Belarus

Belarus has a holding model of business organizations; the enterprises of the most important segments become the unifying core for industrial holdings. The largest holding structures are created on the basis of joint stock companies in which 100% of the authorized capital is owned by the state of Belarus.

Many Belarusian enterprises are at the stage of modernization and installation of modern equipment aimed at reducing energy consumption. The process, which is expected to be completed by 2020, is laid in the development program of the industrial complex. The focus of the updated lines will involve knowledge-intensive industries of the economy.

• Information and communication technologies: The number of companies in Belarus producing intelligent products which are in demand around the world has grown rapidly (i.e. World of Tanks, a multiplayer online game developed by the Belarusian studio Wargaming.net)
• Applications for communication (i.e. Viber software development is implemented in Belarus)
• Solutions for business. Among the automated ERP class (enterprise resource planning) in the CIS countries, the largest developer in the region of ERP-systems is the “Galaxy” corporation, headquartered in Minsk. To date, the company’s software is used by more than 6,000 enterprises of CIS countries, representing various sectors of the economy.

Belarus enjoys a lion’s share of offshore IT outsourcing business and has earned the reputation of the leading IT country in Eastern Europe. Belarus ranked 13^th of 20 leading countries in the IT outsourcing and high tech services, with 3 companies with Belarusian roots, making it to the top 100 of the largest world companies in the IT outsourcing sector: EPAM Systems (headquartered in the USA, provides complex software engineering solutions through its award-winning Central and Eastern European service delivery platform and recognized as the leaders in software product development services); IBA Group (one of the largest developers of solutions and services in the sector of high technology in Central and Eastern Europe and which solve problems in a variety of industries, including information technology, telecommunications, transport and energy sector) and Intetics Co.

The IT industry is focused on markets outside the CIS and software is delivered to more than 60 countries in the world. High wages attract additional manpower to the industry allowing for increase in production volumes. 80% of the software produced in the Park is exported: 45% is supplied to USA and Canada, 30% to Europe, 20%  to Russia and CIS. The consumers of software developed by the residents of the Hi-Tech Park are known global corporations: automotive corporations Peugeot (France), Mitsubishi (Japan), media holdings British Telecom (UK), T-Mobile (Germany), Reuters (UK-USA), fuel and energy companies British Petroleum (UK), Rosenergoatom, RAO UES, London Stock Exchange, the World Bank, Deutsche Bank, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the world-famous producers Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive (USA), Samsung (Korea).

In the HTP, 49% of the companies operate with Belarusian capital, while 51% with foreign capital. Experts predict an increase in the number of companies with foreign capital, as today ICT is one of the priority aspects for direct foreign investments to Belarus. Major foreign investors in the Belarusian IT sector are companies from USA, Great Britain, Israel, Germany and Russia. The options for new investors in the Belarusian IT-sphere:

• Creation of a new software development company in Belarus “from scratch,” i.e. recruitment from existing HTP companies
• Encouraging relevant strategic investors specializing in the IT sector. In this case, foreign companies enter the market by buying Belarusian businesses. (Example of attracting investments is by initial public offering (IPO) of EPAM Systems on the New York Stock Exchange. During the first hour of trading alone, the shares rose in price by 20% from 12 US dollars to 14.4 US dollars per share)

There is no tourist season in Belarus but weather is a major consideration in planning to travel to the country. Its climate is continental with dominant humidity. Temperatures range from 5 degrees Centigrade in January to 20 degrees Centigrade in July. June and July are the sunniest months, May to September are the warmest, but also when rains are heaviest usually from June-August, while December to March would mean snowfall.

**National holidays when ALL offices are closed

UTC +3h

Daylight Saving Time (DST) changes do not necessarily occur on the same date every year

It is not easy to get in to Belarus due to its very stringent and tedious visa requirements.  Only citizens from CIS states, Cuba, Macedonia, Montenegro, Qatar, Serbia, Turkey and Venezuela enjoy visa-free entry into Belarus. For western tourists who wish to enter Belarus may obtain a visa at Minsk National Airport (MSQ) at the price of up to $420 (for U.S. citizens). Requirements to acquire a visa include invitation letters, medical insurance, in addition to an expensive visa-processing fee. For foreigners whose stay exceeds three days, they are required to register at the Belarusian Ministry of Migration.  Moreover, most writings in public places are written in the Belarusian language.

Visa free entry

The following countries do not need a visa to enter Belarus: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Georgia, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey (for 30 days); Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan; Moldavia, Mongolia, Montenegro (30 days with a private invitation or tourist voucher), Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Venezuela (90 days).

Visa at Minsk National Airport

Belarusian visas at Minsk National Airport (MSQ) are issued to nationals of countries with no consular offices of the Republic of Belarus at €90. However, the prices for nationals with a Belarusian consulate in their passport country are rather high, at €180 when they apply at MSQ on arrival. Standard documents like a letter of invitation and hotel booking have to be provided.

For nationals of other countries (Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, China, Estonia, Egypt, France, Hungary, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Republic of South Africa, Slovak Republic, Montenegro, Switzerland, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA), visas may be issued upon arrival on an exceptional basis only.

