Belarus is considered safe due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the heightened volatility and unpredictable nature of the region. The country has a vibrant capital, good cultural scene, and nightlife, but there are warnings and dangers associated with travel to Belarus. The overall risk is low, but the Belarusian government may enforce special permits for travelers in “protected border zones”. Be alert for warning signs, road barriers, or border restrictions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Belarus due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID. Belarus has temporarily banned most citizens from leaving, except for Belarusian civil servants on July 24, 2023. The FCDO advises against all travel to Belarus due to the volatile security environment caused by Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine, Russia’s military presence along the Belarus border with Ukraine, and the buildup of Russian military forces in the country. Crime levels are low in Belarus, but be alert to the possibility of street crime and theft from vehicles or hotel rooms.
U.S. citizens are strongly advised against traveling to Belarus due to the heightened volatility of the situation. Visa requirements are not required for American passport holders. While it is safe to visit Belarus, it is important not to engage in stupid activities like talking openly negative about the regime. Safety and crime-wise, the chances of being attacked, robbed, killed, or raped are minimal to none.
📹 Do NOT Visit Belarus (My Experience)
I have lived in Minsk Belarus since September 2021. From my experiences here in Belarus, I have this advice about living in or …
Is Belarus safe to go now?
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to Belarus due to the significant risk of arrest if individuals engage in illegal activities by the Belarusian regime. Travel insurance could be invalidated if individuals travel against FCDO’s advice. There is also a low risk that direct conflict linked to the Ukraine war may spread to Belarus. The FCDO advises against all travel to Belarus due to the potential for a potential invalidation of travel insurance.
Can you fly to Minsk?
Minsk, a city with only one major airport, is easily accessible through Google Flights. Users can select their departure city, choose their preferred travel dates, and find the lowest fares. To find the cheapest fares, it is recommended to book at least a few weeks in advance for domestic flights and a few months for international travel. To find great flight deals, users can enter their departure city, choose Minsk in the destination field, and click Search. Filtering results to see nonstop or under a certain price can help plan a budget trip.
Is Belarus friendly to Russia?
Russia and Belarus have strong military ties and engage in joint military-scientific activities. Russia operates several military bases and radars in Belarus, including the Hantsavichy Radar Station and the Vileyka VLF transmitter. Following the 2014 Ukraine crisis, Russia sought to replace Ukrainian defense ties with Belarus. In September 2017, Belarus and Russia resumed normal relations with military drills.
Belarus has an embassy in Moscow and branches in various cities, including Kaliningrad, Smolensk, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Ufa, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Khabarovsk.
Are tourists allowed in Belarus?
US passport holders can enter Belarus for up to 30 days without a visa for tourism or business purposes. To enter Belarus without a visa, they must have a valid passport, enter and exit Belarus via Minsk International Airport, arrive and depart from any country other than the Russian Federation, show evidence of finances equivalent to 25 Euros per day of stay, have a medical insurance policy with at least 10, 000 Euros coverage valid throughout Belarus, and register with the local office of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of the Interior for stays longer than five working days.
Can Belarus citizens travel to Russia?
Land transit restrictions apply to passengers without Russian or Belarusian citizenship, preventing them from entering Belarus through the land border. Only flight is allowed. Israeli citizens, who also hold Russian citizenship or are entitled to it, are subject to Russian laws and regulations, including decisions regarding army recruitment and entry and exit requirements. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that Israeli citizens entering, staying, or staying in Russian territory are subject to these regulations.
Can foreigners travel to Belarus?
Belarus allows foreign nationals to visit any place in the country within 30 days of their visa-free stay, but only through Minsk National Airport. The visa-free entry rules do not extend to other international border checkpoints. On 17 October 2021, the rules were amended to include Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, and Mogilev Airports. These rules do not apply to people flying to Belarus from or to Russia, as these flights are considered internal and not subject to border control.
Is Belarus safe in 2024?
It is recommended that travel to Belarus be avoided due to the potential for arbitrary enforcement of local laws and the ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The consular services provided by the Canadian Embassy in Belarus are currently limited, and it is therefore advisable for travellers to depart by commercial means. The armed conflict in Ukraine, which commenced in February 2022, has also resulted in Russian military operations being conducted from Belarus.
Do Belarusians want to join Russia?
In 2011, Putin expressed support for a union of Russia, Belarus, and possibly South Ossetia, but Belarusian Foreign Minister Andrei Savinykh and South Ossetia’s ambassador Dmitri Medojev rejected the idea. Since 2015, the focus has been on developing relations between former Soviet Union members through the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), a further development of the Eurasian Customs Union established in 2010. The EAEU comprises five member states: Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan, with Tajikistan also interested in joining.
However, political integration remains within the remit of the Union State. Deep economic integration is proposed in 2021, and in November 2021, Russia and Belarus signed an agreement to provide common policies on taxation, banking, industry, agriculture, and energy.
Can Europeans go to Belarus?
Belarus has introduced visa-free entry for citizens of 35 European nations, including Britain, Norway, Switzerland, and Balkan countries, as of July 19. The move was approved by authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Russia, which has no permanent land-border checkpoints with Belarus, has yet to comment on the decision. Citizens of Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have been allowed to enter Belarus without visas since 2022.
The heads of British and American foreign intelligence agencies praised Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russia as a significant achievement that could change the narrative of war. They urged Kyiv’s allies not to be held back by Russian threats of escalation. Richard Moore, head of MI6, praised Kyiv’s August offensive to seize territory in the Kursk region as “typically audacious and bold” and exposed vulnerabilities in the Russian military. CIA Director William Burns also urged the West to be mindful of the escalation risk but not be intimidated by Russian saber-rattling.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) of watering down support for Ukraine just two weeks before a key state election. Baerbock, a member of the Greens and a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia, was dismayed after the regional chapter of the SPD wavered on supplying arms to the country in a preelection indicator for voters.
What airlines still fly to Belarus?
The list of airlines included in Belarusian Airlines includes the following: Belarusian Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, Austrian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, and Aeroflot.
Why can’t i go to Belarus?
It is a requirement for American passport holders to obtain a visa from a Belarusian Embassy or Consulate abroad in order to enter Belarus. It is unlikely that a visa will permit entry to Belarus via a land border, and it is similarly unlikely that a visa will permit exit via a land border.
📹 BELARUS TRAVEL ADVICE
Top tips and tricks for those traveling to Belarus in 2023-2024. This video is a fairly handy survival guide for both short-term …
Andrei can provide advice and help with tourism, guiding, finding a place to stay, handling visas, and even matters about marriage. He really is a jack of all trades. I can’t tell you how much he’s helped me. He can’t just be called a ‘guide’. Out of respect, I call him ‘Captain’. Because when you’re exploring an unknown world, you need a great captain!
Thanks Andrei for info and updates. I have travelled to most European countries and found Belarus picturesque, unspoiled, very safe and friendly. Not to mentioned that cost of living is still way better than all the other countries I have seen. I’ve just remembered the time I left my credit card in an ATM in Minsk and you’ve got it back the next day. 🙂 Thanks again.
Hi there thanks for the informative article. Resources like this is so useful for people outside Belarus. I’ve tried searching the travel websites for flights into Belarus and it would appear that there is literally no way to fly there from the rest of Europe. What would you say is the simplest way of getting to Minsk? Is it the bus from Vilnius? Google Maps still shows train times between Vilnius and Minks. Is that train still operating? Thank you for your feedback it is appreciated.