Answers to popular questions

We have compiled all the popular answers to frequently asked questions, as well as feedback from our students
16.12.2019

Visiting Belarus

A few points international students have to keep in mind when traveling to our beautiful country

There are general rules that can be applied to everyone, but there are also certain specific requirements depending on the purpose of your visit (work, studies, tourism. etc.). Basically, every foreigner coming to Belarus should cover the following two moments: visa and local registration.

VISA

Citizens of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine don't need a visa when coming to Belarus. This rule applies to everyone regardless of the purpose of their visit. If you are are a citizen of one of the above-mentioned countries and you have received a positive answer from a Belarusian university regarding your application, then you can pack your suitcase and travel to Belarus without any further delay.

If the country of your citizenship is other than one of those mentioned above and you wish to come for studying, then you need a visa. Every university here keeps track of the applicants who need a visa, and so does MYUNIVER. In case you require a visa, we will make sure that the university you apply to issues an invitation letter and we will forward it to you. An invitation letter is a special document issued by a university and sealed by a District Immigration Office - it is the principal document that you should have in your package when applying for a study visa. 

Belarusian visa can be obtained either at the Embassy/Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in your country or at the Minsk Airport upon arrival to Belarus. Getting your visa done at the Embassy is way much easier and more comfortable, so if your country has a Belarusian diplomatic mission, do visit them. There is also a requirement that in case of an Embassy/Consulate present at the country an international student should apply there only. You can also look for a Belarusian Embassy or Consulate in the neighbouring countries and come to apply there. Of course, it will require some time and extra expenses for the trip, but in this case, you still get your visa issued in advance and you don't have to worry about it anymore. Here you can check where is the nearest to you Belarusian diplomatic mission.

Of course, if you don't have a Belarusian Embassy in your country and there's no way for you to get a visa beforehand, you can apply for it at the Minsk Airport upon arrival to Belarus. In this case, your invitation letter will be delivered to the Airport Migration Desk by the university, and you will have to fill in some papers and undergo other procedures when you get there. It may take quite some time, so be prepared for a possible long wait. The consular fee for the visa will also be more expensive there.

In case you reside in a country other than the country of your citizenship and you are planning to apply for your visa at a Belarusian Embassy there, you should inform MYUNIVER about your intention so that your university addresses your invitation letter to the correct the diplomatic mission.

REGISTRATION

All foreigners coming to Belarus have to get registered by a local District Immigration Office within 5 days since their arrival to Belarus  (in July 2020 the period will be extended up to 10 days). So, if you are coming for studying you definitely need to get registered - do not postpone your visit to the university's International Department, their specialists will help you to complete this procedure. This is basically the first thing you should do because violation of this rule will undoubtedly lead to a fine and - rarely but possibly - to your deportation from Belarus. Listen carefully and do everything the university representatives tell you to, it is very important. In case you are afraid to miss something, we can offer you our paid "All-Inclusive" service, and our specialist will be accompanying you throughout the whole process and make sure you do everything correct.

When your application process is finished and you get settled at the university's hostel or a rented apartment, you need to get a temporary residence. This is the same registration, but it is valid for a longer period - 1 year. It looks like a sticker in your passport that states the period and address of your residence in Belarus. Once a year you have to get a new temporary residence sticker so always keep track of the date of its expiry. You have to apply for a new sticker at least 15 days before the old one expires. Usually, specialists from the International Department remind their students about the upcoming deadline, but errors happen, so it should always remain your own responsibility. In case you change the address of your residence in Belarus you have to inform the International Department, they will help you to reissue your permanent residence with the correct address.

Although it may seem a bit weird and unnecessary, you should nevertheless oblige these rules: always inform on your new address of residence and always live exactly where you are officially registered. Violation will definitely lead to a fine and deportation, and nobody wants this.

You can read more details about the visa and registration here. And you can always address MYUNIVER specialists with any questions you may have!

Copying of materials from myuniver.org is possible after the written permission of the company. info@myuniver.org