Extracts from Regulations for Compulsory Insurance adopted by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 108 dated 18 March 2025
CHAPTER 5
PROCEDURE AND TERMS OF PROVIDING COMPULSORY MEDICAL INSURANCE TO FOREIGN CITIZENS AND STATELESS PERSONS TEMPORARILY STAYING OR TEMPORARILY RESIDING IN THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS
153. For the purposes of providing compulsory medical insurance to foreign citizens and stateless persons temporarily staying or temporarily residing in the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter referred to as "compulsory medical insurance"), the following terms and definitions apply:
a sudden disease is a sharp deterioration of health of an insured person;
a beneficiary is a medical institution which incurred the costs of providing emergency medical care to an insured person and/or transportation (evacuation) related to the provision of emergency medical care to the insured person in the Republic of Belarus, an organization which incurred the costs of transporting the insured person's dead body (remains) to the State Border of the Republic of Belarus, and a specialized organization that incurred the costs of burying the insured person's dead body (remains) in the Republic of Belarus in case specified in Part II, Clause 164 hereof;
an insured person is a foreign citizen or a stateless person temporarily staying or temporarily residing in the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as "foreign citizen", unless otherwise defined), in whose name a compulsory medical insurance contract is made;
a medical assistance is an assistance organization which provides services and pays the costs incurred by healthcare organizations in providing emergency medical care to persons insured under compulsory and/or voluntary medical insurance contracts (foreign citizens and citizens of the Republic of Belarus);
medical institutions are state healthcare organizations and/or state medical scientific organizations;
international assistance is a legal entity which provides services and pays the costs incurred by medical institutions in providing emergency medical care to insured foreign citizens abroad under contracts made with assistance organizations in the countries where foreign citizens are staying;
an accident is a sudden, unforeseen event which occurred to an insured person during the term of compulsory medical insurance contract and is accompanied by injuries, wounds, mutilations or other health damage;
emergency medical care includes medical services provided when an insured person suffers diseases, conditions and/or exacerbation of chronic diseases which require immediate or urgent medical intervention, unless otherwise provided by international treaties, to which the Republic of Belarus is a party;
an insurance certificate holder is an individual or a legal entity which enters into a compulsory medical insurance contract for foreign citizens (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as "compulsory medical insurance contract", unless otherwise defined);
insurer is Belgosstrakh or Beleximgarant;
an insurance period is a period of a foreign citizen's stay in the Republic of Belarus, for the duration of which a compulsory medical insurance contract is made;
a host party is an individual or a legal entity, including persons providing farm tourism services, which arranges for a foreign citizen to get an entry visa to the Republic of Belarus, enter, stay or reside in the Republic of Belarus or provides living or other accommodation to such foreign citizen; and a legal entity or an individual entrepreneur, which is a foreign citizen's employer.
In this chapter, the terms "burial" and "specialized organization" have the definitions provided in the Law of the Republic of Belarus No. 55-З "On Burial and Funeral Services" dated 12 November 2001.
154. The object of compulsory medical insurance includes property interests related to the infliction of harm to the life or health of the insured person.
155. The insured event shall be recognized as the decay of health of the insured person following sudden disease or accident that occurred during the validity term of the compulsory medical insurance contract, which resulted in:
provision of emergency medical care to the insured person and related costs incurred by medical institutions;
transportation (evacuation) related to the provision of emergency medical care to an insured person in the Republic of Belarus and related costs incurred by medical institutions;
transportation of an insured person's dead body (remains) to the State Border of the Republic of Belarus and related costs;
burial of an insured person's dead body (remains) in the Republic of Belarus in case specified in Part II, Clause 164 hereof and related costs incurred by a specialized organization.
156. Foreign citizens, except persons which are not subject to compulsory medical insurance, must have a compulsory medical insurance contract or a medical insurance contract with a foreign insurance organization in case they may need emergency medical care (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as a "medical insurance contract").
