Migration law in Belarus
Despite the splintering epidemiological situation, the Republic of Belarus remains an attractive jurisdiction for foreign business.
Thanks to the reform of the migration legislation, foreign citizens who arrived in Belarus through the Minsk National Airport were given the opportunity to enter the country without a visa. However, the specified entry regime applies primarily to persons who arrived in Belarus for tourist purposes, and the period of stay cannot exceed 30 days from the moment of entry. It is also necessary to leave the Republic of Belarus through the “the Minsk National Airport. If a person is interested in organizing a business in Belarus, then, as a rule, the period of his stay cannot be limited to 30 days. For this reason, the migration legislation of Belarus provides for other regimes of stay of foreigners in our country.
Temporary residence permit in Belarus
Grounds for temporary residence permit in Belarus
A temporary residence permit in Belarus is issued to foreigners if there are the following grounds:
- the person arrived in Belarus to study;
- a foreigner is a spouse or close relative of a Belarusian citizen who permanently resides in Belarus;
- a foreign citizen arrived in Belarus for labor or business puprposes;
- a foreigner is a highly qualified employee from the point of view of Belarusian legislation;
- a foreign citizen owns apartment in the Republic of Belarus;
- a foreigner arrived to receive medical care in a hospital, or accompanies a person who arrived in Belarus for these purposes.
Note that the mentioned list of grounds is not exhaustive. At the same time, the most frequent request for obtaining a temporary residence permit in Belarus is associated with the fact that a foreign citizen plans to carry out entrepreneurial activities in Belarus, or work for a Belarusian employer under an employment contract.
Period of a temporary residence permit in Belarus
As a general rule, the term of temporary residence permit in Belarus does not exceed one year from the date of its issue. From the point of view of the migration legislation of Belarus, a foreigner must leave the country after the expiry of the period for which the temporary residence permit was issued, or obtain a new one. It is impossible to extend the validity period of the issued temporary residence permit in Belarus.
How to get a temporary residence permit in Belarus
To obtain a temporary residence permit in Belarus, a foreign citizen must form and submit a package of documents established by law to the migration authorities. A migration attorney can prepare the necessary documents, arrange for their submission to the authorized state bodies, provide full legal support for obtaining a temporary residence permit in Belarus.
As a general rule, the term for obtaining a temporary residence permit is 15 days. If the reason for filing an application for a temporary residence permit is the fact of marriage with a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, then the period for obtaining a permit is 30 days.
Work permit in Belarus
One of the reasons for obtaining a temporary residence permit in Belarus is employment. A document confirming the right to work for a Belarusian employer is a special work permit, which is issued taking into account the conclusion of the labor and social protection authority. A work permit is issued for a period of one year, after which the employer must again apply to the state authorities with an application to prolongate a work permit if the foreign citizen continues to work for him. Note that not every foreigner needs to get a work permit in Belarus. For example, on the territory of the EAEU, equal conditions have been created for citizens of Belarus, Armenia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia and Kazakhstan. Therefore, Belarusian employers are not required to obtain work permits for citizens of these states. In addition, there are exceptions for Hi-Tech Park residents. If an employer who is a resident of the HTP has a need to attract foreign labor, then a work permit does not need to be obtained.
Residence permit in Belarus
A residence permit or permanent residence permit in Belarus is issued to foreigners who have close ties with the country. For example, a permanent residence permit is issued to foreigners who:
- are close relatives of citizens of the Republic of Belarus permanently residing in Belarus;
- have lived in the Republic of Belarus after receiving a temporary residence permit for the last five years continuously, and for highly qualified workers - for the last three years continuously (the period of residence in the Republic of Belarus is considered continuous if the foreigner was in the Republic of Belarus legally and did not leave The Republic of Belarus or if a foreigner, during his stay in the Republic of Belarus, legally left the Republic of Belarus for a period of not more than ninety days in a calendar year);
- are foreigners who have made investments on the territory of the Republic of Belarus in the amount of at least fifteen thousand base units.
The specified list of grounds is not exhaustive.
Our migration lawyers and migration law specialists provide full legal support to foreign citizens in obtaining a permanent residence permit, residence permit, as well as permit for temporary stay in Belarus. For the convenience of clients, communication is conducted in English.
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