Belarus travel advice

Risk level

Safety and security

Impacts of the armed conflict in Ukraine

In February 2022, Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces conduct military operations from Belarus. Security conditions are unpredictable and could deteriorate without notice.

Projectiles from the armed conflict in Ukraine have landed in the Brest region near the Ukrainian border. Be aware of your surroundings.

The ability of the Embassy of Canada to Poland to provide consular services in Belarus is extremely limited. If you are in Belarus, you should leave by commercial means.

If you decide to remain in Belarus despite this advisory, be aware that:

• you may have to stay in Belarus longer than expected
• you may not be able to access your funds in Canadian or most international financial institutions
• you should not depend on the Government of Canada to help you leave the country

If you plan to leave Belarus:

• ensure that your travel documents and those of your family are up-to-date and secure at all times

• communicate your travel plans to family and friends
• register and update your contact information through the Registration of Canadians Abroad service and encourage other Canadian citizens in Belarus to do so

Political situation

Belarusian authorities may enforce local laws in an arbitrary manner. The Belarusian government and security forces actively target political opposition, journalists, and individuals perceived to be critical of the government. This includes activities that have taken place in the past or outside of Belarus.

Journalists face considerable risks. Local and foreign journalists could face intimidation, harassment and violence. Some have been detained or had their equipment confiscated. The political situation remains fluid and unpredictable. Authorities could enforce security restrictions without notice.

If you are in Belarus:

• expect a heightened security presence and security checks

• avoid expressions of dissent or making statements critical of or sensitive to the government
• monitor local media for the latest information

Surveillance

You could experience surveillance by the authorities simply because you are a foreigner. They may:

• monitor your telecommunications and your location at all times
• review the content stored on your electronic devices
• search your personal possessions or accommodations without your knowledge or consent
• subject you to intense scrutiny at the airport or border crossings, including searches of your personal possessions and telecommunications devices.

Local authorities in Belarus block access to several:

• websites
• social networks
• search engines
• online services

Don’t assume that your internet connection or past internet activity is private. Foreigners have been expelled from the country for working with Belarusian civil-society groups.

Crime

Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, occurs, particularly in particularly in crowded public areas and places frequented by foreigners, such as:

• popular tourist areas, including lookouts
• buses, trains, bus and train stations, and airports
• hotel lobbies
• restaurants, including outdoor seating areas
• beaches

During your trip:

• keep your personal belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, in a secure place and out of sight
• do not show signs of affluence or wear expensive jewellery
• avoid deserted streets at night
• avoid isolated areas

Terrorism

There is a threat of terrorism in Europe. Terrorist attacks have occurred in several European cities. There is a potential for other violent incidents.

Targets could include:

• government buildings, including police stations
• schools, including universities
• places of worship
• airports and transportation hubs
• public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and other sites frequented by foreigners
• cultural venues

Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places.

Be particularly vigilant during:

• sporting events
• religious holidays
• public celebrations
• major political events, such as elections

Terrorists may use such occasions to mount attacks.

Demonstrations

Demonstrations can occur. Local authorities have used force and arrested demonstrators in the past. If you are close to a demonstration, you may be detained by the Belarusian authorities for questioning. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation.

• Avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place
• Follow the instructions of local authorities
• Monitor local media for information on ongoing demonstrations

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

Fraud

Credit card, debit card and ATM fraud

Credit and debit card as well as ATM fraud occurs.

When using your debit or credit card:

• cover the keypad with one hand when entering your PIN
• pay careful attention when others are handling your cards
• avoid using card readers with an irregular or unusual feature
• use ATMs located in public areas or inside a bank or business
• check for any unauthorized transactions on your account statements

Overseas fraud

Spiked food, drinks and other items.

Never leave your food or drinks unattended or in the care of strangers. Avoid accepting snacks, beverages, gum or cigarettes from new acquaintances, as these items may contain drugs that could put you at risk of sexual assault and robbery.

2SLGBTQI+ persons

2SLGBTQI+ persons, as well as their allies, have been harassed, and verbally and physically abused.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers should carefully consider the risks of travelling to Belarus.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Roads

Road conditions

Road conditions vary considerably across the country. Many roads are impassable in winter. In rural areas, horse-drawn carts are a common road hazard.

 Roads may be poorly maintained and dangerous due to:

• large potholes
• malfunctioning or absence of traffic lights
• insufficient lighting
• uneven surfaces
• bad road markings and signage

Driving habits

Drivers don’t always respect traffic laws. Speeding is common, and drivers can be aggressive and reckless.

Public transportation

Taxis

Only use officially marked taxis from reputable taxi companies. Never share a taxi with strangers.

Arrange your pickup with your hotel before arrival when travelling by air.

