Belarus Announces Visa-Free Entry for 80 Nations Including the USA!

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Belarus has announced 5-day visa-free entry for 80 nationalities including the USA to take effect in February.

This Soviet-era throwback previously is one of the hardest tourist visas to obtain. Those who reach the country receive one of the warmest welcomes in Europe.

In my visit I was passed from person to person who treated me as if a long-lost relative. For instance, the guesthouse owners in Brest did not speak English so they had their niece from the national skating team, go with them to the train station to meet me and translate.

Initially this applies only to flight arrivals to Minsk. Important: travelers flying from or to Russia are excluded.

This is a delightful surprise and a glimmer of hope at further opening. Even better for tourists will be if the rail routes from Lithuania and Poland open up to visa-free travel. If so, a day trip from Warsaw to Brest Fortress will be an excellent outing.

When visiting Minsk, history buffs will want to visit one of Europe’s most somber memorials at Khatyn, and the Hero City Obelisk.

See the full list of nationalities and requirements here.

Hero City Obelisk Minsk

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Matt Stegmeir
Matt Stegmeir
7 years ago

Any additional recommendations in belarus?

Stefan @ Rapid Travel Chai
Reply to  Matt Stegmeir

The country feels deserted in many parts. Flat farmland. Few cards on the huge expressways. Minsk architecture, Khatyn, the obelisk, and then the various sites in Brest are about it that I am aware.

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[…] guess you can now go to Belarus without a visa. If you insist I […]

Yuanxi Brandon Zhang
Yuanxi Brandon Zhang
7 years ago

it’s a shame that there’s so much requirement for Chinese to take advantage of it. It’s probably easier just to get a transit visa for Chinese who don’t live in EU

Stefan @ Rapid Travel Chai

We know the challenges for Chinese travelers we in our family. Things are improving!

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[…] Belarus Announces Visa-Free Entry for 80 Nations Including the USA! by Rapid Travel Chai. I’ve never been to Belarus, but it’s on ‘the list’. Pretty excited for this, but I hope it expands to train travel like RTC mentions. […]

Matthew
Matthew
7 years ago

Can’t believe I missed the Hero City Obelisk when I was there…

Stefan @ Rapid Travel Chai
Reply to  Matthew

We both know the only solution is “go back.” The driver I had didn’t seem familiar with it and I had to ask multiple times and point on the map to direct him. It is outside the city near an expressway interchange.

Kathy (Will Run For Miles)

one of my grandfathers was from Pinsk (not Minsk) in Belarus. Would love to visit someday.

Lively
Lively
7 years ago

Great news. Thanks.