Is the insurance by my credit card company sufficient to visit Belarus without a visa?

Question

I will visit Minsk for 5 days without a visa (this has taken effect from this February) but one of the requirement is the medical insurance.

To enter the Republic of Belarus in the visa-free regime via the checkpoint “Minsk National Airport”, foreign nationals must have the following documents:

• a valid ordinary passport or another substituting document for traveling abroad;

• financial means: at least 25 Euro (or equal amount in dollars or Belarusian rubles) for each day of stay;

• medical insurance with coverage for at least 10,000 Euros that covers the territory of Belarus.

The information is from Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

However, I have a credit card that compensates for any medical expenditures while traveling. Can I use this card and avoid spending extra money on the insurance program at the border control?

This page titled "Welcome To Belarus: 11 FAQs On Visa-Free Entry" wrote the following but the link on the page is just the same link above, which doesn't prescribe whether the insurance by a credit card company is acceptable.

medical insurance with coverage for at least 10,000 Euros that covers the territory of Belarus. It can be an insurance from “Belgosstrakh” or “Eximgarant” which you can buy on the border (at the airport or border control look for a window that says “Obligatory medical insurance”), or it can be an international insurance if it covers Belarus.

Answer 1

I'm not sure what the letter of the law says, but when I arrived to Minsk airport in 2016 and attempted to present my Czech insurance (which specifically mentioned Belarus) to the border officials I was rejected and requested to buy one from the airport counter. Therefore the answer is no, your credit card insurance won't work.

To clarify - I speak fluent Russian and was told in clear terms that my policy is not acceptable. Perhaps a different border guard will treat the matter differently.

Answer 2

I just entered Minsk and found that my Amex card was accepted as the medical insurance!

At the immigration I handed in my passport and immigration card just as I do in any other countries, and then the immigrant officer asked me to show the medical insurance.

I showed my Amex card and told her that my card has the insurance program and covers Belarus. She seemed to not know if it is OK to accept it, and asked to another immigrant officer sitting next to her if it is acceptable. I don't know what they were talking but in the end, she allowed it and stamped on my passport.

But judged from the way she reacted, it is possible that another immigrant officer may decline it. For her I might be the first person to show a credit card. Anyway I will enter Minsk again in 2 weeks so would report it if it is declined. But it certainly worked in my case.

As to the medical insurance, it is located just in front of the immigration gate, so at least you might like to try your credit card first before being forced to sign up the insurance.

Answer 3

I can add very little to the JonathanReez's fair answer, but anyway you should refer to Belarusian embassy in your country.

I don't know where are you from and do not know where you credit card had been issued, but usually regional embassies specify allowed insurance companies on their sites, like they did, for example, in Poland or in Lithuania. You can check the Belarusian embassy site in your country and very likely if you don't find your credit card issuer there, then you are out of luck.

Previously there were evidences when visitors had denials of entry due to invalid insurance company, i.e. the company was not affiliated with “Belgosstrakh” or “Eximgarant”. So the best and most reliable way to check if company is approved is to contact the embassy directly.