A medical insurance contract must:
contain the name and location of a foreign insurance organization, phone numbers of a foreign insurance organization or an international assistance, and the last name, first name and patronymic name (if any) of a foreign citizen;
be valid in the Republic of Belarus;
be valid during the temporary stay or temporary residence of a foreign citizen in the Republic of Belarus;
provide insurance coverage equivalent to no less than 10,000 Euro.
The existence of a compulsory medical insurance contract is confirmed by a certificate of insurance or a notice sent by an insurer to an insurance certificate holder in electronic form via the Internet and containing the insurer's digital signature (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as "notice"), provided that the compulsory medical insurance contract has been made in electronic form.
The existence of a medical insurance contract is confirmed by a certificate of insurance, an insurance card or other document containing information on the medical insurance contract specified in Part II of this clause (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as "document proving the existence of a medical insurance contract") and drawn up in the English language or the state languages of the Republic of Belarus.
A certificate of insurance, a hard copy of a notice or a document proving the existence of a medical insurance contract is submitted for review by authorities issuing entry visas. The copies of said documents are also accepted for submission. A document proving the existence of an electronic compulsory medical insurance contract may not be submitted to authorities issuing entry visas if said authorities have already obtained information on such compulsory medical insurance contract from an insurer.
If a foreign citizen is unable to submit a certificate of insurance or a document proving the existence of a compulsory medical insurance contract, which meets the criteria set forth in Part II of this clause, to authorities issuing entry visas, including due to technical issues, such foreign citizen shall enter into a compulsory medical insurance contract at a checkpoint at the State Border of the Republic of Belarus.
157. The following persons are not subject to compulsory medical insurance:
heads of foreign states and foreign governments, heads and members of parliamentary, governmental and other official delegations, technical personnel of such delegations and foreign citizens which arrived in the Republic of Belarus on the invitation of the President of the Republic of Belarus, the All-Belarusian National Assembly, chambers of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus, the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus, the State Secretariat of the Security Council of the Republic of Belarus, the State Control Committee, the General Prosecutor's Office, the Central Election Committee, the National Bank, the Property Management Directorate of the President of the Republic of Belarus, the Investigation Committee, the State Forensic Examination Committee, the State Security Committee, republican state administration authorities, local executive and regulatory authorities, and members of their families;
foreign citizens which arrived in the Republic of Belarus and hold the passports issued by the United Nations or the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol);
heads and employees of diplomatic missions and consular offices, employees of the Defense Attache Office, foreign trade missions, and members of their families;
heads and employees of representative offices, agencies of international organizations and interstate institutions which have privileges and immunities under the charter documents of such organizations and institutions or under international treaties, to which the Republic of Belarus is a party, and members of their families;
members of civilian aircraft crews working on international routes and international train crews;
members of foreign military aircraft crews, foreign military personnel which arrived in the Republic of Belarus to participate in joint military exercises;
persons staying in the Republic of Belarus to carry out representative activities at the borders of the Republic of Belarus;
foreign citizens applying for a refugee status, additional protection or asylum in the Republic of Belarus;
foreign citizens which were granted a refugee status, additional protection, asylum or temporary protection in the Republic of Belarus;
citizens of foreign states, which, along with the Republic of Belarus, are parties to international treaties ensuring free emergency medical care;
foreign citizens which are passing through the territory of the Republic of Belarus on board of trains and civilian aircraft travelling along international routes.
158. Insurers are allowed to make compulsory medical insurance contracts at checkpoints at the State Border of the Republic of Belarus.
159. Legal entities of the Republic of Belarus, citizens of the Republic of Belarus, and foreign citizens and stateless persons permanently or temporarily residing in the Republic of Belarus, which invite foreign citizens or stateless persons to the Republic of Belarus, may enter into compulsory medical insurance contracts in the name of such foreign citizens or stateless persons.
160. The insurance coverage under a compulsory medical insurance contract amounts to:
for a compulsory medical insurance contract valid from 1 to 365 (366) days inclusive, 1,000 base amounts;
for a compulsory medical insurance contract valid from 2 to 5 years inclusive, 1,000 base amounts for each year of insurance.
