OREANDA-NEWS. Belarus has completed the process of ratification of agreements with the European Union on the facilitation of issuing visas and readmission. The laws ratified on April 2 by the parliament and then signed by the president of the country were published on Tuesday on the National Legal Internet Portal.

The visa agreement provides for mutual facilitation of the relevant procedures for most citizens and a reduction in the visa fee for Belarusians from € 80 to € 35. In addition, a decision on issuing a visa will be made within 10 days. The list of grounds for issuing free visas for non-commercial purposes is increasing. The length of stay of foreigners in Belarus will double - from 90 days a year to 180.

Belarus and the EU signed these agreements on January 8. They will take effect on the first day of the second month after the date of notification by the parties of each other of the completion of ratification procedures. Now the documents must be approved in the European Parliament, then the EU Council will be able to officially complete the ratification of the agreements. It was assumed that the agreements would enter into force in June 2020.