Registration with Belarusian authorities

U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Belarus are required to register with the local office of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior (formerly OVIR) within five business days of arrival. In other words, U.S. citizens who are staying in Belarus no more than 5 business days (plus a weekend) are not required to register. The registration fee is currently approximately $6 (the exact amount can be calculated by taking half of one National Minimum Tariff Unit) regardless of the duration of stay.  Failure to register can result in fines and difficulties when departing.  U.S. citizens staying in hotels are automatically registered at check-in. Registration performed by a hotel is free of charge.

Starting January 2, 2019, foreign citizens and stateless persons temporarily staying in the Republic of Belarus can register online through a single portal of electronic services at portal.gov.by, without visiting the internal affairs agency in person. This administrative procedure is free and can be used by foreigners who entered the Republic of Belarus at any checkpoint.

To extend the registration period, a foreigner must visit the Citizenship and Migration Unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs responsible for the place of his/her stay in Belarus.

Foreigners who arrived in the Republic of Belarus through the border with the Russian Federation should apply for registration in person at the Citizenship and Migration Unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs responsible for the place of his/her stay in Belarus.