Belarusian diplomatic missions to stop issuing passports to citizens living abroad

Belarusian diplomatic missions will soon stop issuing passports to citizens living abroad, according to a new decree published on the website of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

According to the independent Belarusian outlet Zerkalo, Belarusians living permanently outside of Belarus who are on the consular register will now only be able to receive new passports “at the internal affairs authorities assigned to their last registered place of residence.” The decree will also remove the ability of diplomatic missions to extend the validity of passports belonging to citizens abroad.

The order will come into effect after its official publication on Belarus’s National Legal Portal. The new rules will not apply to passport requests that have already been submitted.