can american citizens travel to belarus

Update April 12, 2024

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Travel Advisory July 26, 2023

Belarus - level 4: do not travel.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Do not travel to Belarus due to the Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the potential of civil unrest, the risk of detention, and the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Belarus. U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately.

On February 28, 2022, the Department of State ordered the departure of U.S. government employees and the suspension of operations of the U.S. Embassy in Minsk. All consular services, routine and emergency, are suspended until further notice.  U.S. citizens in Belarus who require consular services should try to leave the country as soon as possible and contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in another country.

Due to Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine and given the heightened volatility and unpredictable nature of the regional security environment, do not travel to Belarus.  Potential harassment targeted specifically at foreigners is also possible. 

Exercise increased awareness and vigilance regarding political and military tensions in the region.  U.S. citizens are advised to avoid public demonstrations.  Authorities have used force to disperse demonstrators, including those peacefully demonstrating. Bystanders, including foreign nationals, may face the possibility of arrest or detention.

U.S. citizens should regularly reevaluate possible departure plans in the event of an emergency. Border crossings with neighboring states are sometimes closed with little notice. Additional closures of crossing points along Belarus’ borders with Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, and Ukraine are possible.

Country Summary:  Belarusian authorities have detained tens of thousands of individuals, including U.S. citizens, for alleged affiliations with opposition parties and alleged participation in political demonstrations. U.S. citizens in the vicinity of demonstrations have been arrested. Some have been victims of harassment and/or mistreatment by Belarusian officials. Belarusian authorities have targeted individuals associated with independent and foreign media. On May 23, 2021, Belarusian authorities forced the landing of a commercial aircraft transiting Belarusian airspace in order to arrest an opposition journalist who was a passenger.

Belarus enforces special restrictions on dual U.S.-Belarusian nationals and may refuse to acknowledge dual U.S.-Belarusian nationals’ U.S. citizenship, including denying or delaying U.S. consular assistance to detained dual nationals.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an Advisory Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) prohibiting all U.S. air carriers and commercial operators, U.S. airmen and airwomen, and U.S. registered aircraft from operating at all altitudes in the Minsk Flight Information Region (UMMV). For more information, U.S. citizens should consult the  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Belarus.

If you decide to travel to Belarus: 

• Have a contingency plan in place that does not rely on U.S. government assistance. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .
• Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas .
• Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
• Monitor local and international media for breaking events and be prepared to adjust your plans based on the new information.
• Ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Belarus.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel. 

Embassy Messages

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Quick Facts

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Embassies and Consulates

U.s. embassy minsk.

46 Starovilenskaya St. Minsk 220002, Belarus Telephone: +(375) (17) 210-1283 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(375) (29) 676-0134 Fax: +(375) (17) 334-7853 [email protected]

Destination Description

Learn about the U.S. relationship to countries around the world.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

30 Day Visa Free Travel

U.S. passport holders traveling to Belarus via Minsk International Airport may enter visa-free for up to 30 days (the 30-day limit includes the day of arrival and the day of departure) for tourism or business.

Visa-Free Travel Requirements

U.S. citizens wishing to enter Belarus for 30 days without a visa must:

• Hold a valid passport;
• Enter and exit Belarus via Minsk International Airport;
• Arrive from and depart to any country other than the Russian Federation;
• Show evidence of finances in the form of cash, credit cards or travelers checks equivalent to 25 Euros for each day of stay;
• Show evidence of a medical insurance policy with at least 10,000 Euros of coverage valid throughout Belarus. Such a policy may be purchased at the airport upon arrival; please see the Embassy of Belarus website for information about current fees; 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 (see below).

The Visa-free option is not available to you if:

You are coming directly to or from the Russian Federation.

You enter and exit Belarus anywhere other than Minsk International Airport.

You plan to stay longer than 30 days.

You are entering on a diplomatic or official passport.

Travelers who stay longer than 30 days or who violate the visa-free registration rules can face administrative action which may include a fine of up to €550, deportation, and prohibition from entering Belarus in the future.

