Belarus has expanded its visa-free entry scheme to include citizens from 34 European countries, encompassing all 27 European Union members and the United Kingdom.

The new policy, effective from July 19, 2024, will allow European visitors to stay in Belarus for up to 30 days, with a maximum of 90 days of visa-free stay permitted within a calendar year, as reported by VisaGuide.World.

The Belarusian authorities have clarified that the visa-free policy applies to travelers arriving by road, rail, and air. This decision is part of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s strategy to reach out to the West as he prepares for his seventh five-year term in next year’s election.

The countries whose citizens can now travel to Belarus without a visa are:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom
• Albania
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• North Macedonia
• Serbia

At present, there are limited direct flight options between the United States and Belarus. Instead, travelers typically need to transit through major European hubs like Frankfurt, Paris, or Amsterdam before reaching their final destination in Belarus.

However, efforts are underway to improve the connectivity between the two countries. This could make it easier for American travelers to access Belarus.

In addition to air travel, Belarus also has strong railway connections with neighboring countries. This makes it convenient for Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia visitors to travel to Belarus. Multiple daily train services operate between the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and the Belarusian capital Minsk.

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