I would like to ask your assistance in a visa problem I have.
I originally came to Belarus twice during 2009 (August for a holiday, and October for a job interview as a native English teacher with Streamline in Minsk).
I was accepted for the teaching job (on an evaluation basis to start with in order for them to assess whether I was suitable for the role), so sold my house in the UK and came to Belarus on the 5th February 2010.
On arriving in Minsk on February 5th 2010, I purchased a Tourist visa at Minsk 2 airport. I settled in with my friends who I had been here to see in 2009, and a few days later went to Streamline to work out how they were going to assess me over the coming weeks. It was only then that they asked whether I had registered at my local office. I hadn’t, so went there the following day with my friend to solve the issue. I paid the due fine for late registration and confirmed that to Streamline.
At the end of February my visa was due to expire. I told my local registration office that my intention was to obtain full time employment in Belarus, so needed to know the best way to achieve that. So as instructed by them, I got a train to Kiev in Ukraine in order to purchase a new visa but this time a Guest visa for 30 days (I was told then that I would not have to make a further trip to Ukraine in order to extend my stay).
My assessment classes with Streamline were going fine, but they informed me that they were unlikely to be able to offer me a full time work visa as they already had 2 native English speakers and there simply wasn’t enough work for a third. So I started looking for alternative teaching schools or IT companies to work for, as I have over 20 years IT experience from the UK, so I was able to give Belarus something back from the experience I have. With multiple interviews at English schools and EPAM IT company I was so close to getting a full time job.
As instructed by the local registration office I went to them a week before my visa and registration were going to expire. I was informed that basically I had 1 week to obtain a work visa and to get it into the system in order to continue my stay here. However I still had a number of days allowance for one last extension as a guest. I enquired once again at Streamline who were very happy with my teaching skills, whether they could offer me a contract. They now said there was an opening so they could. So I went back (again) to Kiev in Ukraine and got the remaining days I could which would then give enough time for Streamline to sort the paperwork for my work visa if none of the other vacancies I had applied for came back to me in time. EPAM offered me the job as well as Streamline, and even though it was less salary, I decided to go for Streamline as it was something I enjoyed doing.
After about 15 days Streamline’s lawyer replied to my manager at Streamline saying that there was an ‘administration problem’ which meant that I was unable to get a work visa at this time. I then found out that in order to get the work visa, I needed a house contract in my name. I assumed this was the problem, and therefore, went out and rented a flat myself and got the contract which I then took to the lawyer today. It now turns out that that wasn’t the administration problem at all, but that the fact that I registered 3 days late when I arrived back in February was the issue. I immediately went to the British Embassy in Minsk to try to speak to someone but they are closed until Monday 26th due to elections I believe. It is now the 22nd April and my visa expires on the 27th April so I am very short of time.
Therefore within a week of me arriving here, I stood no chance of this ever working. I find this hard to take, considering the amount of effort I have put in to get things sorted, having spent a lot of money on visas, trips to Ukraine, and a house contract, as well as applications for job vacancies to companies in order to get me the best job I could, and sorting the necessary paperwork for the work visa. It was all a complete waste of time it seems. I cant believe how a lack of knowledge on local processes can do this. I accepted my mistake and rectified it as soon as I knew and paid the fine, which I assumed closed the matter. To have continued for 2 months spending the amount of money I have trying to make this work, without ever finding out until now that this registration issue would come back to bite me is unbelievable.
It is apparently 2 administrative errors that should cause a problem like I’m facing now with regards to a work visa, but it seems a SINGLE administrative error (my late registration in February) can mean I cannot get a job.
I would like some advice as to how I proceed (if possible) or who I should speak to before my current (and final) visa runs out on Tuesday 27th April.
This whole process upsets me so much as I have done everything I could, to learn local customs and laws, and to integrate and provide a positive contribution to every Belarusian I have met on both a social basis and from a teaching point of view as well.
I want to stay here and continue to contribute to Belarusian society !!! Of all of the countries I have visited in Europe (Germany, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Slovakia and Hungary), Belarus is the one place that I really want to live in ! I really hope that something can be done in the next few days to help me stay here.
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