Visitors to Belarus may request a visa before traveling from the Embassy of Belarus. Instructions for obtaining a visa are available on the Embassy of Belarus website . Please note that the Government of Belarus has the authority to deny entry to any foreign visitor whether or not he/she has a visa.

Travelling between Russia and Belarus 

Car and Train Travel: Belarus and Russia do not have international passport control capabilities at the land border. Therefore, U.S. citizens and other foreigners, even those holding valid visas, may not cross the Belarusian – Russian border by car, train, or on foot. Only Russian and Belarusian passport holders may transit the land border. 

Air Travel: U.S. citizens require a visa in order to travel by air between Belarus and Russia. Regulations regarding travel between Russia and Belarus may change unexpectedly. Even if you already hold a visa, before planning a trip we recommend you visit the Embassy of Belarus website and the website of the Embassy of the Russian Federation for the latest information.

Registration

All U.S. citizens staying in Belarus for more than five business days are required to register with the local office of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior (formerly OVIR). This requirement applies to visa holders and those who enter Belarus under the 30-day visa-free regime. Please keep in the mind the following:

• Registration must be completed within five business days of arrival.
• If you are staying in a hotel, the hotel will complete the registration for you.
• If you have a short term rental of an apartment or house, be sure to check with the rental agent; they may be able to assist you.
• If you are staying in a private home, you must complete the registration process yourself.
• If you fail to register or if you remain in Belarus longer than 30 days you will face administrative action which may include a fine of up to €550, deportation, and prohibition from entering Belarus in the future.
• Foreign citizens entering on a tourist or business visa may not stay in Belarus for more than 90 days total during any calendar year, including dates of entry and departure.

Visit the Belarusian Embassy web site for the latest information regarding entry requirements for traveling to Belarus.

Transiting Schengen Countries : 

Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay if you plan on transiting a Schengen country.

You will need sufficient proof of funds and a return airline ticket .

For additional details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen page .

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to Belarus on a 30-day visit. Long-term residents (those spending more than 90 days a year in Belarus) or students must obtain an HIV/AIDS test in Belarus and submit the results to the Department of Citizenship and Migration when applying for an extension of stay or residency. We recommend you verify this information with the Embassy of Belarus before you travel.

You will find information on  dual nationality , prevention of international child abduction and customs regulations on our websites.

Safety and Security

Credible information indicates terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Europe. European governments are taking action to guard against terrorist attacks. All European countries remain potentially vulnerable to attacks from transnational terrorist organizations.

Demonstrations intended to be peaceful can sometimes become confrontational. For this reason, it is recommended that U.S. citizens avoid all demonstrations and protest gatherings.

• Demonstrations, both organized and spontaneous, are infrequent in Belarus. Localized street disturbances relating to political events are more likely in Minsk or larger cities than in smaller towns and villages.
• Authorities have used force to disperse demonstrators, including those who are peacefully demonstrating.
• Bystanders, including foreign nationals, may face the possibility of arrest or detention . 

Foreigners may be placed under surveillance . Hotel rooms, telephones, and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched. 

Taking photographs of anything that could be perceived as being of military or security interest may result in problems with authorities; these sites are not always clearly marked and application of these restrictions is subject to interpretation. 

Crime:  Belarus has a low rate of street crime. Violent crime against foreigners is rare; criminals have been known to use force if met with resistance from victims. 

• Common street crime, such as mugging and pickpocketing, occurs most frequently near public transportation venues, near hotels frequented by foreigners, and/or at night in poorly-lit areas.
• Exercise caution when visiting bars, casinos and night clubs, and do not leave your drink unattended. There have been reports of travelers being drugged and subsequently robbed or assaulted while visiting night clubs.
• Prostitutes at hotels may attempt to open hotel room doors in search of customers.
• Local and transnational organized criminal activity exists in Belarus. Most casinos and adult clubs are operated by criminal elements and should be avoided.
• Theft of vehicle parts and car vandalism is common. Sport-utility and luxury vehicles tend to be the most sought-after. Parking in a secure area overnight is highly recommended.