161. The list of diseases (conditions), which require emergency medical care to be provided to foreign citizens, is established by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus.
162. The costs incurred by medical institutions shall not be considered insured events and shall not be compensated by an insurer, if:
treatment and/or diagnosis are not related to a sudden disease or an accident;
a disease (condition) is caused by a nuclear explosion, radiation or radioactive contamination or occurred as a result of military actions;
an insurance certificate holder, a beneficiary or an insured person performed willful acts which caused the occurrence of an insured event;
a disease (condition) is caused by an insured person being under alcoholic intoxication or intoxication caused by the use of narcotic substances, psychotropic substances, their analogues, toxic or other intoxicating substances;
provision of medical services or prescription of medications is not required as part of determining a diagnosis or providing treatment based on a conclusion by a medical expert;
services rendered are related to the burial of an insured person or transportation of the insured person's dead body to the place of burial;
additional utilities (TV, air conditioner, etc.), hair styling or mortuary cosmetologist services were provided;
emergency medical care was provided for a disease and/or condition which occurred after the expiration of a compulsory medical insurance contract.
163. Under Clauses 182–190 hereof, upon occurrence of the insured event, an insurer and/or a medical assistance shall compensate medical institutions for the costs of emergency medical care provided to an insured person and transportation (evacuation) related to the provision of such medical care to the insured person in the Republic of Belarus, as well as other beneficiaries for the costs of transporting the insured person's dead body (remains) to the State Border of the Republic of Belarus and burying the insured person's dead body (remains) in the Republic of Belarus in case specified in Part II, Clause 164 hereof.
164. In case of an insured person's death, an insurer and/or a medical assistance shall pay for the services of emergency medical care provided to save a human life and, if required, the costs of transporting (evacuating) the insured person's dead body to the State Border of the Republic of Belarus.
In case of an insured person's death, if there is no one organizing and paying for the burial or if an insurer failed to obtain consent for repatriation of the insured person's dead body (remains), the insurer shall, within 5 calendar days of learning about the insured person's death, inform a medical institution or the State Forensic Examination Committee of the location of the insured person's dead body (remains). The costs of burying an insured person's dead body (remains) incurred by a specialized organization under the burial and funeral services laws shall be compensated.
165. The issue of compensating expenses incurred by a medical institution in cases, when the cost of emergency medical care exceeds the insurance amount or a disease (condition) requires continuation of treatment after eliminating a direct threat to the life of an insured person or the health of other people, shall be resolved by the insured person, persons who invited foreign citizens to the Republic of Belarus or other citizens and legal entities representing the insured person's interests as agreed with the medical institution.
166. Under Annex 15, insurance premiums under a compulsory medical insurance contract are established in base amounts based on insurance period.
For 2–5 years' contracts, the total amount of insurance premiums is calculated by multiplying the amount of insurance premium for 365 (366) days by the number of full years of duration of a compulsory medical insurance contract.
The total amount of insurance premium is paid in Belarusian rubles (in electronic money) as a one-time payment based on the base amount:
if insurance premium is paid in cash, as of the date of payment;
if insurance premium is paid in non-cash form:
by providing payment documents, as of the date of receiving such payment document by a bank;
by using payment tools, as of the date of payment using a payment tool in question;
using electronic money, as of the date of electronic money transaction.
If the base amount changes during the insurance period, no extra insurance premium shall be charged.
167. The insurance period equals to the period during which a foreign citizen stays or temporary resides in the Republic of Belarus and which is indicated in the certificate of insurance.
A compulsory medical insurance contract is made for the period of 1 to 365 (366) days or for the period divisible by a year, from 2 to 5 years inclusive.
Upon agreement between an insurer and an insurance certificate holder, the insurance period of a compulsory medical insurance contract may be extended, with an extra premium amount charged by the insurer.
168. Foreign citizens' temporary stay is registered, foreign citizens' temporary stay (registration) period is extended, and temporary residence permits are issued to foreign citizens for a period not exceeding the insurance period, unless otherwise provided by law.
