Authorities in Belarus have decided to extend visa exemption for citizens of 38 European countries, reaching the country through land borders until December 31, 2025.

The decision, according to news agency Belta, has been confirmed by the Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, Schengen.News reports.

Given the popularity of Belarus’ ‘visa-free travel’ among foreigners, the head of state decided to extend visa-free travel for citizens of 38 European countries. Foreigners will continue to be able to enter Belarus without a visa until December 31, 2025, inclusive.

In contrast, the EU today imposed new sanctions on some Belarussian nationals in view of the regime’s involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

More Than a Million European Citizens Visited Belarus Since 2022

According to the Belarusian Border Committee since 2022, more than a million citizens from European countries have traveled to Belarus since the visa-free regime was implemented in 2022.

The same source notes that visa exemption is popular among tourists from Belarus’ neighboring countries, or more specifically, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. The Committee also stressed that visa exemptions are also famous among tourists from Germany, Italy, Estonia, France, and the United Kingdom.

The visa exemption for Belarus also covers countries such as Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia, Slovakia, Spain, Denmark, Finland, and Portugal.

This measure also benefits nationals from Ireland, Hungary, Greece, Luxembourg, Iceland, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Czechia, Sweden and Switzerland.

“Visa-Free Entry to Belarus Can Be Used for Unlimited Number of Times”

Through a statement, the Border Committee of Belarus stressed that the right to enter visa-free Belarus is unlimited until December 31, 2025.

For citizens of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia (as well as for persons with the status of non-citizens of Latvia), the period of temporary stay cannot exceed 90 days from the date of entry.

The Committee emphasized that for citizens of the remaining 35 countries, temporary stay in Belarus should not surpass 30 days from the date of entry.

Lithuania & Latvia on Top List

The statistics from the Belarusian Ministry of Sports and Tourism revealed that last year, the majority of tourists who entered Belarus came from Russia.

On the list of top three countries whose nationals visited the most Belarus were also Lithuania and Latvia, in addition to Russia.

Tourists from Lithuania and Latvia followed. In this regard, visa-free travel is an important factor contributing to the arrival of tourists.

The Committee also clarified that nationals reaching Belarus on a visa-free basis are eligible to transit to third countries other than Russia, including by air.