Migration departments issue permits for foreign travel despite the president's decree
The migration department informs that the list will not be public because it would violate human rights.
Interestingly, visa and migration departments continue serving people wishing to get a permissive stamp even toady and do not inform that that the stamp will be abolished on January 1.
ERB: I want to get a permissive stamp. How many days do I have to wait?
Employee of a visa and migration department: It will be ready in two weeks or in 7-10 days if you order it with expedition.
ERB: What documents are needed for it?
Employee of a visa and migration department: You need to bring and fill in the VV-1 form and pay for the stamp. If it is for one year then it will cost 35 thousand BRB – a base amount including computer services.
ERB: Is there a queue?
Employee of a visa and migration department: It depends.
ERB has found out that visa and registration departments will not return money (35 thousand BRB) even to those who received their stamps yesterday. A member of Partyzanski District visa and registration department explained to ERB that the money can be returned only if you have paid for the receipt but have not managed to appeal for the stamp.
Employee: If he got a stamp it means that it can be found in his passport. But if he only paid for the receipt and has not appealed for a stamp yet than he will be able to return the receipt. We provide information about repayment.
People who have already submitted their passports to the visa and registration department are also late – it will be impossible to get them back without the stamp.
The head of the Department on citizenship and Migration Lidziya Ivanchykava thinks that the law is not being violated.
Lіdzіya Іvanchykava: There are only three cases in which the state due can be returned. First, the case when excessive money was paid. Second: the person who paid the due is refusing to get the stamp or receive documents for appealing to the necessary state institution accepting the due. Third – refusal to prepare documents allowing to leave and enter the Republic of Belarus.
The President’s decree has not reached any visa and migration department yet so they are refusing to give official comments. Lіdzіya Іvanchykava assured ERB that even the Council of Ministers had not seen the decree. However, it will be sent to all visa and migration departments and foreign embassies by the end of December.
At the same time it was announced that the list of people forbidden to leave the country would not be public because, according to Lіdzіya Іvanchykava, it would violate human rights. At first officials said that one phone call would be enough to find out if you were on that list. But they do not want to hear anything about it now.
Lіdzіya Іvanchykava: What are you thinking about! This is housekeeping information. Do you think we should give you access to the data base? It is a violation of human rights.
ERB has found out that anyone will be able to turn to the migration department to find out if he or she is allowed to go abroad. But waiting for the reply may take … a month.
Lіdzіya Іvanchykava: Any citizens will be able to turn to our organization with their passports and find out whether they are allowed to leave the Republic of Belarus or not. According to the decree, the information will be provided during a month.
The deputy head of the Department on citizenship and Migration Alyaksei Byahun told ERB that he saw no sense in making the data base available to anyone.
Alyaksei Byahun: They know very well whether they are temporarily forbidden to go abroad. All those people are aware of it.
Letters informing Belarusians about their inability to leave the country will start being sent out only in 2008. They will be sent only to those who will be forbidden to leave the country after January 1. According to Alyaksei Byahun, alimony dodgers are already being refused the permissive stamp.
Interestingly, visa and migration departments continue serving people wishing to get a permissive stamp even toady and do not inform that that the stamp will be abolished on January 1.
ERB: I want to get a permissive stamp. How many days do I have to wait?
Employee of a visa and migration department: It will be ready in two weeks or in 7-10 days if you order it with expedition.
ERB: What documents are needed for it?
Employee of a visa and migration department: You need to bring and fill in the VV-1 form and pay for the stamp. If it is for one year then it will cost 35 thousand BRB – a base amount including computer services.
ERB: Is there a queue?
Employee of a visa and migration department: It depends.
ERB has found out that visa and registration departments will not return money (35 thousand BRB) even to those who received their stamps yesterday. A member of Partyzanski District visa and registration department explained to ERB that the money can be returned only if you have paid for the receipt but have not managed to appeal for the stamp.
Employee: If he got a stamp it means that it can be found in his passport. But if he only paid for the receipt and has not appealed for a stamp yet than he will be able to return the receipt. We provide information about repayment.
People who have already submitted their passports to the visa and registration department are also late – it will be impossible to get them back without the stamp.
The head of the Department on citizenship and Migration Lidziya Ivanchykava thinks that the law is not being violated.
Lіdzіya Іvanchykava: There are only three cases in which the state due can be returned. First, the case when excessive money was paid. Second: the person who paid the due is refusing to get the stamp or receive documents for appealing to the necessary state institution accepting the due. Third – refusal to prepare documents allowing to leave and enter the Republic of Belarus.
The President’s decree has not reached any visa and migration department yet so they are refusing to give official comments. Lіdzіya Іvanchykava assured ERB that even the Council of Ministers had not seen the decree. However, it will be sent to all visa and migration departments and foreign embassies by the end of December.
At the same time it was announced that the list of people forbidden to leave the country would not be public because, according to Lіdzіya Іvanchykava, it would violate human rights. At first officials said that one phone call would be enough to find out if you were on that list. But they do not want to hear anything about it now.
Lіdzіya Іvanchykava: What are you thinking about! This is housekeeping information. Do you think we should give you access to the data base? It is a violation of human rights.
ERB has found out that anyone will be able to turn to the migration department to find out if he or she is allowed to go abroad. But waiting for the reply may take … a month.
Lіdzіya Іvanchykava: Any citizens will be able to turn to our organization with their passports and find out whether they are allowed to leave the Republic of Belarus or not. According to the decree, the information will be provided during a month.
The deputy head of the Department on citizenship and Migration Alyaksei Byahun told ERB that he saw no sense in making the data base available to anyone.
Alyaksei Byahun: They know very well whether they are temporarily forbidden to go abroad. All those people are aware of it.
Letters informing Belarusians about their inability to leave the country will start being sent out only in 2008. They will be sent only to those who will be forbidden to leave the country after January 1. According to Alyaksei Byahun, alimony dodgers are already being refused the permissive stamp.