Internet-Dating Schemes and Cyber-Crime: "Internet brides" are advertised on several websites and are not always legitimate. Often, potential suitors in the United States lose thousands of dollars sending money to people they have never met and will never hear from again. In some cases, the foreigner is invited to visit Belarus; the Belarusian “friend” collects money for lodging and transportation expenses and then disappears.

Cyber-crime is well developed in Belarus. Merchandise orders with fraudulent credit cards, ID theft, hacking/blackmail schemes, and advance-fee fraud are gaining in popularity. If doing business electronically with persons or firms in Belarus, proceed with extreme caution.

• Use only ATMs located inside major banks.
• Use of credit and debit cards is not recommended; there have been reports of U.S. citizens having their ATM or credit cards skimmed resulting in fraudulent charges or money stolen from their accounts.
• Be aware that due to a lack of tourism infrastructure in Belarus, transferring funds from abroad, replacing stolen traveler's checks or airline tickets, or canceling credit cards can be difficult in Belarus.

Counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law. In addition, bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines.

Sophisticated criminal investigations may be inconclusive because of a lack of resources and/or political will.

We have received reports of harassment of U.S. citizens at border crossings. We recommend that you report any crimes immediately to the local police and to the U.S. Embassy in Minsk.

See the  Department of State  and the  FBI  pages for information on scams.  

Victims of Crime: Report crimes to the local police by dialing 102 and contact the U.S. Embassy at +375 17 210 1283. Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime that occurs in Belarus. 

The local equivalents to the “911” emergency lines in Belarus are: 101 for Fire and Rescue Squad; 102 for Police; and 103 for Ambulance (Medical Emergency). 

See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas . 

• help you find appropriate medical care
• assist you in reporting a crime to the police
• contact relatives or friends with your written consent
• explain the local criminal justice process in general terms
• provide a list of local attorneys
• provide our information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S.
• provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution
• help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
• replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence: U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the U.S. Embassy for assistance. 

Tourism: The tourism industry is unevenly regulated, and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not commonly occur. Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is typically available only in/near major cities. First responders are generally unable to access areas outside of major cities and to provide urgent medical treatment. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance . 

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. 

Furthermore, some crimes are also prosecutable in the U.S., regardless of local law.  For examples, see our website on crimes against minors abroad and the Department of Justice website. 

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our webpage for further information. 

Under local law, any agency that detains a foreigner should inform the local Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) within 24 hours from the time of detention. The MFA, in its turn, must notify the respective embassy as soon as possible. The time of such notifications has varied from several hours to several weeks. Therefore, we recommend that if travelers have a chance to inform friends or relatives about their arrest, they should request that their friends or relatives notify the U.S. Embassy on their behalf as soon as possible.  

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES 

• Belarusian banks provide limited cash withdrawals in Belarusian rubles from major credit cards. Please see notes on cyber-crime, above, regarding the security of ATMs.
• Authorized currency exchange centers are widely available throughout major cities.
• It is a criminal offense to exchange payment in U.S. dollars to firms or individuals without a special license.
• Only a few large firms are licensed to accept U.S. dollars . Travelers are advised to only use widely available licensed exchange locations.
• ATMs are available for use; credit and debit cards are widely accepted in major cities and towns; however use caution (see cyber-crime above).

Identification:

• Carry your passport at all times.
• Police have the authority to stop you and request identification. If you fail to provide your ID, you may be detained by the police until your identity is established.

Radiation: 

The 1986 release of nuclear material from the Chernobyl nuclear station in Ukraine affected Belarus. The city of Minsk was mostly spared, but other areas of Belarus were badly contaminated. Several years of monitoring have shown that radiation levels in Minsk are within internationally acceptable standards, and periodic testing of foodstuffs from various locations in Belarus has not revealed a level of radiation that would be considered harmful.

Marriages in Belarus:

• Consult the U.S. Embassy Minsk website for information on getting married in Belarus .
• Marriages must be performed at a registrar’s office (ZAGS- Office of Matrimonial Acts Registration) to be legally valid in Belarus. 

