Aliaksandr Lukashenka has signed a decree approving, as a basis for negotiations, a draft protocol amending the January 24, 2006, agreement between Belarus and Russia on the freedom of movement of citizens within the Union State.
The draft provides for citizens of either country to obtain temporary or permanent residence permits in the other country on the basis of their citizenship. It also reduces the time for processing applications for permanent residence permits from three months to two.
The protocol also expands the list of documents that Belarusian citizens may use to enter, leave, transit through and stay in Russia. The list will include the biometric passport, biometric diplomatic passport, biometric service passport and identity card.
The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has been authorised to conduct the negotiations and sign the protocol, Lukashenka’s press service reported.
