Posts Tagged ‘Belarus visa’

Belarus Visa Requirements Keep “Art of Nonconformity” Author Out

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Poor Chris Guillebeau. The writer behind the popular Art of Nonconformity blog has made it a goal to visit every single country in the world, but thus far, fate has kept him out of Belarus:

Twice in the past two months I’ve tried to make it to Belarus, and twice I’ve failed.

The first time I was volcanoed, stuck in Vancouver and unable to fly to Europe. This time, I was stuck in Zürich, shut out by a Kafkaesque visa system that denied me entry one day before I was supposed to arrive.

“Kafkaesque” is a good way of describing Belarus’ visa system, which is inspired by Russia’s and equally complex. Whether you are actually visiting Belarus or just passing through, you will need a visa, and if you can’t stand the thought of having to change travel plans at the last minute, it would be prudent to get one in advance.

Here’s what you need to get a Belarus visa if you are traveling there as a tourist:

  • 1 Belarus visa application form
  • 1 recent passport photo
  • If you will be taking an organized tour, provide a letter from the tour company confirming your reservation with them and your  itinerary.
  • If you are traveling independently, you must provide a hotel reservation from an authorized Belarussian travel agency. The agency will provide you an  authorization number; write it on your Belarus visa application form.
  • If you are a former Soviet/Belarussian, Belarus requires you to submit proof of how you lost your Soviet/Belarussian citizenship. Generally, you can use the documents you used to get your US citizenship.
  • Your US passport

It is quite likely that you’ll have to travel through Russia to get to Belarus, so don’t forget to apply for the appropriate Russian visa as well.

RushMyTravelVisa can help you negotiate the complicated Belorussian visa process. When your submit your application through us, you get personal assistance and attention from a professional visa specialist. We walk you through the application process and submit your paperwork to the appropriate embassy or consulate, for the fastest processing possible.

Apply for your Belarus visa today!

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Posted in Destinations | No Comments »

Get a Belarus Visa To Get Lost in the Woods of Belovezhskaya Pushcha

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

This week’s UNESCO  World Heritage Site of the Week is the Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus.  This ancient forest is one of the largest, most pristine forests in Europe, consisting of 1,771 square kilometers in Belarus and Poland, where it is called the Białowieża Forest.

The forest is home to an amazing variety of creatures, including the wisent, or European bison.  The story of the recovery of the wisent is almost miraculous-the animal actually went extinct in the wild in 1927, when the last one was shot by poachers. However, a small herd was reintroduced in the 1950’s, and today there are around 300 in the park.

The park is also home to some magnificent oak trees, some over 500 years old.  The forest was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

To visit the Belovezhskaya Pushcha, you need a Belarus tourist visa. You should apply well in advance, as visas are not available on arrival.  Here are the documents you will need to apply:

  • 1 Belarus visa application form
  • 1 passport-sized photo of yourself
  • If you are  going on a tour, you need a letter from the tour company confirming your reservation with them and your  itinerary.
  • If you are traveling by yourself, you need a hotel reservation from an authorized Belarussian travel agency. The agency will give you an  authorization number to write on your Belarus visa application form.
  • If you are a former Soviet/Belarussian, you will also need to prove how you lost your Soviet/Belarussian citizenship. Generally, you can use the documents you used to get your US citizenship.
  • Your US passport

Also, bear in mind that you may need transit visas for countries that you travel through on the way to Belarus.  RushMyTravelVisa can review your itinerary and make sure you get all of the documents you need for your journey. We can also help cut through the confusion of the visa application process, providing you with clear instructions to make sure you get the fastest service available.

Apply for your visa today!

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Posted in World Heritage Site of the Week | 1 Comment »

Types of Belarus Visas

Friday, December 4th, 2009

Once part of the Soviet Union, Belarus became independent in 1991. Belarus requires all US citizens to have both a valid passport and the appropriate Belarus visa before they can set foot on Belorussian territory. Before you apply for your visa, you need to consider the purpose of your visit to  make sure you apply for the right type of visa.

Belarus offers the  following types of visas:

  • Tourist visas
  • Business visas
  • Transit visas (if you will be traveling through Belarus on the way to another destination and will be staying in the country for less than 48 hours)
  • Private visit/homestay visas for visitors who will be  staying with a friend or family member in Belarus.
  • Employment and study visas are available for visitors who want to work or go to school in Belarus, but you need to apply at embassy and will not be able to use the services of an expediting company.

Other fun facts about the Belarus visa system:

If you are a tourist, Belarus prefers that you visit as part of a tour group.
If you want to travel alone, you must make arrangements with an official travel agency. The travel agency will  issue you a  voucher.

If you are applying for a visa for a private visit, you need an invitation from the Ministry of the Interior if you plan on staying more than 30 days.

If you are staying less than 30 days, generally all you need is a letter from your host.  However, at their discretion, the Belarus embassy may ask for a letter of invitation from the Ministry of the Interior, even if your trip is less than 30 days.

Belarus does not issue visas at the border, so you need to apply for your Belarus visa well in advance. RushMyTravelVisa.com can help research the visa requirements for your itinerary and expedite your visa application with the Belarus embassy.

Need a Belarus visa? Apply today!

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Posted in Country-Specific Visas | 1 Comment »