e-Visa and crossing Russia/Belarus border

donFlorero

Hello everyone,

do I understand it correctly? Let's suppose I need a visa for Belarus, but not for Russia. I can enter Belarus using the Belarusian e-Visa, ask for a migration card at the border, and cross to Russia, where I need no visa. What counts for the 30 day period is the crossing to Belarus. I can also return to Belarus from Russia using the same e-Visa, even if it is "single-entry", because there is a union.

What is not possible at the moment with the e-Visa (either Belarusian or Russian) is to enter the other country first, the one which didn't issue the e-visa. What is also not possible is to enter one of the countries in a visa-free regime and cross to other one without a visa, if the second has no visa-free regime.

Does anyone know if this is right?

KO______

"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." Source: https://mfa.gov.by/en/press/news_mfa/e90f53f504e4694f.html

Sounds like if you enter Belarus by eVisa, that visa is valid for your time in Russia. If you were visa-free in Belarus, and need a visa for Russia, you still need a visa for Russia. And visa versa.

Can anyone confirm?

justinian

I am going to Belarus in October, got a single entry Visa. Debating if I should play it safe and get a Russia visa too as I thought flying into Moscow could be a convenient way to get a flight to Minsk. It seems my Belarus visa should be enough...but I just assume there could be some technicality and better to play it safe.

donFlorero

justinian Your Belarussian visa would be enough if it is not electronic. There is mutual recognition of visas between both countries, but for the moment this does not apply to electronic visas, due to technical reasons.