Belarus has completed the process of ratification of agreements with the EU on visa facilitation and the readmission of persons staying without permission.
The corresponding laws dated 9 April were officially published on the National Legal Internet Portal, which means that they were signed by the Belarusian leader, BelTA reported.
Earlier, on April 2, the document was adopted by the House of Representatives and approved by the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus.
Belarus and the European Union signed agreements on visa facilitation and the readmission of persons staying without permission on January 8 in Brussels to facilitate the travel of citizens, the development of international, including tourist, contacts, as well as strengthen the atmosphere of trust and mutual understanding between peoples.
The visa agreement provides for the mutual facilitation of procedures for a wide category of citizens and a reduction in fees. Citizens will have the right to apply for visas both in the embassies of European countries and in visa centers. The decision to issue a visa will be made within 10 days (in case of additional verification, the period may increase up to 30 days).
The cost of Belarusian visas for EU citizens will reduce up to €35. The list of justifications for issuing free visas for non-commercial purposes will be expanded. The duration of the stay of foreigners in Belarus will be doubled from 90 days per year to 180 days.
In the meantime, when the readmission agreement comes into force, Belarus and the EU will have to readmit their own citizens, third-country citizens, and stateless persons, who do not meet or no longer meet the requirements to legally stay in each other's territory. Belarus will be granted a two-year transition period with regard to the readmission of third-country citizens. The joint declaration attached to the readmission deal obliges the EU to provide technical and financial support to Belarus in this regard.
The documents should be approved by the European Parliament as well. They will come into force on the first day of the second month after the parties have notified each other about the completion of the ratification procedures. The visa facilitation deal is expected to come into effect in June 2020.
