Moving to Belarus in 2026

Moving to Belarus: entry, first 30 days, 3-month budget

Russian citizens enter Belarus with their internal passport and, under the Union State agreement, work without a work permit on equal terms with Belarusians. For long-term life they obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit, with a simplified procedure for Russian citizens. Citizens of other countries need a visa or visa-free entry under the current rules and a separate residence ground.

1. Week 1. Housing for the first month, a Belarusian SIM card, checking whether your cards work or opening an account with a Belarusian bank.
2. Weeks 2-3. Registration at your place of stay and gathering documents for the residence permit: passport, police certificate, medical certificate and housing documents.
3. Weeks 3-4. Filing with the citizenship and migration office where you live; a Russian citizen can work under an employment contract from day one.
4. After that. Receiving the residence permit, registering with a clinic, and school or kindergarten for children.

A family budget is worked out in the chat. The Belarusian rouble is worth about a third of a dollar: about 3 roubles to the dollar.

Belarus in brief

Belarus lies between Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Ukraine and has about 9 million people. The capital is Minsk, with about 2 million. The languages are Belarusian and Russian, and Russian is spoken almost everywhere in daily life and at work. Belarus and Russia form the Union State and belong to the Eurasian Economic Union, so for Russian citizens moving here is easier than anywhere else.

Minsk is a clean, calm city with a familiar way of life and prices below Moscow. At the same time the country offers no second passport or EU access: flights to Europe are limited, and political and sanctions risks are high.

How to arrange residence in 2026

• Russian citizens - work without a work permit and a simplified procedure for temporary or permanent residence.
• Employment - citizens of other countries need an employment contract and a special permit obtained by the employer.
• Your own business - a company is registered in a few days; since 1 January 2026 sole proprietors may only work in activities from the government's closed list.
• Study and family - grounds for students and relatives of Belarusian citizens and residents.

We prepare the residence documents in advance so you can file them in the first weeks after the move.

Permanent residence and citizenship

A permanent residence permit gives rights close to those of citizens, except voting. Citizenship as a rule comes after 5 years of permanent residence, with knowledge of Belarusian or Russian and an undertaking to end your previous citizenship. Belarusian citizenship does not give visa-free access to the EU, so people rarely move here for the passport.

Taxes

Since 1 January 2026 the flat 13% rate is gone: 13% applies to income up to 350,000 Belarusian roubles a year, about $117,000, 25% to the part from 350,000 to 600,000 roubles and 30% above that; for most people the rate stays 13%. Employers pay 34% contributions on top and employees 1%. Corporate tax is 20%, or 25% for large profits, and VAT is 20%. A sole proprietor pays 20% on income minus expenses and 35% contributions for themselves. You become resident after 183 days in a calendar year; a Russian citizen with a contract of at least 183 days pays resident rates from day one. Details are on the page taxes in Belarus.

Housing and property

A one-bedroom flat in Minsk rents for $400-500 a month on average, owners in new complexes ask up to $660, and rents are rising. Foreigners can buy flats, with the deal registered by the state property registration agency; land is not sold to foreigners. We source and check properties on the page property in Belarus.

Banks and accounts

Belarusian banks open accounts for Russian citizens, but international transfers are limited by sanctions, and cards of many foreign payment systems do not work. Before moving, check whether your Russian cards work in Belarus and open a local account straight away. We help with a personal account and a business account.

Where to live

• Minsk - jobs, schools and healthcare; newcomers choose the centre, Nemiga, Oktyabrskaya and the new Minsk-Mir and Novaya Borovaya districts. More in the Minsk guide.
• Brest and Grodno - cities near the Polish border, calmer and cheaper than the capital.
• Gomel, Vitebsk, Mogilev - regional centres with affordable housing.
• Villages and suburbs - houses with plots near Minsk, a popular choice among newcomers.

Cost of living in Minsk

Rent is rising fast: a one-room flat has become 17% more expensive since the start of 2026. Listings usually quote dollars, while payment is in Belarusian rubles at the exchange rate. Groceries, services and transport are noticeably cheaper than in Moscow and EU capitals.

Daily life

Minsk has three metro lines, buses, trams and trolleybuses. The national airport is 40 kilometres from the centre, with flights mainly to Russia, Turkey, the Caucasus and Asia, and no direct flights to the EU since 2021. The climate is temperate: winters around minus 5°C, summers 20-25°C. Cities are clean and safe, healthcare is accessible, and private clinics are inexpensive by European standards.

Pros and cons of moving

Pros: entry with an internal passport, work without a permit, the Russian language, a familiar way of life, order, inexpensive healthcare and services, and prices below Moscow. Cons: fast-rising rents, limited flights to Europe, sanctions restrictions in banking, high political risks, low local salaries and no path to a passport with visa-free EU travel.

Moving with children

Children of Russian citizens attend state schools on equal terms with Belarusians, most Minsk schools teach in Russian, and there are private schools and kindergartens. Public healthcare is available, and private medical centres work without long queues. It is best to bring children's documents, including birth certificates, in the original.

Who Belarus suits

Belarus suits people who want to live next to Russia in a familiar setting, work remotely or locally and value calm and order. It does not suit those who need a second passport, EU access or unrestricted international payments. Write in the chat and we will compare Belarus with other options for your passport and goals.