Trains

Thieves are active on trains. Store valuables in a safe place and do not leave your compartment unattended. Lock the door from the inside.

Air travel

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Entry and exit requirements

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the Belarusian authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada.

Heightened scrutiny

You may face added scrutiny at the border or be denied entry to Belarus with no reason provided. Even if you meet entry requirements, local authorities may deny you entry to Belarus if they consider your travel to be non-essential. 

Before you travel:

• confirm the entry and exit requirements with the regional migration office
• confirm the status of the border checkpoints
• monitor local media for the latest information

Information portal – State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus

Passport

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules. 

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 90 days beyond the date you expect to leave from Belarus.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Visas

Tourist visa: not required for stays of up to 30 days
Private visa: not required for stays of up to 30 days
Business visa: not required for stays of up to 30 days
Student visa: required
Transit visa: not required

Visa-free entry

You can enter Belarus without a visa for a period of up to 30 days if you enter the country by flying into certain airports, including Minsk National Airport. This visa-free period cannot be extended. You must also meet the following conditions:

• You must have a regular passport valid for at least 90 days beyond the date you expect to leave Belarus
• You must show a proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay in Belarus (Br 49,000 (approx. CAD$30) for each day of stay)
• You must  have a medical insurance coverage of at least €10,000

Those conditions don’t apply if you are flying in from or to Russia as these flights are considered internal flights with no border control.

Useful links

• Obtaining a visa for Belarus– Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Information on visa-free travel – Belarus Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Land border crossings

Local authorities in Poland, Latvia and Lithuania have shut down certain border crossings with Belarus and may close additional border crossings with little or no warning. If you intend to travel to Poland from Belarus, you must apply for a humanitarian reasons permit.

If you plan to cross from Belarus into Poland, Lithuania or Latvia, only the following border crossings remain open to cars and buses:

• Poland:
• Brest/Terespol
• Lithuania:
• Medininkai/Kamienny
• Šalčininkai /Beniakoni
• Latvia:
• Paternieki/Grigorovshchina

Entering Belarus by car

If you enter Belarus with a private vehicle, you must fill out a customs card and show proof of ownership documents or a power of attorney letter at the border crossing.

These documents must be translated into Belarusian and certified at a Belarusian embassy. You must also have third-party car insurance that can only be purchased in Belarus.

Registration

If you’re staying in Belarus for more than 10 business days, you must register with the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior (formerly OVIR) office in the district in which you are staying. You must register within three working days after arriving in Belarus.

Your hotel usually arranges your registration on your behalf. If you are not staying in a hotel, contact your host to ensure that they register your stay.

You could be fined or face difficulty at the border when you leave if you are not registered.

Health insurance

You must present proof of valid medical insurance translated into Belarussian or Russian to enter Belarus. In addition, you will be required to purchase mandatory state insurance at the port of entry.

Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children.

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Health

Routine vaccines

Make sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date before you travel, no matter where you’re going.

These may include vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, varicella (chickenpox), meningococcal disease, seasonal flu, and others.

Provincial and Territorial Immunization Information

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

When travelling in this destination, you might be at risk for diseases that can be prevented with vaccines or medications. Talk to a travel health care provider about which ones are right for you based on your travel plans.

The highlights below will also tell you if your destination may require that vaccine for entering or exiting.

Safe food and water precautions

Eating or drinking unsafe food or water, or swimming in contaminated water can make you sick while travelling. Take precautions by following these tips:

• Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it (only eat food that is prepared safely)
• Avoid, if possible, getting water in your eyes, mouth, or nose when swimming in freshwater (like streams, lakes, or canals), especially after heavy rain or flooding - the water might look clean but can still be contaminated 
• Don’t swallow water when bathing, showering, swimming in pools, or using hot tubs 

Eat and drink safely abroad

Tick and insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by bites from infected ticks and insects like mosquitoes, fleas, or flies. Before you travel, find out what types of ticks or insects are in the area, when they’re most active, and what diseases they can spread.

To protect yourself from bites:

• use an approved bug spray (insect repellent) on exposed skin
• wear light-coloured, loose clothing made of tightly woven materials like nylon or polyester
• wear socks and closed-toe shoes
• sleep under mosquito netting if you’re outdoors or staying in places that aren’t fully enclosed
• do a full body tick check on yourself, your children, your gear, and any pets you’re travelling with when you return from outdoor activities

Insect bite and pest prevention
Personal insect repellents

Animal precautions

Some infections can spread directly from animals to people, like rabies or bird flu (avian influenza). Others don’t spread directly from animals but can infect people who visit areas animals have contaminated with their droppings or body fluids.