Foreign citizens applying to citizenship and migration departments of local internal affairs agencies shall submit a certificate of insurance, a hard copy of a notice or an insurance card drawn up in the English language or the state languages of the Republic of Belarus.
169. An individual or a legal entity willing to enter into a compulsory medical insurance contract shall make an oral request to an insurer and give the last name, first name and patronymic name (if any) of the person, in whose name such contract is made, the date, month, and year of such person's birth, their citizenship, and the period, during which such person will be staying in the Republic of Belarus; or complete an electronic form offered by the insurer on the insurer's website.
An insurance certificate holder shall be responsible for the accuracy of information provided.
170. A compulsory medical insurance contract is drawn up in written form by issuing a certificate of insurance, which is completed with the data provided by an insurance certificate holder, or in electronic form by exchanging documents via the insurer's official website on the Internet.
If a compulsory medical insurance contract is made in electronic form, an insurer shall send a notice to an insurance certificate holder no later than 1 calendar day of insurance premium payment.
Such notice shall contain an insurer's name and location, phone numbers, number and date of the notice, as well as the foreign citizen's last name, first name and patronymic name (if any), the term of a mandatory medical insurance contract, and other material terms of such contract. An insurer may indicate additional information in the notice.
An insurance certificate holder shall make a hard copy of the notice.
An insurer may send electronic information on compulsory medical insurance contracts to the authorities, which are responsible for making sure that foreign citizens have compulsory medical insurance contracts or medical insurance contracts, and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the procedures and within the periods agreed upon by the insurer and said authorities.
171. For each insured person, an individual compulsory medical insurance contract is made.
172. A compulsory medical insurance contract enters into force on the date and time indicated therein, but no earlier than the date of insurance premium payment.
The date of insurance premium payment, if an insurance certificate holder pays an insurance premium:
in cash, is the date of payment;
if insurance premium is paid in non-cash form:
by providing payment documents, is the date when money is withdrawn from a certificate holder's account;
by using payment tools, is the date of payment using a payment tool in question;
with electronic money, is the date of electronic money transaction.
173. If a compulsory medical insurance contract is made by issuing a certificate of insurance, such certificate shall be granted to a certificate holder:
if insurance premium in paid in cash, simultaneously with such payment;
if insurance premium is paid in non-cash form:
by submitting payment documents, within 3 business days of money arriving to an insurer's current (settlement) bank account;
by using payment tools or electronic money transaction, on the day when a certificate holder provides a documented confirmation of payment or when it becomes known to an insurer that money has arrived to an insurer's current (settlement) bank account or electronic money has arrived to an insurer's electronic wallet.
If an insurance certificate is lost during the term of compulsory medical insurance contract, an insurer, on a written request by a certificate holder, shall provide the latter with a copy. Upon issuing a copy, the lost insurance certificate shall be deemed invalid and shall generate no compensation.
174. A compulsory medical insurance certificate can be terminated early if:
an insured person has applied for a refugee status, additional protection or asylum in the Republic of Belarus;
an insured person has been granted a refugee status, additional protection, asylum or temporary protection in the Republic of Belarus;
an insured person has been granted a biometric residence permit in the Republic of Belarus;
an insured person has passed away.
A compulsory medical insurance contract can be terminated early if, during the term of the insurance contract, an insurance certificate holder submits a written application to an insurer indicating a reason for terminating the compulsory medical insurance contract and attaching a certificate of insurance (if any), as well as a copy of a document giving the certificate holder the right to terminate the insurance contract. A certificate of insurance can be returned to a certificate holder. Such certificate shall carry an insurer's note saying that the insurance contract has been terminated.
In such case, a certificate holder gets a refund, which amounts to the difference between the insurance premium paid and the insurance premium payable for the actual term of an insurance contract and determined under Annex 15, except when a part of insurance premium is non-refundable. An incomplete day within the term of insurance contract shall be deemed as full. The termination date shall be the day following the day on which an insurance certificate holder submitted the application, but not earlier than the day following the day on which the circumstances entailing the termination of an insurance contract occurred.
