Foreigners in Belarus: 153,000 Visits in 2026

Since the beginning of 2026, 153,639 foreign citizens from 38 countries have entered Belarus under the visa-free regime. The main flow came from neighboring countries — Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, according to the State Border Committee.

Visa-Free Entry to Belarus for Europeans

Belarus began introducing a visa-free regime for European nationals on April 15, 2022. Since then, citizens of Lithuania and Latvia, as well as Latvian non-citizens, have been able to enter the country without a visa. Poland was added to the list on July 1.

On July 19, 2024, Belarus extended the visa-free regime to 35 more European countries, including:

Austria, Andorra, Belgium;

Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Vatican City, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland;

Hungary, Greece, Denmark;

Ireland, Iceland;

Spain, Italy, Cyprus;

Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta;

Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway;

Portugal, Romania, San Marino;

North Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia;

Finland, France, Germany;

Croatia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland;

Sweden and Estonia.

At the end of 2025, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko extended visa-free entry for citizens of 38 European countries through December 31, 2026. Citizens of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland may stay in the country for up to 90 days from the date of entry, while citizens of the other countries may stay for up to 30 days. Total stays may not exceed three months in a calendar year. Multiple entries are permitted.

Dynamics of Foreign Visits to Belarus

Since the visa-free regime was introduced on April 15, 2022, more than 1.4 million European residents have visited Belarus. Lithuania accounts for the largest number of entries, with 716,633. Latvia follows with 450,118, and Poland with 157,654.

In 2025, the number of Europeans traveling to Belarus under the visa-free regime gradually increased. By the end of January, the number of visits stood at 11,500; by March, it had reached 41,500, and by June, 105,800. By December 22, the figure had risen to 218,500.

From July 27 to August 2, 2026, 6,522 foreigners entered Belarus without visas; from August 3 to 9, the figure was 7,344, and from August 10 to 16, 7,213. During the latest period, Lithuanian citizens accounted for the largest group, with 2,354 visitors, followed by Latvian citizens and non-citizens with 2,081, and Polish citizens with 971. Another 1,807 visitors came from the other European countries covered by the regime.

Tourism Prospects in Belarus

Analysts at International Investment note that Minsk has not abandoned contacts with European countries despite the deep political divide and sanctions pressure. For Belarus, the regime is both a tool for maintaining economic, humanitarian and cross-border ties and a way to demonstrate that the country remains open to foreign visitors.

This does not, however, signal a normalization of relations with the EU. Belarus remains closely aligned with Russia, while most European countries are classified by Minsk as “unfriendly.” The border with neighboring Latvia is periodically closed, and restrictions at border checkpoints are increasing. Against this backdrop, the visa-free regime is better viewed as a pragmatic channel for maintaining selected ties with Europe than as a sign of political rapprochement.

At the same time, Belarus remains attractive to travelers because of its relatively simple entry requirements. Unless the political situation leads to further restrictions, this factor could help maintain a steady flow of European visitors.