Faith-Based Travelers: See the following webpages for details:

• Faith-Based Travel Information
• International Religious Freedom Report – see country reports
• Human Rights Report – see country reports
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTI Travelers: Same-sex relations are not illegal in Belarus, but discrimination against members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTI) community is widespread, and harassment against LGBTI individuals has occurred in the past. For more detailed information about LGBTI rights in Belarus you may review the State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2017. See our LGBTI Travel Information page and section 6 of our Human Rights report for further details.  

Travelers Who Require Accessibility Assistance: In Belarus, many buildings and most public transportation systems are not well adapted for individuals with disabilities. Before visiting Belarus, check ahead with your hotel/destination to learn more about options to accommodate disabled travelers. 

Students: See our Students Abroad page and FBI travel tips . 

Women Travelers: See our travel tips for Women Travelers . 

Medical care in Belarus is neither modern nor easily accessible. Hospitals and medical facilities are below U. S. standards and lack basic supplies. Trauma care is well below U.S. standards; Belarus lacks the level of care and competence to deal with serious injuries.

• Standard U.S. health insurance plans are not accepted in Belarus.
• Ambulances are poorly equipped and unreliable . It is not unusual to wait 30 minutes for an ambulance.
• Consider purchasing medical evacuation insurance prior to traveling to Belarus.
• There are no air ambulance services in Belarus.
• The government requires all visitors show evidence of valid purchase health insurance . You may purchase local health insurance at your point of entry.
• The medical emergency number for Belarus is 103

We do not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare does not apply overseas.  

Medical Insurance:   The government requires all visitors to purchase local health insurance or show evidence of a policy with international coverage that includes Belarus. You may purchase the local health insurance at the points of entry. If you plan to use international medical insurance purchased outside Belarus, be sure to check with the Embassy of Belarus to be sure your policy is acceptable. See our webpage for more information on overseas insurance coverage .

We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover a potential medical evacuation.

If traveling with prescription medication:  

• You must carry your prescription medication in the original packaging
• You should have the written prescription from your doctor.
• You should check with the government of Belarus, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs  to ensure your medication is legal in Belarus. 
• Some common medications in the U.S., such as opioid pain relievers, are illegal in Belarus.
• Belarusian officials have confiscated these drugs from travelers.

The following diseases are prevalent: Tuberculosis (TB) is an increasingly serious health concern in Belarus. For further information, please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) information on TB .

Vaccinations: Be up-to-date on all vaccinations recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further health information:

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety :  Generally, roads in Belarus are in good condition, but modern cars share the highways with tractors, horse-drawn carts, and pedestrians.

• Driving under the influence is common despite a strict zero-tolerance law.
• Speed bumps are common, even on major streets in large cities.
• If you are involved in an accident, remain at the scene until police arrive unless your personal safety is in danger.
• Drive with caution at all times. Potholes, unlit or poorly lit streets, and dark-clothed pedestrians walking on roads are common dangers.
• Drivers are expected to yield to pedestrians at road signs and intersections not controlled by traffic signals or road police.
• Belarus has a toll system which requires payment when using certain specifically identified roads. Passenger motor vehicles registered outside the Eurasian Customs Union countries (Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia) must pay for use of a number of  such major roads. Detailed information regarding toll roads, distribution points, and penalties for not paying tolls can be found at Bell Toll website

Traffic Laws:   

• Fines vary for driving under the influence. Those who commit a repeat offence within 365 days of a previous violation may be subject to criminal prosecution and possibly sentenced for to up to six months in prison or up to two years of corrective labor.
• Using hand-held mobile devices while driving is prohibited.

Public Transportation :  When traveling on public transportation of any kind, be wary of pickpocketing and other petty crime. There are several rental car agencies currently operating in Minsk; however, rental-car networks are not well developed.

• Radio-dispatched taxi services are metered, generally reliable, arrive promptly, and usually offer the lowest fare.
• Uber currently operates in Minsk.
• The use of informal, unregistered taxis is not recommended.
• Minsk has a clean, safe, and efficient subway system that reaches outside the city center.

See our Road Safety page for more information. Visit the website of Belarus’ national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety.

Aviation Safety Oversight:   As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Belarus, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Belarus’ Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page .

