According to the Regulations for the Accreditation of Foreign Journalists in the Republic of Belarus, to work in Belarus foreign journalists should be accredited at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

There are two types of accreditation: permanent and temporary. Permanent accreditation is valid for up to one year and can be prolonged to three years, temporary accreditation can be granted for the term necessary for a journalist to perform his/her professional duties in Belarus but to a maximum of 14 days. 

Whilst exercising their professional duties on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, foreign journalists accredited at the Belarusian Foreign Ministry enjoy the same rights and priveleges as the journalists of the mass media outlets registered in the Republic of Belarus with the exceptions stipulated by law (restrictions for foreign nationals and stateless persons). 

Permanent accreditation

The following documents must be provided to get a permanent accreditation:

Decision on permanent accreditation shall be taken by the Commision on Accreditation of the Foreign Journalists of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus within 30 calendar days. The accreditation is valid for up to one year. 

Once the permanent accreditation is granted, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry shall send a written confirmation to the appropriate Belarusian diplomatic mission for issuing a one-year multiple entry visa.

Representatives of foreign mass media outlets permanently accredited at the Foreign Ministry shall receive an accreditation certificate (accreditation card). It can be picked up at the Ministry. The MFA Press Service contact details are as follows: vul. Lienina, 19, 220030, Minsk; tel. +375 (17) 215 86 45; fax +375 (17) 210 42 51; e-mail: press@mfa.gov.by. Once expired, the accreditation card shall be returned to the Ministry. 

If permanent accreditation needs to be prolonged, a journalist shall not later than fifteen working days before the expiry date of accreditation send a relevant request to the Foreign Ministry via the online-form. Permanent accreditation can be prolonged for up to three years. To prolong permanent accreditation, the Ministry has the right to request the documents specified in part 2 of clause 7 of the Regulations for the Accreditation (the list of documents requiered for the first-time applicants).  

Temporary accreditation

The following documents must be provided to get a temporary accreditation:

♦ standard application form completed online on the official website of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry;

♦ a copy of the journalist card issued by the mass media outlet. In case of its' absence, a written request on the official letterhead of the mass media organization signed by its' head shall be submitted. 

The Foreign Ministry has the right to request other documents necessary to clarify the intention of a foreign journalist to work in Belarus. 

Documents should be submitted via the online form for temporary accreditation.

Decision on temporary accreditation shall be taken by the Foreign Ministry of Belarus within 5 working days from the day following the date of the application's receipt.

Upon completion of temporary accreditation procedures by a foreign mass media representative, the Foreign Ministry shall send a written confirmation to the appropriate Belarusian diplomatic mission for issuing a press visa.

Representatives of foreign mass media outlets temporarily accredited at the Foreign Ministry of Belarus will be informed about the terms of their accreditation via e-mail address provided on the accreditation application form. A copy of the accreditation card will also be sent to the accredited journalist via e-mail. 

NB Even though representatives of foreign mass media outlets travelling to Belarus to exercize their professional duties can enter the country in the visa-free regime via “Minsk National Airport” and stay in Belarus for up to 30 days, the accreditation at the Belarusian Foreign Ministry is still required.