Nearly 450,000 Belarusian visas issued in 2012

        Diplomatic missions and consular establishments of Belarus abroad issued nearly 450,000 Belarusian visas to foreign citizens in 2012. The number does not include citizens of the CIS states and non-CIS states, for which Belarus has lifted visa requirements, said the official.
In 2012 certificates were issued to allow over 5,000 Belarusians to return to the home country. These citizens lost their passports or their documents were stolen. The consular service abroad helped a total of 1,764 Belarus nationals in distress. 
       Via cooperation with the International Organization for Migration as many as 160 Belarusian citizens and their families were effectively evacuated from Syria in 2012.
Over 80,000 Belarusian citizens are registered with consular establishments of Belarus abroad.