Belarus is an amazing and comfortable country where a high level of civilized life is established for everyone. The people there are very hospitable, loyal and calm towards all visitors, especially Russians and Ukrainians. All this allows many people to leave for Belarus and stay there to live. The rules for entry into Belarus for Russians and Ukrainians are very simple and loyal.
Panoramic view of the city of Lida
There are several other reasons for moving - the relative stability of the economic situation, a safe environment and prospects. Groceries in Belarus cost about the same as in Russia, and the quality is beyond praise. Real estate is much cheaper. On average, prices in Belarus are much lower than in Russia in 2021.
At the same time, it is comfortable, stable and safe. It is possible to live both in a big metropolis and in a village. In Belarus there is a program to restore the village, so now it is even more profitable to live in the outback than in a large city.
Conditions for obtaining a residence permit
The following rules apply to everyone:
- Having found a job. A high-level professional will always be welcome anywhere. The presence of a contract will be the basis for a residence permit in Belarus, followed by permanent residence.
- The goal is reunification with family. At the invitation of relatives living in Belarus, you can move to the country.
This is what a new driver's license looks like
And if you register a relationship with a resident of the country, the process of obtaining permanent residence will be even easier and faster.
- Getting an education in Belarus. A corresponding agreement with a university will ensure obtaining a residence permit, and then permanent residence.
- Investing in the country. Permanent residence will be guaranteed with an investment of at least 150,000 euros.
- Available real estate in the republic. This will allow you to leave your home state for permanent residence in Belarus.
And after living in the republic for 5-7 years, you can safely apply for citizenship. One “but” - you should abandon the previous one; dual citizenship is not allowed here. Refugees from other countries can also obtain permanent residence, but with the same condition - 7 years of constant residence in the country in this status.
Foreigners with outstanding abilities are included in a special category. This could be an actor, athlete, artist, designer, and so on.
Sample passport of a citizen of Belarus
A mandatory condition for everyone who wants to move to Belarus for permanent residence is registration. If you do not have your own living space, the premises are rented. In this case, you will have to negotiate for a separate fee with the landlord so that he registers you in the provided apartment on a temporary basis.
It is necessary to pay due attention to the study of the country’s emigration law with all the requirements and nuances. This is especially true for the required documents, their availability - certificates from various dispensaries and the police, a rental agreement or invitation and other papers, depending on the situation. You will also have to pay a fee, which costs about 500 rubles.
How can a Belarusian pay taxes on income in Russia?
“I work in Russia on a rotational basis. A month there, a month at home. Income tax is withheld in Russia. But the salary comes in Russian rubles to an account in a Belarusian bank. Is the transfer subject to tax? Ivan, Kopylsky district.”
Whether you have to pay income tax on transfers you receive from Russia or not depends on whether you are a tax resident of Belarus for tax purposes. Tax residents are individuals who actually stayed in the country for more than 183 days in a calendar year. To confirm the status of a tax resident of Russia, you need to have documents confirming the fact of your stay in Russia for more than 183 days, which, if necessary, are presented to the Belarusian tax office. These are travel documents, temporary residence permits, all kinds of marks in the passport and other documents. If there is evidence, then in this case you have no obligation to submit a tax return and pay taxes on income from Russia. Otherwise, you will have to declare income from abroad, but the amounts of tax actually paid under Russian law on income received in Russia are subject to offset.
Law
The process of obtaining permanent residence
Russia and Belarus signed an agreement (1998) on equal rights to movement and residence. That is, this document gives Russian citizens the rights to freely leave their country for permanent residence in Belarus.
Map of checkpoints on the border of Belarus and Russia
Temporary resolution
To begin with, a temporary permit is issued, which is issued by the Migration Department under the Department of Internal Affairs of the republic. When registering based on an employment or educational contract, the formal part is assumed by the receiving party.
An application for permanent residence in Belarus is submitted after a month of staying in the country. This is the maximum period. The entire procedure takes approximately 2 weeks. The applicant learns about the result by mail, and the answer arrives at his place of registration.
If the outcome of the case is positive, legal stay in the country will last up to 3 months.
The permit paper is an insert that is attached to the international passport. It contains all the basic information regarding last name, first name and patronymic, age, gender, place and date of birth, and so on.
This is what a Belarusian residence permit looks like pasted into a passport
It can be extended indefinitely, but it will be impossible to get a job.
Resident card
As soon as a person decides to move on and the term of the next temporary permit expires, he can begin to obtain a residence permit. It is valid for a year and provides an opportunity to get a job.
