Which EU countries take advantage of Belarus’ visa-waiver program to visit Grodno Oblast

Head of the Sports and Tourism Department of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee Maksim Malakhovsky shared how many European countries have taken advantage of the visa-waiver program to visit Grodno Oblast in a new episode of BelTA’s Nation Speaks project.

Belarus has introduced the visa-waiver program, which enables citizens of several EU countries to travel to Belarus without obtaining a visa. According to an analysis conducted by the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee, citizens from 34 EU countries have visited Grodno Oblast under the program, Maksim Malakhovsky stressed. Most travelers came from Lithuania, Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, and the Vatican.

The executive committee also analyzed information about foreign tourists staying in hotels and similar accommodations. "Russians rank first, accounting for over 80% of visitors. What is interesting, Chinese citizens come in second, followed by citizens of Lithuania and Latvia," Maksim Malakhovsky emphasized.

Moreover, in January 2025, Russia ratified an agreement on the mutual recognition of visas, simplifying the visa regime for foreign travelers. "This should certainly provide a boost. International border checkpoints have already been set up at land crossings, as third-country nationals cannot enter Belarus from Russia by train, car, or bus, only by plane. Another advantage is that now tours can be arranged so that tourists can visit both countries in one trip, which will be a great benefit," the department’s head added.