Good news from the EU and Israel regarding visa regime with Belarus

While EU unveils plan to grant Schengen visas on border, Israel can cancel visa regime with Belarus already this year.

Member countries of the Schengen agreement are going to issue short-term visas for up to 15 days which will be available at the moment of crossing the border, Søren Liborius, Head of Press and Information section of EU delegation to Russia, Belsat quotes his words.

“We hope that there will be a new visa type (tour visa) in the next years, and member countries of the Schengen agreement will be able to issue short-term visas for up to 15 days at border crossing points, - he explained. – The persons registered in the visa information system as ‘regular travelers’ will receive three - and five-year multi-visas,” he added.

According to him, one should provide biometric data and get Schengen short-term visa at least twice a year to become ‘a regular traveler. “These and other innovations aimed to the simplification of procedure of obtaining the Schengen visa were offered by the European commission and are being discussed by EU Member States now,” he said.

Let us recall that the EU has already signed visa facilitation agreements with Russia and all Eastern Partnership countries except Belarus. The visa fee for the citizens of those countries has been lowered from €60 to €35. Nevertheless, Belarus has been keeping the lead in the number of Schengen visas received for years. Easier visa rules for Belarusians could undoubtedly contribute to the country`s democratization.

Earlier in July, Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei met with Israeli Deputy Interior Minister, member of the Israeli parliament Faina Kirschenbaum.

The sides discussed topical items on the bilateral agenda; in particular, the preparation of the Belarusian-Israeli agreement that will lift visa requirements for travels between the two countries the press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry told BelTA.

Spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Dmitry Mironchik also noted that the talks on the visa-free travels between Belarus and Israel were launched upon the initiative of Belarus. “The talks are going on and are making a pretty good progress. We hope that the optimistic statements of our Israeli counterparts will be materialized,” said the representative of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.