Belarusian citizens might have to pay lower Schengen visa fees, when applying for a visa to travel to the Schengen Area by next year. According to the head of the European Union Delegation to Belarus, Andrea Wiktorin, the EU and Belarus may sign the visa facilitation and readmission agreements by the end of 2018.

Wiktorin, who was part of the meeting between the EU end Belarus representatives, said that the negotiations were very constructive.

“The parties agreed on the main issues of the text of the agreements,” she said, adding that the readmission agreement will be signed when ready, which she hopes to happen before 2018 is over.

Upon the signing of these agreements, the Belarussian citizens traveling to the Schengen territory will have to pay a visa fee of €35 instead of €60 as it is now. The negotiations on visa facilitations for Belarus citizens have started on January 2014.

The Eastern European country of Belarus is one of the few remaining European countries, which still need a Schengen visa to enter the Schengen Area.

Currently, Belarusian citizens can visit 77 world destinations visa-free, or by obtaining a visa-on-arrival, including Albania, the Russian Federation, Israel, Turkey and Qatar.

