Belarus Visa-Free Travel Deal With Maldives Approved

Belarus visa-free travel could eventually allow stays of up to 30 days per trip in the Maldives and Belarus under a proposed reciprocal arrangement. Belarus has approved the draft, but the countries still need to negotiate and sign it, and no start date has been announced. The plan would also allow transit and sets a combined ceiling of 90 days in a calendar year.

What changed

According to Nasha Niva, Belarus approved the draft agreement on September 10, 2026. Under the proposal, each entry, exit or transit journey would be visa-free for no more than 30 days, while all such stays would be capped at 90 days during one calendar year. The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been authorized to negotiate and sign the agreement.

The approval does not make the exemption available yet. The agreement has not been reported as signed or in force, so the 30-day allowance and 90-day annual limit remain proposed terms, not current entry permissions.

Who is affected

Once in force, Belarusian passport holders would move to the reciprocal exemption for Maldives trips covered by the agreement. According to Maldives Immigration, Belarusian tourists currently receive a free 30-day visa on arrival in the Maldives, rather than the proposed visa-free access. Maldivian passport holders would no longer need a visa for Belarus within the stated limits. They currently require a Belarusian visa.

What travelers should do

For now, travelers should follow existing rules. Maldivian passport holders should obtain the required visa before traveling to Belarus. Belarusian passport holders visiting the Maldives should meet current visa-on-arrival requirements and submit the free Traveller Declaration within 96 hours before arrival. The announcement does not specify which passport categories would qualify, so travelers should check requirements again if the agreement is signed or an effective date is published. No effective date has been announced, so travelers cannot use the proposed exemption for a planned trip.

Sources

1. 1Tourist Visa on ArrivalMaldives Immigration · immigration.gov.mv
2. 2Visa-Required CountriesMaldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs · foreign.gov.mv
3. 3Traveller DeclarationMaldives Immigration · imuga.immigration.gov.mv
4. 4Belarus Prepares Visa-Free Regime with the MaldivesNasha Niva · nashaniva.com
5. 5Belarus and Maldives Eye Visa-Free TravelSunOnline International · english.sun.mv