Certain activities can increase your chances of coming into contact with animals, their droppings, or their body fluids, like:

• travelling in rural or forested areas
• camping, hiking, or visiting caves
• visiting places where live animals are sold or killed for food, like wet markets

To reduce your risk of getting sick:

• avoid contact with animals like stray dogs, livestock (such as pigs and cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats.
• stay away from places where animal waste can build up, such as caves
• avoid eating undercooked meat

Make sure to closely watch children; they are more likely to try to touch animals.

Person-to-person infections

When travelling, you can reduce your risk of getting or spreading respiratory infections, like the flu or COVID-19, by:

• staying at your accommodation and limiting contact with others if you’re sick
• wearing a well-fitting mask, especially: 
  
  • if you’re sick and need to be around others 
  • when you’re at large indoor events or in crowded settings, like sporting events, concerts, and airports
• cleaning your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol
• covering your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow, not your hands

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)
Clean your hands to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases
Respiratory infectious diseases: How to reduce the spread with personal protective measures

To lower your risk of getting sexually transmissible infections (STIs), HIV, and mpox, you can:

• get vaccinated against mpox if you’re eligible
• practise safer sex methods
  • use barrier protection during sexual activity, like condoms and dental dams.

Mpox vaccines
Sexual health and travel
HIV and AIDS: Travel health advice

Medical services and facilities

Access to medical care is limited and medical standards are not up to those you might expect in Canada. There are private medical and dental offices in the larger cities.

In the event of a serious accident or illness, medical evacuation will be necessary.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Health and safety outside Canada

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a travel health kit, especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

Laws and culture

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad.

A serious violation may lead to a jail or death sentence. The sentence will be served in local prisons.

Drugs

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is not legally recognized in Belarus.

If local authorities consider you a citizen of Belarus, they may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services. This will prevent us from providing you with those services.

Dual citizens

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. The convention applies between Canada and Belarus.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Belarus, and if the applicable conditions are met, you may apply for the return of your child to the Belarusian court.

If you are in this situation:

• act as quickly as you can
• contact the Central Authority for your province or territory of residence for information on starting an application under The Hague Convention
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in Belarus to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children's Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country's judicial affairs.

Useful links

• List of Canadian Central Authorities for the Hague Convention
• International Child Abductions: A guide for affected parents
• Children and travel
• The Hague Convention – Hague Conference on Private International Law
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Request emergency assistance

Identification

Always carry originals of your passport, visa and migration card. You may be asked at any time to prove your identity and date of entry into the country. You could be arrested and detained if you fail to show internationally recognized identification.

Photography

Photography of military installations, public buildings and monuments may result in a penalty. Seek permission from local authorities before taking photographs.

Death Penalty

Belarusian authorities apply, sometimes arbitrarily, the death penalty for certain crimes, including for attempts to carry out acts of terrorism.

2SLGBTQI+ persons

Belarusian law does not prohibit sexual acts between individuals of the same sex. Homosexuality, however, is not widely accepted in Belarus.

Media and artistic depictions of same-sex relationships and transgender people are considered “pornography” under Belarusian law. You could face arrest and detention for public displays of 2SLGBTQI+ relationships, themes, or identities.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Driving

You must carry an international driving permit.

There is a zero-tolerance policy for drinking and driving.

Traffic safety in Belarus is controlled by uniformed police officers known as DAI in Belarusian and GAI in Russian. If a traffic police officer waves a striped wand or points a red retro-reflector at you, you must pull over and stop, and be ready to present driving and insurance documents.

You must keep your headlights on at all times between November 1 and March 31.

Highway fees

There is a digital road toll system, BelToll, to collect tolls on highways. You must pay an additional fee if you are driving  a vehicle not registered in Belarus.

Driving near border areas

Additional security checkpoints are common on roads near border crossings.

The Belarusian government may enforce a requirement for special permits to travel in “protected border zones.” Be alert for warning signs, road barriers or border-guard posts. Do not cross into such areas without permission. For more information, contact the embassy of Belarus.

Useful links

• Digital toll collection – BelToll
• International Driving Permit
• Foreign Representatives in Canada

Money

The currency is the Belarusian ruble (BYR).

Credit cards are accepted by many hotels, restaurants and stores, especially in Minsk. ATMs are available in major cities to withdraw rubles.

You must pay for goods and services in Belarusian rubles. The use of foreign currency in cash transactions is prohibited. You could face arrest if you attempt to buy an item with currency other than Belarusian rubles. Exchange foreign currency at government-licensed booths only. You must present a valid passport to purchase foreign currency.

Natural disasters and climate

Climate change

Climate change is affecting Belarus. Extreme and unusual weather events are becoming more frequent and may affect your travel plans. Monitor local media for the latest information.