Refusal of a visa to Belarus

For many years our country has been systematically working to create and maintain the image of a «hospitable hostess» with the joy of receiving and guests and those wishing to move to a permanent place of residence. The Ministry of Culture, together with the Ministry of Tourism, has already completed and continues the path of creating favorable conditions at various stages of the arrival of guests in our state: from planning and processing documents to arrival and accommodation, creating safe and economical transfers from the station or airport to the hotel.

The mentality of the inhabitants of Belarus has long been famous for its benevolence, tolerance for various nations and cultural traditions, as well as special rules for meeting and welcoming guests. Any Belarusian at a meeting with a foreigner on a subconscious level considers it his duty to greet, inquire about the state of affairs and certainly offer his help as a «local aborigine». Belarus has a favorable geographic location, which affects the frequency of the appearance of tourists in the country, whose ultimate goal is the countries of Western or Eastern Europe.

Since, according to the law, citizens of other states passing through in transit can freely stay on the territory of the country for some time, many use this excellent opportunity for tourism in the amazingly beautiful nature and acquaintance with the authentic culture of Belarus. When planning a trip, it is important to take into account all the nuances so that your time is spent as efficiently as possible, and you are not faced with any force majeure. How exactly you can not get into our beautiful country and what you need to know in advance, we will consider in the article below.

All reasons for refusal to enter the territory of Belarus can be generally divided into two large groups: problems that arise before, during or after crossing the state border and a group of grounds for refusing or canceling a visa.

Violation of the rules for crossing the border

If a foreigner has violated the rules of crossing the state border or customs regulations. This can be the rules of baggage transportation, including an attempt to carry prohibited goods or excess baggage allowance (if the excess was not paid for), and many others. A whole chapter 15 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus is devoted to all administrative customs offenses. Before traveling, especially if you plan to transport any goods, we strongly recommend that you carefully read all the provisions of this chapter.

Passport expires

Perhaps this rule is the same in almost all countries of the world, if the validity of his passport or other identity document ends 90 days or less before the end of the expected date of departure from Belarus. Yes, everything is simple here, change documents on time and pay attention to their validity period. There can hardly be exceptions to this rule, except for military actions or, if you are a refugee and you are persecuted for political beliefs, then your case of a difficult situation can be considered on an individual basis.

Having a criminal record

Each state considers it its duty to protect the safety of its citizens, which is partly why if you have a criminal record that has not been removed or canceled, you may be denied a visa and entry, respectively. Also, if during the previous stay in Belarus a foreign citizen committed an administrative offense or a criminal offense, then at the discretion of the consular office you may be denied a visa. Undoubtedly, a big role will be played by which article, and under what circumstances, the person has violated the law. Therefore, if you simply violated the traffic rules, then you are unlikely to fall into the «risk group».

Person non grata

There is such a thing as «a person unwilling to stay». It should be noted here that this is a very vague definition, under which persons who are more or less inconvenient for the state can fall. Therefore, the risk of getting into this group depends largely on the political situation in the country. There is no specific definition of whom and under what circumstances becomes persona non grata in any law.

Unpaid debt

If during the previous stay in the country a foreigner was brought to administrative responsibility, he was fined and did not pay the fine in due time. And also, if within a year, after an administrative violation, another administrative violation was committed by a foreigner, and from that moment the period of 1 year has not yet passed.

Violation of the period of stay

The foreigner during the previous visit remained in the country after the expiration of the visa. This is a very common rule that applies in almost all countries of the world. Therefore, plan your departure date carefully. An exception may be such force majeure circumstances as illness or stay in places of imprisonment with a plea of the innocence of illegal actions.

Providing false information

If you try to deceive and provide someone else's or inaccurate information while obtaining a visa or crossing the border, all this is punished not just by a fine, but by a ban on entry. If in any way, a foreigner was able to enter the country, then when it comes to the attention of state authorities, there is a possibility that you will be deported without the right to re-enter for a certain period or for life.

The presence of a special regime or state of emergency

2019 was the year of the appearance in the world of a pandemic associated with the spread of a previously unknown disease COVID-19. As a result, most countries in the world have closed their borders and adopted a number of measures restricting free entry and exit. Belarus did not stand aside, and also limited the movement of all land types of vehicles, both for foreigners and for its citizens. However, air traffic continues to function until now in a limited mode.

Lack of insurance

While staying in a foreign country, the risks of falling into an emergency situation are not excluded, as a result of which a foreigner may need qualified and expensive medical care and treatment. For citizens of Belarus, medical services are relatively free, since they are paid for from taxes paid by a citizen, but for a foreigner, the cost of such services when contacting any medical institution will be much higher. Therefore, the state has introduced a mandatory requirement for life and health insurance while staying in Belarus.

Involvement in certain groups of acts

If a foreigner previously had a criminal record or was involved in such acts as: human trafficking, organization of illegal immigration, drug trafficking, participation in terrorist or extremist organizations, trade in weapons, ammunition, and other explosives. It is highly likely that such persons will be denied entry and crossing the border of Belarus.

Disease

If there is a disease that poses a threat to the life and health of other persons, the foreigner may be denied entry. As a rule, this applies to viruses, those diseases that are easily spread by airborne droplets or that have a long incubation period, as a result of which it is difficult to identify.

Re-applying for a visa to Belarus

So, you were denied entry, but the need and desire to come to Belarus did not disappear. When can I re-try to get a visa? Well, in this case, everything is directly related to the reason for the refusal. If you were refused due to lack of insurance, sufficient funds for stay, lack of a complete set of documents, then it is enough to correct this circumstance and reapply to the Belarusian consulate for a visa. If you were denied due to a criminal record, then it is important to wait until the criminal record is removed or canceled. If you were sick, then after a full recovery, you should try to complete the paperwork again.

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