Visa from Belarusian Embassy

A visa may also be obtained at a Belarusian Consulate or Embassy. The visa processing is quicker but is more expensive, but you the visa is released within half a day. A Belarusian visa will take a full page of the passport. The Embassy does not accept crossed postal orders i.e. a postal order made payable to Embassy of Belarus. It is recommended to use a Visa Processing Agency who can liaise with the consulate on behalf of the applicant, but this will cost more. The applicant may also visit the embassy in London in person to organize obtaining a visa.  This is due to poor communication with the embassies/consulates in Kensington (London, England), Vilnius (Lithuania), Moscow (Russia) can be poor especially by e-mail, post and via telephone. Visa applications are not processed within the 48-hour period and calls from the embassy are most of the time vague. In addition the offices are closed on Wednesdays.

Visa fees

A single visa can vary from USD40-80. Visas for children under 16 are issued free of charge, although a visa-processing fee can be levied by certain Belarusian embassies/consulates.

Visa fees are generally as follows:

• Transit (B) visa – USD25 (for UK citizens: GBP55)
• Short-stay (C) visa – USD70 (for UK citizens: GBP75)

Japanese and Serbian passport holders are exempted from visa fees.

Transit tourists do not need to apply for a transit visa at MSQ Airport, but there are no documents with guidelines available to public on this matter.

Time needed

Belarusian visas are issued in 5 working days but may be released within 48 hours at double the fee

Documents required

• Passport and an invitation letter
• A compulsory state medical insurance (minimum €10,000) for visitors with specific reference to coverage in Belarus; even if the visitor has a medical insurance valid in Belarus, customs control may insist that visitors purchase insurance at the airport. This can be purchased just before you go through customs; for those without insurance, they may purchase one of Belarus government’s officially endorsed policies

Other Reminders in obtaining a Visa

• Citizens of countries that have reciprocal medial agreements with Belarus, like the UK, are exempt from purchasing a medical insurance to apply for a visa.
• Insurance is not required for holders of transit visas.
• A Belarusian entry visa is not issued on the border except at the Minsk National Airport.
• From Lithuania, documents may be submitted directly at the Consulate in Vilnius; visas are issued the same day
• By plane: persons flying to Belarus via Russian airports must obtain their visa in their country of citizenship; Flying directly to Belarus is expensive if you do not book tickets early in advance.

**The customs room in the train station where you exit Belarus may be difficult to find (especially if you cannot read Cyrillic) and it closes a long time before the train leaves; if you arrive only 10 minutes before the train leaves, you will be refused customs control and access to the train. Customs may also be carried out at the border while on the train. It adds over an hour to the trip, but other than that, the officials are efficient and friendly.

• By car: At theTerespol/Brest crossing, there are about six different controls; 1) passports have to be shown and car registration, medical insurance check/purchase the state compulsory medical insurance at the border (cost for two weeks is about 5 euros); 2) transport/car check, you will be required to produce a “green card” (proof of insurance) valid for Belarus, or will have to purchase a compulsory car insurance at the border; 3) With the stamped paper, one can go forward towards the last barrier,  the officer checks the paper to, checks that you have completed the controls, and lets you into Belarus. On leaving Belarus, one has to pay a special “environmental” tax before being allowed to enter the border control area, this costs 1 euro, and is sold in Brest just before the border

** Some believe there is a Geiger counter to check for stuff, which is radioactive from the Chernobyl accident, it is unclear if this is used, but it is not done in an obvious way.

The Belarusian rubles (BYR) is the Belarus currency. 1 US dollar = BYR10, 150 (but in practice about BYR3000 will buy one US dollar’s worth of locally produced food or goods).

The US dollars and Euros are not always available in Belarus from ATM machines. Travelers may need to go to a bank with proof of ID to be able to withdraw money from a card; a commission fee of 1-2% will be charged. The US dollars and Euros may be changed into BYR at many exchange kiosks in big railway stations and centers of big cities. Passports need to be shown when exchanging Belarusian rubles back into dollars or euros. Most larger supermarkets, stores and hotels have credit card terminals, but smaller shops often do not. The Visa and MasterCard are accepted, while American Express is not.

Converting Belarusian rubles back into hard currency outside of Belarus is extremely difficult (except in Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova,). However, if you exchange all your rubles before leaving, any last-minute purchases (or fines for overstaying, customs, whatever) would have to be paid in dollars/euros.

Exchange kiosks will not exchange any bill that is damaged or marked. Only relatively new and undamaged foreign money will be accepted.

Belarusian and Russian are the two official languages.

Belarusian residents consider Belarusian to be their native language, but only about 23% predominantly speak it at home or those who are the older inhabitants of rural villages where the intense Russification of the soviet era was less strongly felt.

Polish is spoken in the western parts, especially around Hrodna. But most local Poles use their own dialect with Belarusian as the base and with only some Polish words and sounds. There is a similar mixture of Belarusian and Russian, called Трасянка (Trasianka). Towards Belarus’ southern (particularly southwestern) border, Ukrainian is usually spoken, but is much less common than Belarusian and Russian.

English is not widely spoken in Belarus, especially not by people born before the fall of communism. Although in theory everyone learns English in school from the age of 7, in practice a combination of bad teaching and having no one to practice on means that a lot of people have a very good vocabulary and can understand you if you talk slowly, but will struggle to put together a sentence in reply. Among the older generation, German is a more common second language. As Western tourists are very rare, every English speaker you come across will jump at the chance to practice their English on you.