47 foreigners stripped of residence permit in Vitebsk Oblast for administrative offenses

VITEBSK, 6 February (BelTA) – In 2011, 47 foreign nationals living in Vitebsk Oblast were stripped of residence permits for systematic violation of the Administrative Code, BelTA learnt from chief of the citizenship and migration bureau of the Directorate of Internal Affairs of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee Tatiana Romashova. In line with the law “Concerning the legal status of foreign nationals in the Republic of Belarus”, residence permits can be annulled for committing a criminally punishable act and repeated administrative offenses during one year. Tatiana Romashova noted that the residence permit can be annulled regardless of the category of offense – be it driving offenses and offenses related to public order. A foreigner can be deprived of a residence permit if he/she and their family do not earn a legal income equal to six living wages for each family member within a calendar year. Migration services are investing a lot of effort to prevent crimes and offenses by foreigners. As a result, the total number of crimes committed for foreign citizens has reduced. In 2011, their number shrank by almost 6% over 2010 and made 254. No crimes were reported by foreign students. The police statistics reveals a greater ethnic tolerance of local residents. In 2011, 208 crimes against foreigners were committed, a quarter less than in 2010. The last six years have seen an increase in the number of foreigners getting a residence permit. In 2006, their number was 14,200, in 2011 it exceeded 20,000. Last year 10,700 foreign nationals got temporary registration; temporary residence permit was issued for 4,400 people; permanent residence permit was granted to about 2,000 foreigners.

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