Questions and answers
VISA: Frequently asked questions
Does a Hungarian national need a visa to enter the Republic of Belarus?
Yes, from 1 June 2001 after Hungary introduced visa regime for Belarusian nationals, Hungarian nationals also may enter the territory of the Republic of Belarus only in possession of valid Belarusian visas.
Exception is made for the Hungarian nationals – holders of diplomatic and service passports, who on the basis of the bilateral agreement may enter Belarus without visas.
What are the types of Belarusian visas?
Transit visa (type B) authorizes a foreign national for a single, double or multiple transit trip through the territory of Belarus during the period of 2 days starting from the date of entry for each transit trip.
Short term entry visa (type C) authorizes a foreign national for a single, double or multiple entry and stay on the territory of the Republic of Belarus during a period not exceeding 90 days.
Long term entry visa (type D) authorizes a foreign national for multiple entries and stays on the territory of the Republic of Belarus within a calendar year for a period not exceeding 90 days in total.
How much time does it take to get a visa?
In case the application documents meet all the requirements of the Belarusian legislation a visa is issued within 5 working days.
There is also a possibility of receiving a visa under the express procedure, i.e. within 48 hours. In this case the visa fee is increased (see the section on the visa fees).
When and how should I pay a consular fee? May I bring a confirmation of payment while receiving my passport with a visa?
Consular fee for a visa must be paid not later than the day of submitting the application to the Embassy.
Consular fee is paid in EUR in cash to the bank account of the Embassy of Belarus in Hungary at any MKB Bank branch. If you doubt about amount of visa fee to pay in advance you will be given the appropriate payment documents indicating the sum after having accepted the application.
You can bring confirmation of payment to the Embassy on the day of collecting your passport with visa.
May I pay a consular fee in Hungarian forints?
A visa fee enters onto account of the Embassy in EUR. An applicant may pay in Hungarian forints, in this case the Bank is calculating the amount in EUR on the basis of the foreign currency exchange rate actual for the moment of payment.
What are the opening hours of the Consular section of the Embassy? Does one need to make an appointment to submit an application or to receive a visa?
The opening hours of the Consular Section of the Embassy are from 9.00 to 12.00 Monday through Friday (every working day). There is no necessity to make any appointment for visa issues.
Where can I find an application form for a visa to be filled in?
An applicant can receive an application form for a visa free of charge at the Embassy or can download it from the web-site of the Embassy.
What should be the validity of my passport so that I could get my visa?
In order to apply for a visa an applicant’s passport should be valid at least 90 days after the expiry date of the presumed visa and should have at least two blank pages for visas.
May anyone else (relative, colleague, representative of a tourist agency) submit an application for a visa instead of me?
Yes, there is such a possibility for nationals of EU, US, Canada, Japan and some other states. However, in some cases a consul can decide that a personal interview with the applicant is necessary and will request for one.
May I send a visa application by post?
Visa applications from Croatia might be accepted if sent via post-delivery services like UPS, DHL, TNT, FedEx (and similar) arranged by yourself and paid both ways (Embassy does not assist in this procedure).When visa is ready Embassy let you know about it via e-mail. Then you should order courier to pick your passport up from the Embassy from 9.00 till 12.00, any working day (Monday-Friday).After ordering a courier you should send to hungary.consul@mfa.gov.by prepaid airway bill with bar-code (or any other accompanying papers of your shipment), which will be printed by Embassy's staff and attached to the envelope with your passport. In such a case visa fee must be transferred in advance to the Embassy's account.
Procedure of issue of visa starts when all documents are sufficient and money is on the Embassy's account.
Does a valid visa of Russian Federation authorize me to a transit trip through the territory of Belarus?
No, a Russian visa does not give any right to enter the territory of Belarus. For a transit trip through the territory of Belarus you should apply for transit visa.
Is it possible to get a hort-term Belarusian visa without an invitation letter?
Yes, on the basis of a unilateral decision of the Belarusian side EU, US, Canada, Japan and some other countries’ nationals may receive a short term single-entry visa for a period not exceeding 30 days for business or private purposes without a letter of invitation. Please note that a final decision is made by a Consul.
What is a migration card?
1. At the entrance to the territory of the Republic of Belarus a foreign citizen is to obtain a Migration Card (document containing the data about a foreign citizen who is crossing the Belarusian border).
2. The migration card is to be issued free of charge to a foreign citizen in case of travelling: by means of air, sea, river transport – by crews members of air, sea, river vessels; by the railroad transport – by members of train teams; by means of the automobile transport of the common use (by buses) – by drivers; by means of other mechanical vehicles or by walking – by officials of corresponding competent bodies.
3. In extraordinary cases obtaining and filling in the migration card by a foreign citizen entering the territory of the Republic of Belarus is to be executed directly in arrival halls of airports, at railway stations, auto road passage points up to the beginning of the frontier control.
4. In the point of crossing the State Frontier of the Republic of Belarus a foreigner is to submit the filled in Migration Card to a Border officer, who shall check both parts of the migration card filled, compliance of the data contained in it with the data contained in the visa and the document for going abroad, put marks about coming to both parts, withdraw the filled in part “A” of the migration card with the put in marks about coming in, an part “B” is to be returned to the foreign citizen. Part “B” of the migration card is to be kept by the foreign citizen for the whole period of staying on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, and it must be handed over to an official of the frontier troops of the Republic of Belarus while leaving.
5. For registration in the place of actual residence in the Republic of Belarus the foreign citizen shall submit part “B” of the migration card with a mark about coming to the Republic of Belarus along with the documents required for registration. On the basis of the documents submitted the respective registering body is to put a note of registration of the foreign citizen in the place of his/her actual residence in part “B” of the migration card.
6. In case of loss or spoiling of the migration card during the stay on the territory of the Republic of Belarus the foreign citizen is to within three working days apply to a territorial body of the respective competent body about it in the place of staying or registration, which is to issue a duplicate of the migration card along with putting the registration mark, the respective entry “Duplicate” in graph “For official use only”.
7. When the foreign citizen leaves the Republic of Belarus, he/she must hand over part “B” of the migration card or its duplicate to an official of the frontier troops at passing the frontier control in the point of passage through the State Frontier of the Republic of Belarus.
8. Staying in the Republic of Belarus without migration card will lead to the responsibility in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus.
