Schengen visas for travel: where to get them in Belarus | Belarus: view from Europe – DW special project | DV
Then the pandemic, then the protests in Belarus in 2020, then the unleashed war of Russia against Ukraine, for complicity in which the EU countries imposed sanctions against the Lukashenka regime. All this is carried out to the fact that some countries have significantly limited or extremely widely issue visas for Belarusians. And yet there are opportunities to apply for a tourist Schengen visa in the country itself. DW found out where.
Which embassies in Belarus introduced visa restrictions
If earlier Poland actively issued Schengen visas to Belarusians, now, against the background of monitoring the investigation of its visa centers, only visas for humanitarian purposes, for work, under the Pole’s card or the Poland. Business Harbor program are issued. Visas for the purpose of visiting for an indefinite period.
The Estonian Embassy in Minsk, following the decision of the Estonian permit, has not been issuing short-term Schengen and important type D visas to citizens of Belarus and Russia since March. However, in early June it was necessary to issue work and humanitarian visas.
At the Latvian Embassy in Belarus, at the request of DW, they report that after the expulsion of Latvian diplomats, the range of consular services has narrowed. Now only the consulate in Vitebsk is working, the main task is to protect the interests of Latvian citizens, residents of the Republic of Belarus. Schengen visa applications only from family members of Latvian citizens, for visiting sick relatives, for funerals and in connection with medical treatment. Tourist visits are not issued. Applications are sent only at the Pony Express visa center in Vitebsk. The term for consideration of documents is 10 days. There are still “windows” for recording in June. A vaccination certificate or a PCR test is not required to enter Latvia.
Lithuania also issues visas only in exceptional cases. The Minsk Visa Application Center of Denmark also froze the issuance of short-term visas and residence permits “until increased sensitivity”. In connection with the adoption of a visa and a residence permit, the Czech Republic stopped from the citizens of Belarus – in connection with the support of the Belarusian railways against the Austrian aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. However, after the May trip of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, they decided to extradite them for family reunification to those who are forced to leave Belarus due to mass character. At the request of DW about the tourist “Schengen” in the consular department of the Czech Embassy in Belarus, it is reported that at the moment the acceptance of applications and the issuance of visas for citizens of Belarus and Russia has been suspended, this can be explained, however, by the fact that the state of emergency has been extended in the Czech Republic until June 30 due to the flow of tension.
Germany and beyond: where Belarusian tourists are given “Schengen”
But applications for all categories of visas, including tourist ones, are accepted by the visa department of the German Embassy in Minsk. At the end of May, Germany canceled the 3G rule for those who enter this country – until 31 August. Persons over 12 years of age do not need to present a vaccination certificate, a certificate of covid or a negative coronavirus test at the entrance to Germany. However, as noted by DW in the press service of the German Foreign Ministry, Belarusian agencies receive a visa only if they have a vaccination certificate, they welcome vaccines approved by WHO, such as Sinovac, Covaxin and Sinopharm. The alternative is to have good reasons for visiting Germany, such as a wedding, the birth of a child, or the death of a relative. The demand for Schengen visas is now high, processing applications in Minsk takes about a week.
Also, from May 18, at the Embassy of Slovakia in Minsk and its visa centers, Belarusians can again apply for a Schengen visa without restrictions on the purpose of the trip, that is, for tourism. At DW’s request, the consular department is reporting increased interest, as well as what else is available in Japan for pre-registration.
Italy since June returned the entry rules for tourists that were in force before the pandemic
Defeat for a tourist visa can be at the Italian Embassy in Minsk. You can make an appointment for a brief Schengen visa through the external service provider TLScontact at https://it.tlscontact.com/by. This company accepts a number of applicants daily without an appointment. In June, according to the consular department in Minsk, all places are already booked. However, every day in the full booking system prenot@mi will offer a choice for each subsequent day.
Visas for everyone, including tourism, can also be obtained at the Austrian representation, however, at the diplomatic mission in Moscow or through an official intermediary – the VFS company in Minsk. Application processing takes about three weeks. The number of date accumulation in June is very limited due to high consumption. In most cases, go to submit documents to the Spanish visa center. In Minsk, it was closed in the past due to unresolved issues with the landlord. According to the Belarusian media, there is also an opportunity to get a tourist “Schengen” to Greece – for this you need to submit documents to the visa center of this country in Minsk. You can apply to the consular section of the French Embassy in Belarus. True, none of these organizations responded to DW’s request for details.
See also: