, stay, transit through the territory of the other country without visas during the validity period of the above documents.

The period of stay of foreign citizens and stateless persons in Belarus and Russia is calculated from the date of entry to the territory of one of the states from the territory of the 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.

Entering the territories of Belarus and Russia is possible both through international checkpoints across the state border and directly on the used routes of international rail and air traffic, as well as on the routes of road traffic listed in the Annex to the Agreement. 

Currently, the Agreement provides for six such sections: Yukhovichi - Dolostsy (Opochka - Novopolotsk), Jezerishche - Nevel (Kiev - St. 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 regarded as a violation of the state border. 

Citizens of Ukraine continue to be subject to a special procedure for entry into the territory of the Russian Federation. According to the decision of the Government of the Russian Federation, citizens of Ukraine enter Russia through the checkpoint at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and the Ludonka automobile checkpoint in the Pskov region. 

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

This agreement is an important element of the unified migration space of the Union State.

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