New edition of the Code of the Republic of Belarus "On Land"

1?? The list of the grounds for foreigners to acquire the right of ownership of land plots is to be expanded:

- acquisition by inheritance of a land plot given to the successor in private ownership (previously the transfer of ownership of land was only possible to those foreigners who are the close relatives);

- acquisition of the land plot on which the inherited residential house, country cottage, including unfinished halted objects, apartment in a semi-detached house, garden cottage, registered share in the title to these objects are located, if the successor did not execute documents certifying the rights to the land plot;

- acquisition of the registered shares in the right of ownership to the land plot and the residential house or country cottage located on it on the basis of a civil law transaction, including those unfinished and halted in the manner prescribed by law, an apartment in a semi-detached house, a garden cottage or the recognition of their shares in the right of ownership to these objects in a judicial procedure;

- acquisition of a land plot and the residential house or cottage located on it in common ownership during marriage with a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, including unfinished and halted objects in the manner prescribed by law, an apartment registered by the state registration organization in a semi-detached house, a garden cottage or registered shares in the ownership rights to these objects, including in the case of subsequent division of the matrimonial (common) property, acquired by spouses, in the manner prescribed by law

- acquisition of a share in the right of ownership of the land plot owned by one of the spouses (former spouses) on which there is a residential house, country cottage, including unfinished and halted objects in the manner prescribed by law, an apartment registered by the state registration organization in a semi-detached house, garden cottage which are in matrimonial (common) property, in case of division of such property in the manner prescribed by law.

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2?? The list of grounds when land plots may be in the lifetime inheritable possession of foreigners will be similarly expanded.

In particular, such grounds are cases where the plot has already been previously provided for lifetime inheritable possession to a foreigner or where the land occupied by the inherited residential property was not purchased by the successor during his lifetime and the foreigner has decided not to purchase this land.

For reference: Lifetime inherited possession is the right to use a land plot owned by the Republic of Belarus.

?3?? The possibility of granting land plots from agricultural purposes lands will be introduced:

- for lease for running a peasant farm,?

- for temporary use for haymaking and grazing of farm animals.

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??The value of these changes is due to the fact that previously foreigners could only lease land, which caused particular inconvenience when purchasing housing located on land plots in private ownership - before the transaction the seller had to return the plot to the state and sign a lease agreement as well as when dividing the property acquired during a marriage between a Belarusian citizen, land owner, and a foreigner.?

When the amended land law enters into force, the status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in terms of ownership of the land for the maintenance of residential real estate will be as close as possible to the status of citizens of Belarus. There will also be opportunities to obtain plots of land from agricultural purposes lands for related purposes.