Permanent Residence Permit in Belarus

A residence permit is a document that allows a foreigner to stay in the country for a long period (more than 1 year). The presence of such a document almost equates a foreigner in rights to a citizen of Belarus, and also allows avoiding annual migration procedures.

However, the grounds for obtaining a residence permit also need to be more “substantial,” for example:

1. having a spouse or close relatives who are citizens of Belarus;
2. long-term continuous residence in Belarus – more than 5 years;
3. high achievements in science, sports;
4. you are a “valuable employee” for a company in Belarus, etc.

What does a Belarus residence permit provide?

Obtaining a residence permit in Belarus radically changes the status of a foreigner, providing a wide range of rights comparable to those of Belarusian citizens. This is an ideal solution for those planning long-term and permanent residence in Belarus.

With a residence permit, you get:

1. equal rights (full access to medicine and education at all levels) and freedom in work (without special permits and language exams);
2. the right to register a vehicle with the traffic police in Belarus and the right to preferential customs clearance (for example, for electric vehicles) like Belarusian citizens.
3. visa-free regime (no need to constantly extend visas and migration documents, free residence and border crossing).
4. the ability to register as an individual entrepreneur in Belarus.
5. the possibility of permanent registration and savings on housing and communal services tariffs.
6. simple banking services: favorable conditions for opening accounts and Visa and MasterCard cards.

What are the grounds for obtaining a Belarus residence permit for citizens of the Russian Federation?

The list of grounds for obtaining a residence permit is directly established by legislation. As a rule, having a close relative/spouse who is a citizen of Belarus or permanent residence in Belarus for more than 5 years are the most common grounds for obtaining a residence permit.

However, there are additional grounds that significantly facilitate obtaining a residence permit in Belarus for citizens of Russia. The mere fact of having Russian citizenship is sufficient to obtain a Belarus residence permit. This possibility is provided for by separate international norms (Agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation). The actual period of residence in Belarus for citizens of Russia is irrelevant.

How long does it take to obtain a residence permit?

The processing time for documents depends on the ground for obtaining the residence permit. In general, the timeframe is:

1. 1 month – for highly qualified workers
2. 2 months – for other citizens, including citizens of the Russian Federation
3. 4 months – in the case of marriage to citizens of Belarus.

We note that in practice, the residence permit is obtained in 2 stages.

• First, the application and documents are reviewed by the migration authority, and a decision is made on whether to issue or refuse the permanent residence permit. Temporary registration may be issued for the period of document review. The temporary registration period is for the duration of document review by the migration authority.
• Only after a positive decision is received, a biometric ID card is issued. The production time for such an ID card ranges from 1 to 3 weeks.

Documents for obtaining a residence permit

We note that the full list of documents directly depends on the ground for obtaining the residence permit. Each ground has its own specifics in document preparation.

As a rule, all documents are processed in Belarus. In a foreign country, it is necessary to obtain a foreign passport and order a certificate of no criminal record. If you have minor children, a certificate is not required for a child under 14 years of age.

The legislation imposes special requirements on the certificate of no criminal record, depending on the place of issue and the country. For example, electronic certificates of no criminal record are not accepted in Belarus.

Residence permit and administrative violations: what foreigners need to know.

Foreign citizens often ask how the presence of administrative penalties in Belarus (for example, fines for traffic violations) can affect obtaining a residence permit. It is important to understand that past violations can become a serious obstacle.

According to the legislation, a permanent residence permit may be refused if the applicant has:

1. accumulated more than five “active” administrative penalties – that is, those for which the period after which the person is considered not subject to the penalty has not yet expired.
2. or has two or more unpaid fines for administrative offenses.

Therefore, it is extremely important to monitor timely payment of fines and avoid multiple administrative violations. The migration authority carefully checks not only your documents for compliance with requirements, but also verifies facts of previous stay in Belarus and the absence of legislative violations.