The first participants in the small cross-border movement with Latvia will be about 200 residents of the Vitebsk region.
20/01/20120 views
A BIG STEP STARTS WITH A SMALL MOVEMENT
Only a few days remain until the issuance of simplified border crossing permits to residents of the border territories of Belarus and Latvia. In accordance with the agreement between the governments of Belarus and Latvia on the simplified procedure for mutual travel of residents of border territories, consular offices will begin accepting documents for permit issuance starting from February 1st of the current year. The Consulate of Latvia in Vitebsk has already received lists of residents from the border territories of Vitebsk region who wish to take advantage of the local border traffic opportunity, Dagnija Lāce-Āte, Head of the Consulate of the Republic of Latvia in Vitebsk, told a BELTA correspondent.
As expected, the first list from the Belarusian side is not very large – it includes about 200 people. From the Latvian side, the first list comprises about 4,000 people. This is due to the fact that the territory whose residents can exercise the right to simplified border crossing includes major cities such as Daugavpils and Krāslava.
The lists submitted to the consulate were compiled by local rural, settlement, and city executive committees based on citizens' applications. However, these lists are not final. Citizens can submit applications as needed, and the lists will be updated every three months. The next list will be compiled by April 1st, and the consulate will begin accepting applications for permit issuance based on the updated lists from May 1st, Dagnija Lāce-Āte clarified.
What is required to obtain a permit for simplified border crossing with Latvia? Firstly, it is necessary to reside in the border territory for at least one year. This territory includes Bigosovsky, Chapaevsky, Saryansky, Osvyaysky, Kokhanovichsky, and Belkovshchinsky village councils of Verkhnedvinsk district, and the town of Verkhnedvinsk; Povyatsky, Perebrodsky, Dolginovsky, Miorsky, Novopogostsky, and Turkovsky village councils of Miory district, and the town of Miory; Druyevsky, Plyussky, Slobodkovsky, Opsovsky, Dalekovsky, Akhremovsky, Mezhansky, Teterkovsky, and Vidsevsky village councils of Braslav district, and the town of Braslav, and the settlement of Vidsy. It should be noted here that the condition of residing in the territory for at least one year does not apply to other family members who maintain a common household, for example, spouses and children. If a resident of Braslav, who has lived in the district for a long time, wishes to introduce his Latvian relatives to his young wife, whom he brought from Brest, she can submit an application, despite living in the territory for less than the established period.
Visiting relatives is not the only basis for issuing a permit. Participation in or organization of cultural, educational, scientific, and sports events held by the authorities and institutions of Belarus and Latvia, ownership of real estate, visiting the burial places of relatives, receiving medical care, participating in events related to local traditions and religious ceremonies, and regular business contacts can all serve as grounds for visiting the border areas of the neighboring country.The second step to obtain a permit is to submit documents to the consulate. You will need to present your passport, which must meet the same requirements as for visa issuance: the passport must not be older than ten years and must be valid for at least three months after the permit expires. The application form for the permit can be filled out directly at the consulate, or it can be printed from the website http://www.mfa.gov.lv/by/belarus/konsulate/ and submitted completed. For the convenience of citizens, the application form for the permit is similar to the visa application form, so the consulate is confident that there will be no problems with filling it out. A photograph of the applicant, taken no earlier than three months prior to the application, and medical insurance are also mandatory. The insurance is required only for the first visit, as is the case with multiple-entry visas. The cost of the permit, in accordance with the agreement, will be 20 euros. Pensioners, disabled persons, and minors are exempt from the fee.
The processing time for documents to obtain a permit is 20 working days. However, the Consulate of Latvia has assured that they will strive to process documents as quickly as possible. The consulate will operate in its usual mode: documents will be accepted from Monday to Thursday between 10:00 and 13:00, and issued from Monday to Thursday between 15:00 and 16:00.
Latvians have a folk song that tells of two sisters living on opposite banks of the Daugava River, yet singing one song. This is precisely how Dagnija Lāce-Āte views the relationship between the residents of the Vitebsk region and Latgale. "The peoples have deep connections that have been formed over centuries. This is a huge potential for further interaction in the spheres of culture, education, and business. And the opening of local border traffic will only contribute to this," the head of the consulate is confident.
Diana KURILO,
BELTA.-0-
BELTA