In an effort to improve relations with the West, Belarus has expanded its visa-free entry scheme to include citizens from 34 European countries, encompassing all 27 European Union members and the United Kingdom.
The new policy, effective from July 19, 2024, will allow European visitors to stay in Belarus for up to 30 days, with a maximum of 90 days of visa-free stay permitted within a calendar year, as reported by VisaGuide.World.
The Belarusian authorities have clarified that the visa-free policy applies to travelers arriving by road, rail, and air. This decision is part of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s strategy to reach out to the West as he prepares for his seventh five-year term in next year’s election.
List of Eligible Countries for Visa-Free Travel to Belarus
The countries whose citizens can now travel to Belarus without a visa are:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- North Macedonia
- Serbia
Belarus to Enhance Airline Connectivity with the US & UK
Belarus is also enhancing its airline connectivity, especially with the United Kingdom and the United States. Key routes include:
- London to Minsk
- Manchester to Minsk
Currently, direct flights between the US and Belarus are limited, but efforts are being made to improve connectivity, with passengers typically transiting through major European hubs such as Frankfurt, Paris, or Amsterdam before reaching Belarus.
Belarus also boasts strong railway connections with neighboring countries, making it convenient for travelers from Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia. Multiple daily trains operate between Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
Recently, President Lukashenko marked 30 years in power, ruling the country with an iron fist, suppressing dissent, and earning the nickname “Europe’s last dictator” in the West. His isolation deepened after a brutal crackdown on protests following his re-election in the August 2020 presidential vote, which the opposition deemed fraudulent.
Over 35,000 people have been arrested, and thousands were beaten in police custody, leading to EU and US sanctions that have significantly impacted Belarus’s Soviet-style economy.
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