On 13 June the Visa Section of the British Embassy in Belarus stopped accepting visa applications. A private company Teleperformance Ltd has now assumed responsibility for processing them. This move follows last year’s decision by the UK government to close its visa section in Minsk and transfer its functions to Moscow. So far this decision has turned the visa application procedure into chaos and humiliation for visa applicants from Belarus. In practise, the privatisation and outsourcing to Russia means that Belarusians will wait to receive a British visa for around as much as 26 days and [...]

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Belarus and the European Union are expected to hold the next round of talks on visa facilitation and readmission agreements in Brussels this fall, a source at the European Commission told BelaPAN on Monday. The date may be changed, but the talks have been tentatively scheduled for October, the spokesperson said. The European Commission’s delegation had meetings with representatives of the Belarusian foreign and interior ministries in Minsk on Thursday to discuss the draft agreements. Participants at the consultations discussed proposals to lower the visa fee for citizens of Belarus from €60 to €35 and issue free [...]

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Many non-EU nationals wishing to travel to the EU are often faced with cumbersome, lengthy and costly visa procedures. The proposals presented today will seriously shorten and simplify the procedures for those wanting to come to the EU for short stays, and induce more cost savings and less bureaucracy, whilst maintaining the level of security. Making the access to the Schengen area easier for legitimate travellers will facilitate visiting friends and relatives and doing business. It will boost economic activity and job creation in, for instance, the tourism sector as well [...]

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Brussels, 17 June. It is not impossible that Belarus will withdraw from talks on visa facilitation and readmission agreements if the European Union refuses to discuss the possibility of visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic passports, a source at the European Commission told BelaPAN. The abolition of the visa requirement for holders of use of diplomatic passports was not discussed last winter, while Belarus and the EU were preparing for visa facilitation and readmission talks, the spokesperson said. However, during the first round of the talks, which took place in Minsk on June 12, the Belarusian [...]

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The European Commission is interested in easier Schengen visa formalities for Belarusian citizens, Joannes De Ceuster, head of unit at the Directorate-General for the European Commission`s Home Affairs, said in reply to an appeal sent by a number of Belarusian civil society organizations, ВelaPAN said. The NGOs had petitioned the European Commission to simplify Schengen visa rules for Belarusians. In his letter to the NGOs, Mr. De Ceuster said that Belarus had agreed to start talks with the EU on visa facilitation and readmission agreements. If the talks are successful and the agreements are signed, Schengen visa fees will [...]

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