Belarus Visa Free

[mendeleyev]

For good reason Belarus is sometimes called the last dictatorship in Europe. It isn't of course the last, but it certainly qualifies as an authoritarian nation. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't visit, or that you cannot find a stunningly beautiful wife with amazing character.

From ancient castles to war monuments to some of the most pristine parks, Belarus is a place rarely visited by most Westerners, but this deserves to change.



President for Life Aleksandr Lukashenko continues to open up areas of this small country (with almost undiscovered jaw dropping women) to visitors from the West. Previously the law opened up a 5-day visa-free opportunity. It is operational and there are some key points that you need to know about it:

- You MUST enter via the Minsk National Airport (MSQ) and you can enter from just about anywhere, but not from Moscow or any other Russian city. You are free to enter from just about anywhere else as long as you FLY.

- Your 5 days includes the day you arrive and the day you leave. Plan your arrivals and departures carefully as arrival on an evening flight means that you've just burned one of the 5 days before getting started.


For a list of requirements for visa-free entry, watch this:





This is a country that has never gotten over the Soviet Union (their KGB still exists, etc) so be careful about what you attempt to bring in. Have a prescription for each medication you carry, be careful about lugging around a super expensive camera or sophisticated recording gear without a journalist permit, etc.





Interesting tidbit: It is possible to enter via canoe as Belarus has a extensive system of national parks and waterways, but entering by canoe requires a whole lot of paperwork and permits.


Since it is best to arrive early, you'll likely wish to have breakfast before taking a bus/taxi/train to other points in Belarus. Where are some of the best breakfast spots?

[msmob]

As normal a great thread - thanks, Mendy

I considered driving my car through Belarus on the road trip to Sochi - but the regulations - having to temp import the car into another nation AND fit a tracker / toll system - that restricted where we drove and a time target -  must transverse the country in 48 hours.... 

Nah.... we didn't need that hassle (


I have entered by plane via Moscow and it is clear that there is a chill in relations as Russia 'stamps' you out and removes the immigration slip - so one arrives in Minsk without going through immigration !!

[mendeleyev]

There are two specific places in Belarus where the country has just opened up a ten (10) day, visa-free opportunity. These are very limited and access to other areas is restricted, and cannot include Minsk.

One of those is the ancient European/Belarussian city of Grodno (also written as Hrodna).


This video is so majestic that I suggest you watch them in wide screen, theatre mode.





Info on the 10 days visa free programme:

[ML]

OK Jim, I am sold on Belarus.
Time to look at property to buy.

[mendeleyev]

Another video of Grodno to watch in full screen theatre mode:





One of the reasons for a 10 day visa -free trip to the history city of Grodno (Hrodna) is the famous Augustovskiy canal (Августовский Канал). This canal connects a series of lakes between Poland and Belarus. Wide at some points, then very narrow at others, is a beautiful sight and experience, and provides water access between the two countries.




The canal with a system of channel locks is similar (but smaller) to the great Moscow canal that gives the city of Moscow access to the Baltic Sea.

[LAman]

Mendy, what is procedure to getting into Grodo and Brest? Through Poland or flying into these cities? And only through a travel agent?

[mendeleyev]

Through a travel agent.


http://grodnovisafree.by/en/documents/information.html

[LAman]

Through a travel agent.


http://grodnovisafree.by/en/documents/information.html

Sounds like a lot of work for such short time(10 days). Not easy to fly into Grodno or Breast airports and time involved to actually drive into Belarus through checkpoints from Poland. At least with 5 day visa free, you can fly into an international airport(Minsk, with many flights). May be simpler to just get reg visa to Belarus.

Will ML read this post and corrects? ))

[ML]

Will ML read this post and corrects? ))

Yes he will because 'corrects' is not at all the appropriate word to use in this sentence.