As soon as there are 2 weeks left before its end, the process of obtaining permanent residence should begin. Initially it is valid for 2 years, and after extension – 5 years. After these years, Belarusian citizenship is acquired or permanent residence is extended for another five years.
Obtaining permanent residence
Having gone through all of the above and having reached this point, the following documents are submitted to the migration department at the Department of Internal Affairs of the republic:
- Detailed autobiography;
- Application form;
- Police certificate confirming no criminal record;
- International passport;
This is what a Russian passport looks like
- A document permitting temporary residence;
- Providing insurance and medical certificate. inspection;
- 4 fresh color photos measuring 40*50 mm;
- Paid state duty - receipt in the amount of 24 euros.
A visit to the Migration Department will be marked by a fingerprinting or dactyloscopy procedure.
Having moved and correctly collected all the above documents, after a couple of months, a person becomes a full citizen of the republic.
Registration of permanent residence for specialists and prominent persons
Foreign citizens who are highly qualified in any field required by the state or gifted citizens, as well as investors who have expressed a desire to live permanently in Belarus, go through the process of obtaining permanent residence as follows:
- First, the applicant studies information about available vacancies and housing. This is done on a website specially created for this purpose - the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Belarus;
- If the need arises, come and find out all your questions on the spot. You can do this by calling the phone number listed on the website;
- Having chosen a place of residence you like with a suitable vacancy, you should contact the head of the organization directly;
- If the choice of work falls on the agro-industrial complex, its head agrees on the candidate with the leadership of the region, and he, in turn, does this with the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
- If everything is agreed upon everywhere and the Ministry of Internal Affairs gives its consent, materials for the applicant’s permanent residence will be generated;
- And the last point will be the submission of the necessary package of documents to the migration department at the Department of Internal Affairs.
List of documents for crossing the border
So what exactly documents do Russians need to travel to Belarus? According to the above agreement, you will only need your passport of the Russian Federation, or an international passport as an analogue. A foreign passport is not required. In addition, there is a visa-free regime for citizens of the Russian Federation. Filling out migration cards is also not required, unlike in Kazakhstan. So if you travel lightly and on public transport, you only need your internal passport.
Read also: How citizens of Uzbekistan can obtain a temporary residence permit and registration in Russia
Deprivation of permanent residence in Belarus
The main reasons for depriving a citizen of permanent residence in Belarus is a disdainful attitude towards the Laws of the Republic.
- Crossing the border illegally.
- Violation of the rules of transit conditions and stay in Belarus.
- Any actions that are prohibited by law and many other points.
Such a method of punishment as deportation from the country can be used for administrative offenses. This also includes forged documents containing incorrect information.
Detailed map of Belarus showing all settlements
The deportee will then not be able to enter the territory of Belarus for one to five years.
Border control for motorists
Motorists who prefer to travel by their own transport will have to prepare an additional package of documents. At the border they must make sure that you have the right to drive a car and that the vehicle really belongs to you. Therefore, to successfully cross the border with Belarus, drivers need to prepare the following set of documents:
- Russian passport;
- Driver license;
- Vehicle registration certificate;
- Insurance policy;
- Green card.
Applying for a green card is mandatory, otherwise you will face a hefty fine of $200. There are rumors that in Belarus you will need to take out insurance again, but this is not true - if you order a green card in the Russian Federation before crossing the border, it will also be valid in Belarus. The main thing is not to get confused - you need an international motor third party liability insurance policy.
Read also: How to check the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation for authenticity and validity
Recommendations for those moving to Belarus
You should not do this pleasant but troublesome task at the end of summer or early autumn due to the active “moving in” of students, due to which the number of places to live is greatly reduced and rents rise. Another such time is the New Year holidays. At this time, even a room with a shared apartment will cost from 200 dollars per month of rent, and a 1-room apartment of average disrepair will cost 400 or more.
If you contact housing agencies, we recommend paying a fee only upon check-in, and not before that. And you should keep in mind that almost all landlords charge six months in advance. That is, you must be prepared to part with a significant amount of money at once.
Food, drinks and clothing
Things are excellent with food - everything is always fresh and of high quality and at reasonable prices. But this only applies to local products. If you want something overseas, the prices are steep.
Things are worse with clothes and shoes. It is best to look for quality products in stores of well-known and trusted companies, for which you will have to pay tidy sums. Under no circumstances should you buy shoes and clothes from MegaTop chains and the like - everything is Chinese. As a last resort, use the Internet.
Alcoholic drinks are fine. The stores sell everything of high quality, you can buy it with confidence. Prices are approximately Russian, that is, you can find inexpensive local drinks and more expensive imported ones.
Prices for sausage products in a Belarusian store
