Belarus permanent residence permit

Article 53 grants permanent residence to close relatives of Belarusian citizens living permanently in Belarus; recognised refugees and people granted asylum; foreigners entitled to family reunification; those who have lived in Belarus for the last five years continuously on a temporary residence permit; people with grounds for Belarusian citizenship by registration and former citizens; highly qualified workers and workers or specialists needed by Belarusian organisations; people with exceptional talent or outstanding achievements in science, technology, culture or sport; investors who have invested at least 15,000 base values in Belarus by lawful means; and ethnic Belarusians, people identifying as Belarusians and their descendants born outside Belarus.

Residence counts as continuous if you stayed lawfully and did not leave Belarus, or left for not more than 90 days in a calendar year. Other foreigners can be admitted only by a decision of the Council of Ministers agreed with the President.

Belarus accepts permanent residence applications at its missions abroad. The list published for these applications covers the application form, a curriculum vitae, your passport, four colour photos of 40 x 50 mm on one sheet, a criminal record certificate from your country of nationality or former residence issued within the last six months (from age 14), documents proving your ground, a medical certificate showing none of the diseases dangerous to public health (from age 14) and proof of payment. Family reunification cases add a notarised invitation from the Belarusian citizen or permanent resident and, in some cases, proof of kinship and adequate housing. The application is examined within six months, and the consular fee and rules for foreign documents should be checked with the mission where you apply.

The Council of Ministers may set an immigration quota for each country; foreigners entitled to family reunification are admitted outside it, and the President may admit people above it. Decisions are taken by the citizenship and migration units, or for some groups by the citizenship and migration departments of the regional and Minsk city police administrations. For highly qualified workers, needed specialists, people with exceptional talent and investors, a decision requires a petition from the competent state body.

You must register at your place of residence in Belarus within three months of receiving the permit and must hold a biometric residence permit card. You may live only at the address where you are registered.

An application can be refused when the quota is exhausted, and is refused for false documents, a marriage concluded only for residence or the absence of any ground. A permit may be cancelled if you obtain permanent residence in another country, have been outside Belarus for more than one year since your last departure, have had no legal income at the subsistence minimum for the last six months, or have lacked a valid residence card for over a year. After refusal or cancellation, a foreigner with no other basis to stay must leave within one month.