For additional travel information

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in Belarus .  For additional IPCA-related information, please see the  International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA )  report.

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Visiting Belarus without visas

Visa requirements

To get a Belarusian entry visa the following documents should be submitted (brought in person or sent by post) to the Embassy: 1. Completed visa application form , which meets the following requirements:

♦ visa application form should be filled out in legible handwriting (in block letters) or typing, in English or Russian / Belarusian language;

♦ answers to the questions should be complete and logically consistent and indicate the real purpose of the visit;

♦ purpose of the visit should be specified in detail;

♦ if a question does not apply, please, write “N/A”, incomplete forms will be returned to the applicants unprocessed;

♦ it is the applicant’s responsibility to check whether the information given on the form is correct;

♦ the application form should be signed by the applicant personally — failure to observe this requirement may result in refusal of the application;

♦ the visa application form for a minor should be signed by their legal representative.

2. One color photograph , which meets the following requirements:

♦ not older than 6 months;

♦ size 35 x 45 mm;

♦ full face (70-80 % of the picture) without sunglasses, hat or other head covering unless for ethnic or religious reasons;

♦ plain, evenly lit and light background;

♦ high resolution;

♦ corrugation or ink is not allowed.

3. Valid original passport , which meets the following requirements:

♦ contains a photograph of the owner;

♦ has at least two blank pages intended for visas;

♦ valid for at least 90 days after the expected departure date from the Republic of Belarus;

♦ not dubious in terms of authenticity or ownership;

♦ contains no torn pages, marks, entries, erasures and corrections that are not certified by the issuing authorities of the respective foreign state;

♦ if the applicant is under 18 years old – a copy of full Birth Certificate (contains information about parents) and copies of passports of the applicant’s parents (legal representatives);

♦ if the applicant previously had USSR or Belarusian citizenship – a document certifying the loss of the USSR or Belarusian citizenship must be submitted to the Embassy.

4. Visa support documents for the required type of visa:

5. Health insurance , which should contain the following information:

♦ name, address and phone number of the foreign insurance company;

♦ full name of foreign citizen covered by the insurance;

♦ validity area — should include the Republic of Belarus;

♦ insurance period — should cover the whole period of stay in the Republic of Belarus;

♦ insurance coverage — at least 10 000 Euro.

Detailed information on health insurance

Online services for drawing up health insurance are provided by Belarusian insurance companies Belgosstrakh  and Beleximgarant .

Visa processing fees and acceptable payment documents .

Free of charge visas may be issued for children under 14 years (citizens of all countries, except European Union member-states) and in case of critical health condition or death of close relatives or family members  — upon presentation of appropriate documents.

Visa processing fees for citizens of countries other than United States, Canada and EU member-states may be different. For additional information, please contact the Consular Section of the Embassy.

7. Envelope (when applying by post).

Pre-paid envelope at least 26 cm x 15.9 cm / 10.2" x 6.2" (USPS, FedEx, UPS) with the filled return address.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Upon the request of the consular officer, additional documents may be required for visa issuance.

The regular visa processing time is 5 business days (expedite processing time – within 2 business days) after all necessary documents are submitted.

The consular officer has the right to reduce the number of entries and the validity period of visa, increase the term of visa procedure.

Any applicant may be interviewed by a consular officer if necessary.

In case of visa denial, the visa processing fee does not reimbursed .

The consular officer is not obliged to indicate the reasons for visa denial.

Once issued visa can not be extended . If your travel plans change after the visa was issued, you have to apply for a new visa.

To extend the term of stay being in Belarus, foreigner should contact the local unit of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior at the place of ones registration to obtain an exit visa or a residence permit.

The Consular Section of the Embassy strongly recommends to apply for visa NOT EARLIER than six months before your visit to Belarus and not to make any irrevocable travel plans prior to obtaining visa.

Belarusian entry visas upon arrival at Minsk National Airport

Rules of border crossing and stay in Belarus for foreign citizens

Customs formalities while entering or leaving Belarus

Belarusian Diplomatic Missions

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Useful tips for traveling to Belarus in 2024

By Joan Torres 14 Comments Last updated on April 15, 2024

Despite the war in Ukraine, Belarus is still open to international travelers.

