Registration costs as much as a residence permit – 250-500 USD

ERB decided to find out whether the prices at the registration market changed when registration was implemented. Officials claimed that people would stop making money on residence permits because the procedure would be totally different. However, the number of I-will-register-you advertisements has not decreased on the Internet. New registration in Minsk costs as much as residence permits used to cost. People advertising the possibility of getting registration in their flats for some payment say that nothing has changed in the procedure.

- Yes, it only has a beautiful name now - “registration”.
- Is there any difference?
- There isn’t, it’s the same as a residence permit. Now it can be permanent and temporary. Which one do you need? I can offer both.

The difference in prices for registration is practically the same as it used to be in the time of residence permits. An average cost of permanent registration is 300-350 dollars.

- Minsk District costs 250 dollars plus taxes and Minsk costs 500 dollars plus taxes.
- How much is the tax?
- 35 thousands per month in Minsk and 21 thousands in the district.
- But it is not a residence permit now, it is registration – hasn’t anything changed?
- Miss, it is the same!

Naturally, temporary registration costs less. There is the only benefit – you do not have to pay the tax. The cheapest registration we managed to find was 150 dollars per year. But it is not clear if such registration allows getting a job in Minsk. It probably depends on the employer.

- Are you Belarusian, single, with no children?
- Yes.
- All right, no more questions! Visiting days are today, on Wednesday and on Friday. But if you like you can come today till 7 p.m. I will register you during one or one and a half hours.
- How much does temporary registration for a year cost?
- 150 dollars.
- What about the tax?
- No. It’s just 150 dollars. There is no tax for temporary registration.
- And how much does permanent registration cost?
- 840 thousand BRB.
- Is it Minsk or Minsk District?
- It is Baraulyany but it is a 20 minutes drive to the centre!
- Can you please tell me whether I have the right to work in Minsk with temporary registration?
- You should. But you’d better ask your employer.
- My employer does not know it himself!
- It does not matter to me; I can give you temporary or permanent registration – anything you like!

By the way, all “sellers” ask to hurry up because they have a queue or some other problems. They rarely agree to register for less than a year. Sometimes they include the tax in the price anyway.

- It is Minsk District. But I will have a place starting from February.
- For what term do you provide registration?
- I register for a year, not less than that. I will have a free place after February 19. It will cost 300 dollars plus the tax, it is about 100 USD.
- Has the tax for registration remained?
- You know, I have never given registration according to the new rules but it will not cost you less. The only exception is that young specialists are exempt from the tax.

Young specialists were exempt from the tax even in the time of residence permits.

So it turns out that the only difference between registration and a residence permit is that you do not have to pay the tax if you register temporarily.

Our country abolishes the exit permit but introduces a data base of those who are forbidden to go abroad. As a result, fewer people can go abroad now. Our country abolishes residence permits but introduces registration that costs the same but allows to track where people go.