Starting from July 24, 2025, amendments come into effect in the procedure for applying a special restrictive measure regarding the payment of profit and / or dividends (hereinafter – dividends) to foreign persons (members of business entities, owners of property of legal entities) from "unfriendly" countries.

IMPORTANT: Regardless of the amount, payments are allowed only with a permit issued by the regional (oblast) or Minsk city executive committee. If no permit is granted, the bank will refuse to process the payment if it identifies the foreign recipient as a person subject to the restrictive measure.

The criteria that a resident organization must meet to obtain a permit for dividend payment are set by Resolution No. 395 of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated July 21, 2025. These criteria depend on the amount of dividends calculated after taxes have been withheld (whether below or above 20,000 base units or the equivalent in foreign currency in total for all foreign participants). Special rules for applying the criteria are also established for residents of the Hi-Tech Park.

The application review period is 30 business days (previously, the deadline was counted in calendar days).

If a dividend payment permit is issued, it must specify, among other things:

• the amount approved for payment;

• the name of the bank that will transfer the dividends. The bank will refuse to process the payment if the permit is submitted to a bank not listed in the permit.

If a permit is denied, the funds must, as before, be deposited into a special bank account with restricted operation mode. Dividend payments to the foreign participant may be made after the expiration of the restriction period requiring a permit.

The restrictive measure has been extended until December 31, 2026.