Embassy Statement on Visa for the Head of the National Bank of Belarus

United States Embassy
Minsk, Belarus
September 22, 2011

The United States Government fully complies with its international obligations regarding the processing, without undue delay, of all visa applications of officials of the Government of Belarus. Any decision not to travel is solely that of  National Bank of Belarus head Ms. Yermakova and the Government of Belarus. The Embassy has issued twenty-six visas to government officials in connection with travel to the 2011 United Nations General Assembly and Annual IMF-World Bank meetings.

The Embassy regrets the severe restrictions on its ability to process visas imposed by the Government of Belarus through its unilateral decision in 2008 to compel the reduction of American staff at Embassy Minsk by 85 percent. Belarusian citizens, with rare exceptions, wishing to apply for a United States visa must travel to U.S. embassies in neighboring countries because of this policy.