Belarus or Russia
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| Belarus | Russia | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | — | $ 25 036 |
| Citizenship | 5 years | 5 years |
| Partner can work | — | yes |
| Parents | doable | difficult |
| Pets | no trouble | no trouble |
| Pet limit | 2 | 2 |
| Quarantine | no | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 750 · estimate | $ 1 024 |
| Basket | $ 20,1 | $ 28,3 |
| Life expectancy | 74.37 | 73.44 |
| Homicides/100k | 1.53 | 7.82 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 1.9 | 5.1 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: Belarus — 55, Russia — 36. Types present in both: work, study, family, investment, talent and repatriation. The set of types is identical — the difference is in how many routes there are and on what terms, not in the types themselves.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
Belarus: fees range from 20 to 105 EUR. Routes with no fee: 5. Routes with a published decision deadline: 51; the shortest is 5 days. Russia: fees range from 1,920 to 6,000 RUB. Routes with a published decision deadline: 27; the shortest is 10 days.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: Belarus after 5 years, Russia after 1 year. Citizenship: both after 5 years. Russia allows a second citizenship, Belarus does not.
Belarus in brief
Belarus is a country with two state languages (Belarusian and Russian) and a multi-tier system of residence permits: a temporary residence permit (разрешение на временное проживание) is issued on specific grounds (study, marriage or close kinship, employment, and others) usually for up to 1 year, while a permanent residence permit (разрешение на постоянное проживание) is separate and typically follows 5 years of continuous residence under a temporary residence permit (3 years for highly qualified workers). To take up employment, a foreigner without a permanent residence permit generally needs a special work permit (специальное разрешение на право занятия трудовой деятельностью) issued for a specific employer; exceptions are citizens of EAEU member states (who work without such a permit) and foreign employees of High Technologies Park (Парк высоких технологий) residents (who also do not need a work permit, and whose residence permit is issued for the term of the employment contract). Admission to citizenship of the Republic of Belarus is possible after 5 years of residence under a permanent residence permit, subject to knowledge of Belarusian or Russian, and requires renouncing foreign citizenship unless an international treaty provides otherwise. Importing up to 2 dogs or cats for personal use does not require quarantine.
Russia in brief
Russia is the largest country in the world by area; the main job market and the highest salaries are concentrated in Moscow and St. Petersburg. A temporary residence permit (RVP) is issued for three years; after at least a year of residence on it, a residence permit (VNZh) can be obtained, which has been valid indefinitely since 2019. Admission to citizenship under the general procedure requires five years of continuous residence on a VNZh, command of the Russian language and knowledge of the country's history; a simplified procedure for obtaining an RVP outside the quota applies to spouses of Russian citizens with three years of marriage or a shared child. Citizens of EAEU states work without a work permit or a patent. Bringing in up to two dogs or cats requires no permit and no quarantine, but, unlike several EAEU neighbours, laboratory confirmation of rabies antibody titre is mandatory. International sanctions and restrictions on cross-border payments and part of air travel are in force; the homicide rate is noticeably higher, and life expectancy noticeably lower, than the European average, and the World Bank's control-of-corruption score is negative.
Other comparisons
Belarus or… Moldova · Iceland · Albania · North Macedonia · Ukraine · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Kosovo
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This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.