Belarus is a very colorful, interesting, incredibly beautiful country conveniently located between the countries of the European Union and the CIS. Local residents are famous for their openness, friendliness, and hospitality. The country itself attracts tourists with its picturesque nature, impressive historical sights, fascinating corners, modernized buildings, low prices, and other charms.

Very often, foreign citizens go to Belarus not only for tourist trips but also to stay there forever. According to various estimates, citizenship is granted to about 5 thousand people in the country every year. The procedure for obtaining a Belarusian passport is not too complicated, but it takes a long time.

We offer you to check useful information about how to obtain citizenship in Belarus, what documents should be prepared and how long you need to have lived in the country for this.

What you need to do to obtain citizenship

There are three main conditions under which you can obtain citizenship in Belarus:

• Birth. A newborn child whose at least one parent is a citizen of Belarus automatically gets the right to become a citizen of the Republic. A child whose stateless parents live in Belarus on a permanent basis can also become a citizen of the country. Newborns whose parents are foreigners and permanently reside in Belarus have the right to citizenship if their country refuses to grant citizenship to children.

• Registration. If a person was born in Belarus or lived in the country before November 12, 1991, and has citizenship of the former USSR, he/she can also apply for a Belarusian passport.

• Naturalization. This method of obtaining citizenship in Belarus has certain requirements. First of all, a foreign citizen must permanently reside in the territory of the state for seven years. You also need to know local laws, speak one of the official languages ​​- Belarusian/Russian - and have a legal income.

Another important condition for this is the absence of another citizenship because dual citizenship is prohibited in Belarus. Therefore, a foreigner who is going to get a Belarusian passport must first renounce his/her previous citizenship.

Documents required

To apply for citizenship, foreigners need to prepare the following documents:

• questionnaire;

• autobiography;

• four color photos measuring 30 x 40 mm;

• copies of passport pages;

• copies of pages of the residence permit in the Republic of Belarus;

• a copy of the birth certificate;

• a copy of the marriage certificate (if any) and a certificate of family composition;

• copies of documents containing data on public status;

• confirmation of a legal source of income;

• a document from a competent authority of a foreign state confirming the absence of another citizenship. If the termination of foreign citizenship is not possible, a statement is attached where the person indicates the reasons;

• confirmation of the state duty payment;

• a copy of the refugee card (if the person has such a status).

If the applicant has Belarusian roots, copies of the birth certificate of one of the parents or grandparents must be added to all the specified documents.

What are the types of stay in the country

In order to travel to Belarus, foreign citizens of most countries need to obtain a visa.

There are three main types of visas for entering the Republic:

• B – transit visa;

• C – short-term visa, valid for up to 90 days;

• D - long-term visa, valid for up to 1 year with the right to stay up to 90 days.

If a foreign citizen plans to stay in the country in order to obtain citizenship in the future, it is necessary to choose a long-term visa. It is also necessary to later apply for a permanent residence permit, which allows you to stay in the country for up to 2 years, and then for another 5 years.

Length of stay

Foreigners who have moved to Belarus and want to obtain citizenship through naturalization must have lived in the country for at least seven years (travel outside the Republic can be done for up to three months a year). However, those eligible for citizenship by registration are not required to have lived in the country for up to seven years. For them, this term may be shortened or not applied at all.

Summary information

Citizenship in Belarus has many advantages, including:

• the right to reside freely in the country and enjoy all privileges;

• the right to participate in elections and apply for public positions;

• the opportunity to receive high-quality free medical care, etc.

In general, life in Belarus flows at a measured pace, so this country will be an ideal place for people who appreciate peace.