Belarus have not yet completed the internal procedures under an agreement with Russia on the mutual recognition of visas, but Minsk hopes to sign the document in the near future.
“Today we did not sign an agreement on mutual recognition of visas. The Belarusian side didn’t manage to complete the domestic procedures before the meeting,” the Belarusian Prime Minister Syarhei Rumas admitted, Interfax reports.
But, he added, the parties hope to sign an agreement in the near future.
The agreement provides that persons holding a visa in one country may enter, leave and stay in the territory of another union state during the term of the visa. If a foreigner has a Belarusian visa, he will be able to enter it and stay in Russia during its validity period.
In addition, after signing an agreement on mutual recognition of visas, the Russian side promises to remove control at its airports on flights from Belarus.
The document also provides for the integration of information resources: the competent authorities of Belarus and Russia will exchange data on border crossings, on issued visas, canceled visas, temporary or permanent residence permits.