As you may know, tourism in Belarus is kind of in an embryonic stage.

For some reason we don’t know – but probably related to Belarus being a dictatorial regime – Belarussian authorities have never shown any interest in promoting their country as a tourist destination, and proof of that is that getting a visa has always been a tedious, complicated process.

Things, however, are changing and, since they started to liberalize their visa regime at the beginning of 2019, more travelers are deciding who each and every day decide to discover the wonders of White Russia each and every day.

With more than 11,000 lakes and 40% of its territory composed of misty forest, Belarus is a beautiful country to travel to, home to dreamy castles – some of them part of UNESCO – and a majestic capital named Minsk , besides all its WWII-related history.

Moreover, if you are interested in the history of the Soviet Union, you will have a lot to do in Belarus, because nowhere else is as Soviet, not even Transnistria , as the country is filled with endless memorials and symbols that pay tribute to the former Communist regime.

Having said that, this Belarus travel guide contains tips and everything you need to know to travel to Belarus , from visas to top experiences and much, much more!

I also recommend you read: 7 very weird things to do in Belarus

In this Belarus travel guide, you will find:

Table of Contents

• Travel insurance
• How to get in
• Top experiences
• Last European dictatorship
• Culture, language, religion
• Accommodation
• Transportation
• Best time to visit
• More information

🪪 Visa for traveling to Belarus

Note that despite the Ukraine war, you can still get a visa for Belarus as usual.

Belarus is the only European country that presents certain difficulties when it comes to getting a visa.

There are 3 types of tourist visas:

1 – Belarus Visa on arrival (VOA)

Up to 80 nationalities can get a VOA valid for 30 days.

Here you can see the updated list of countries.

However, keep in mind:

The VOA is only available for those who enter and exit through Minsk International Airport

This means that if you wish to travel to Belarus overland, the VOA won’t be available, so you will have to get it the old-fashioned way, at the embassy which, apparently, is a pain in the ass.

Belarus visa requirements (for VOA)

• Proof of funds and, typically, they require what they call 2 base amounts per day, which is 51BYR (around $20).
• Travel Insurance with a minimum medical coverage of 10,000€. Being in possession of travel with insurance is a must for getting visa on arrival. I strongly recommend IATI Insurance . Readers of this blog can get 5% exclusive discount that you can get through this link .

Sometimes they ask for these things, sometimes they don’t.

They did ask for my travel insurance but didn’t ask for proof of funds.

2 – How to get a tourist visa for Belarus at the embassy

Remember that you should only use this option if:

• Your nationality isn’t in this list
• You want to travel to Belarus overland

To give you some idea, what the embassy usually asks for is:

• Passport photo
• Form correctly filled in
• Invitation letter
• Hotel booking (and they don’t accept Booking.com confirmations)

Requirements may vary slightly from embassy to embassy, so I recommend you contact your nearest one for more details. On average, the visa costs 60€ and takes 5 working days.

3 – VOA in Brest and Grodno

Brest and Grodno are two border cities with Poland and they have the peculiarity that they can be visited without a visa as long as:

• You travel to Belarus overland through Poland and use their respective border entries
• You don’t leave the respective region. For example, if you travel to Brest from Poland, this visa is only valid for the Brest region, so you can’t visit Minsk or any other place in the country.
• You don’t spend more than 10 days

To get your visa, you will have to fill a form and you can find more details here

Registering in Belarus

Something that sucks about traveling to Belarus is that you need to register at the police every 5 days. This means that, if you plan to spend 30 days in the country, you will have to register 6 times.

It is an old, nonsense, Soviet rule.

The first time you can easily do it through this link , for free, but then you will have to go to the Department of Citizenship and Migration in Minsk – if you are not in Minsk, ask your hotel – and pay the equivalent of 15€.

It’s a tedious, unnecessary process.

Some hotels – just the good ones – can do it for you.

What happens if you don’t register or miss the deadline?

Welcome to my world.

