The Czech government has approved changes allowing close relatives of Belarusians legally residing in the country to apply for short-stay visas. This is an important result of the sustained work with Czech partners by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Belarus’s democratic forces, including the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic, headed by Kryścina Šyjanok, as well as the Belarusian diaspora and national minority.
The issue of easing visa restrictions for Belarusian families has been raised repeatedly during Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s meetings with Czech authorities. In June, during Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka’s visit to the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in Prague, the sides specifically discussed the possibility of issuing visas to relatives of Belarusians living in Czechia.
Once the changes take effect, close relatives of Czech citizens and Belarusian citizens who legally reside in Czechia with a temporary or permanent residence permit will be eligible to apply for short-stay visas. This includes parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren.
Kryścina Šyjanok: “This is an extremely important step and a clear signal of trust in the Belarusian democratic community. For hundreds of families separated by the repression of the Lukashenka regime, it brings back hope and the real possibility of seeing their loved ones.
We are talking about immediate family members: grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren. We will also clarify whether the decision approved today applies to relatives of those who have international protection in Czechia.
We thank Foreign Minister Petr Macinka, the Czech government, and everyone who contributed to this important effort. This result is the product of the joint work of Belarus’s democratic forces, including human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, the Belarusian diaspora and national minority in Czechia, our Czech friends, and above all, elected leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya”.