If an insurance certificate holder is a host party, a compulsory medical insurance contract may be terminated before its effective date. In this case, the insurance premium paid shall be fully refunded to a certificate holder.
A written application submitted by an insurance certificate holder before the effective date of a contract and an insured person's arrival in the Republic of Belarus shall be a ground for terminating a compulsory medical insurance contract. If a compulsory medical insurance contract has been made by issuing a certificate of insurance, all copies of such certificate given by an insurer to a certificate holder shall be attached to the application.
The insurance premium (or a part thereof) shall be refunded in Belarusian rubles (in electronic money) based on the base amount as of the day of premium payment.
In case of a certificate holder's death, a compulsory medical insurance contract can be terminated by an insured person's heirs.
If a compulsory medical insurance contract is terminated early, a part of insurance premium shall be not refundable if a compensation has been paid or if an insured event has been reported under such contract (an insurer has been informed about the admission of the insured person to a medical institution, the need to transport the insured person's dead body (remains) to the State Border of the Republic of Belarus, and the need to compensate for burial costs).
175. Compensation is paid by an insurer based on a claim report and/or by a medical assistance based on a written request by the insurer.
For the purposes of drawing up a claim report, a beneficiary submits an invoice indicating the number and date of a certificate of insurance or the number and date of a notice; last name, first name and patronymic name (if any) of an insured person which received emergency medical care; diagnosis; duration of treatment; list of services provided and their cost; and the total amount of expenses incurred in providing the entire scope of services to the insured person. The invoice must be signed by an authorized person representing the medical institution.
For the purposes of drawing up a claim report, an additional beneficiary submits an invoice indicating the number and date of a certificate of insurance or the number and date of a notice; last name, first name and patronymic name (if any) of an insured person; list of services provided and their cost; and the total amount of expenses for which the beneficiary expects to be compensated. The invoice must be signed by an authorized person representing the beneficiary.
176. An insurer and/or a medical assistance may verify the validity of emergency medical care provided or any other service in the claim report and then make a decision on compensating the beneficiary which submitted the invoice.
An insurer will refuse to pay compensation if a beneficiary (an insured person) failed to immediately notify the insurer of the occurrence of an insured event, unless proof is provided that the occurrence of the insured event became known to the insurer in due time or that the lack of such knowledge could not impede the insurer's obligation to pay compensation.
177. The decision not to pay compensation shall be communicated in writing to a beneficiary by an insurer or a medical assistance on the insurer's request within 3 business days of making such decision and with indication of a reason for such refusal.
178. An insured person has the right to:
demand to be provided with emergency medical care under the terms of a compulsory medical insurance contract;
notify an insurer of non-provision of emergency medical care or provision of incomplete or low-quality medical care.
179. An insurer and/or a medical assistance may oversee the fulfillment of a beneficiary's obligations by a beneficiary under a compulsory medical insurance contract.
180. An insured person shall:
have on hand a certificate of insurance or a hard copy of a notice and provide it upon request of authorized officials which are responsible for making sure that foreign citizens have a compulsory medical insurance contract or a medical insurance contract;
in case of deterioration of health, immediately seek help at a medical institution and provide a certificate of insurance or a hard copy of a notice, call the phone number indicated in the certificate of insurance and notify an insurer of the occurrence of an insured event. If a foreign citizen is in grave condition, a medical officer shall notify an insurer of the occurrence of an insured event;
follow doctors' recommendations and the rules and regulations for patients.
181. An insurer shall:
make a certificate holder (an insured person) familiar with the terms of a compulsory medical insurance contract and issue a certificate of insurance or send a notice;
in case of occurrence of an insured event, pay compensation to a beneficiary.
182. Emergency medical care is readily provided to foreign citizens in all medical institutions based on their resources to provide diagnosis and treatment services and in compliance with the requirements set forth in Clause 185 hereof.
183. Unless otherwise established by the President of the Republic of Belarus, emergency medical care is provided to foreign citizens upon presentation of a certificate of insurance, a hard copy of a notice, information proving the existence of a compulsory medical insurance contract which is provided by a certificate holder or a document proving the existence of a medical insurance contract.