We missed the second registration deadline, after 10 days, so when we came back to Minsk, we went to the immigration office and the only thing that happened was that we had to pay a fine of just 1 base amount (the Soviet concept) for each day we missed the deadline, so 51 rubles (25.5 + 25.5).

But, what happens if you leave the country without registering?

I don’t really know but at customs, they do ask for it, so you could miss your flight. My advice is that you should register.

🚑 Travel Insurance for Belarus

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🛫 How to travel to Belarus

Traveling to belarus by land.

As long as you have a valid visa, you can enter Belarus from the following countries, both by train and bus, but the train will always be more epic.

You can’t travel from Russia to Belarus – It’s a bit weird but apparently, between Russia and Belarus there is a treatment similar to the EU, so there are no borders. Russians and Belarussians can cross it freely but, since there is no passport control, foreigners are not allowed to use it.

Traveling to Belarus by plane

Because of the Russian-Ukraine war, European Airlines are not flying to Minsk anymore, but you can still fly from Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) and Dubai (Emirates).

🛖 Tourism in Belarus: Top 5 experiences

1 – visiting soviet minsk.

The most Soviet city in the world is filled with Stalinist buildings and loads of Communist-related stuff. Read my Minsk guide .

2 – Checking out the Stalin Line

What used to be the border between USSR and Europe is today an epic open-air museum where you can see all types of weapons, tanks, and many other surprises.

3 – Wandering around dreamy Belarussian castles

Belarus is also home to dreamy castles, today UNESCO World Heritage sites.

I recommend you visit Mir and Nesvizh castles .

4 – Learning from all the World War II Heritage

From a village burnt by the Nazis to the defensive line of Brest, Belarus suffered greatly in the German invasion and today, the country is filled with many interesting memorials and museums.

5 – Exploring the endless forest and lakes

40% of Belarus is covered by forest and it is home to more than 11,000 lakes, most of them being concentrated in Braslav.

And don’t forget to read the most bizarre attractions to see in Belarus

Belarus, the last European dictatorship

Belarus is today living the most intense protests in the country’s history. Massive demonstrations against dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who is answering a peaceful movement with repression and more repression.

Probably, a travel blog isn’t the right place to talk about politics, but I also believe that having a little knowledge about the political situation in a certain country will help you understand what’s going on when you travel there.

Not sure if you know that Belarus is considered an authoritarian regime, the last dictatorship in Europe and the country with the most long-lasting President.

No press freedom, fraudulent elections, no real separation of powers and the only European country that keeps the death penalty.

Obviously, Belarus isn’t as repressive as China, Turkmenistan or Eritrea , not even close, but in comparison with Europe, it is, and, because of that, it has been always heavily criticized by the West, especially because Belarus prefers Russia as a partner, and depends on Russia for 20% of its exports, , plus all its natural resources.

A very Soviet former Soviet country

Another fact and, in fact, something that makes visiting Belarus particularly appealing, is that it still is a very Soviet country, more than any other former republic.

Actually, the President grew up in a very rural area of Belarus named Mogilev, so he had a strong Soviet education, the reason why, even now, he is very nostalgic and decorates the country with images of Lenin and hammer & sickle logos.

Besides, the state controls 80% of the country’s production, so you can still find collective farms and there is a strong protectionism that bans the entrance of many foreign companies.

They never really abandoned Communism but, you know what?

I won’t be the person who defends Mr. Lukashenko because he is a dictator, yes, but we also have to accept that he has done great things for the country’s economy: the unemployment rate is very low and the country seems very developed, more than any other Soviet country, including Ukraine , where, despite it being a great country to travel, you see a lot of misery.

Read my Moldova travel guide

💬 Culture, language, and religion

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Sometimes, it can prove difficult to find a specific characteristic of Belarussian culture, as today, Belarus is a strange mix of all its respective neighbors, but mainly because Belarusian culture has been oppressed for centuries, from when they were part of Lithuania to the Soviet Union, especially during Stalin’s rule.

Because of this, I heard that many Belarussians don’t have a very strong national identity and proof of that is that a significant number would support a potential annexation with Mother Russia.