184. When a foreign citizen seeks help at a medical institution or is transported (evacuated) to such institution, a medical officer shall:
establish the identity of a foreign citizen;
find out whether a foreign citizen has a compulsory medical insurance contract or a document proving the existence of a medical insurance contract, which meets the criteria set forth in Clause 156 hereof, in case a foreign citizen may need emergency medical care;
if a foreign citizen is in grave condition, call the phone number indicated in a certificate of insurance, a hard copy of a notice or the insurer's publicly known phone number, inform the latter that an insured person has been admitted to a medical institution, and give the number of the insured person's certificate of insurance (if such foreign citizen has a compulsory medical insurance contract);
call a medical assistance or an insurer, inform them that an insured person has been admitted to a medical institution, and give the name of a foreign insurance organization which made a medical insurance contract with the insured person, and the number of the medical insurance contract/certificate of insurance (if a foreign citizen has a medical insurance contract).
185. If a foreign citizen does not have a compulsory medical insurance contract or a medical insurance contract and is unable to prove their right to free emergency medical care in the Republic of Belarus, such foreign citizen shall pay for medical care and related transportation (evacuation) with their own money. if a foreign citizen refuses to pay, such services shall be paid by a host party.
Medical institutions have the right to request and obtain from information systems of the Ministry of Internal Affairs the following information: the last name, first name and patronymic name (if any), registered place of residence and/or place of stay, place of temporary stay or temporary residence, and data contained in identification documents (type, series (if any), number, issue date, name or code of the issuing agency, validity period, and identification number (if any)) of foreign citizens and citizens of the Republic of Belarus, which act as host parties.
Such request is sent to a citizenship and migration department of the medical institution's local internal affairs agency or to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
186. If a threat to a foreign citizen's life or the health of other people has been eliminated and transportation (evacuation) of such foreign citizen has become possible, further scheduled medical care shall be paid by the foreign citizen or their host party based on the price list for medical services provided to foreign citizens by medical institutions.
If a foreign citizen is unable to pay for further treatment or make a conscious decision about the state of their health, and has no accompanying persons, the medical institution shall provide information on the state of health of such foreign citizen to the Ministry of Health, which, in its turn, shall notify the diplomatic mission (consular office) of the country of the foreign citizen's citizenship or permanent residence, and a decision on further treatment in the Republic of Belarus shall be made, unless otherwise provided by international treaties to which the Republic of Belarus is a party.
If authorized representatives of the foreign state decide that a foreign citizen should continue treatment in the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Health shall send an invoice for medical services rendered to the diplomatic mission (consular office) of such foreign state.
If a diplomatic mission (consular office) of a foreign state fails to make a decision on further treatment of a foreign citizen in the Republic of Belarus within 24 hours, such foreign citizen shall be transported (evacuated) to such foreign state as agreed with the diplomatic mission (consulate) of such foreign state.
187. Whether a foreign citizen is fit for transportation (evacuation) is determined by the head of the medical institution or an authorized person.
188. A decision on transportation (evacuation) of a foreign citizen is documented and signed by a foreign citizen or an accompanying person.
189. Insurance organizations and/or medical assistance shall pay for emergency medical care based on price lists for medical services provided to foreign citizens by medical institutions by transferring a compensation to the account of a medical institution which rendered such services.
The costs of transporting (evacuating) and/or delivering a dead body to the State Border of the Republic of Belarus shall be paid based on the price list of an organization which rendered such services or in the amount of actual expenses incurred based on documents proving that such services have been rendered and paid for.
The costs of burying a deal body (remains) in the Republic of Belarus in case specified in Clause 164 hereof shall be paid by a specialized organization in compliance with burial and funeral services laws by transferring a compensation to the account of a specialized organization which incurred such costs.
190. Medical institutions shall register each case of providing emergency medical care to foreign citizens.
191. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Health are responsible for making sure that foreign citizens have a compulsory medical insurance contract or a medical insurance contract.