The Government doesn’t help much either. The President is the most pro-Russian dude ever and I read that, except for a few specific occasions, he never speaks in Belarussian publicly.

However, today, the Belarussian national identity is quickly growing stronger and stronger every day, especially among young Belarussian students, who fight for greater recognition of their culture.

Belarussians are super nice 🙂

By the way, we can’t deny the fact that, in many Eastern European countries, especially Ukraine and Moldova, people look kind of serious at the beginning, sometimes even angry, but it is just the way they are and, when you get to know them, they are very nice.

In Belarus, I was expecting sort of the same thing but everybody I met was very happy and smiley. I was very surprised.

The official language in Belarus is Belarussian, along with Russian.

They are close but different, and I believe they have the same relationship as Spanish with Catalan and Portuguese.

As in their culture, the Belarussian language has also suffered from repression to the extent that Stalin promoted a reform that consisted of removing all those grammatical elements that came from Polish or Lithuanian languages. I don’t know if current Belarussian is still a consequence of that reform.

Most Belarussians belong to the Belarussian Orthodox Church , a union of the Russian Orthodox Church with Belarussian territories.

🍲 Food in Belarus

Belarus is a Slavic country and a former USSR republic and as such, their food is quite similar to their neighbors’.

In fact, in my humblest opinion, their typical dishes are not very different from Ukraine’s, as borsch , dranikis , salo and the local version of varenyky will always be on all menus.

In any case, Belarussian cuisine is heavy, good for winter, and potato seems to be the basis of pretty much any meal.

Actually, I read somewhere that Belarus has the highest consumption of potato per capita in the world.

• Borsch – The famous beetroot soup with sour cream and other vegetables and a Soviet Union classic. They claim it comes originally from Ukraine but it was as available in Belarus as there. I remember one day in a local restaurant, a 12-member family was sitting next to us and each one of them was having a bowl of borsch.
• Dranikis – Potato pancakes, they say this is the most traditional dish in the country. Sometimes it comes with bacon, while others it just serves as a side dish.
• Kletksi – In Russia they call them pelmeni , in Ukraine varenyky , in Poland pierogi , and in Belarus kletski . They change their shape and filing but they are all Eastern European dumplings.

On this page , you can see a more detailed description of food in Belarus.

These are the star dishes but they also have other food which has a stronger Polish or Lithuanian influence, like Zhurek, a black bread soup with animal fat and vegetables.

Belarus travel tip: In cities, something you need to know is that for lunch, most restaurants will offer a business lunch deal for 4-6 rubles, but quantities tend to be small.

💻 Internet and connectivity in Belarus

Did you know that Belarus is an important IT hub in the region?

They actually have what is known as High-Tech-Park , a version of Silicon Valley.

Anyways, this might be the reason why the internet in Minsk is so fast, one of the fastest connections in the continent, and in the rest of the country, it is pretty good.

Almost all cafés have good Wi-Fi and, as for mobile internet, I bought a SIM card at MTS , the mobile company that has an egg as a logo. I think I paid around $10 for a SIM card filled with enough data for 2 weeks.

Get a VPN for traveling in Belarus

You should always use a VPN when you travel, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks.

Your connection will be much safer. 

Moreover, you will be able to access content which is typically censored in Belarus. 

I recommend ExpressVPN – Extremely easy to use, fast and cheap. 

If you want to learn more about VPN, check: Why you need a VPN for traveling .

💰 Belarus travel guide: about money $

In Belarus, they use the Belarussian ruble (BYR) and approximately :

1 USD = 2.52 BYR

If you look on the internet, you will see that the exchange rate they give for 1USD is 25,000BYR, and well, I guess this is the actual exchange rate but recently, the government switched all coins and notes to brand-new ones whose value was divided by 10,000, so all new notes and coins are worth 1, 2, 5, 20, etc.

Credit cards

Belarus is a modern country, so you find ATMs everywhere and credit cards can be used in many places.

Exchanging money is easy as well, you can do it in any bank, but I don’t recall seeing exchange offices as such.

How much does it cost to travel to Belarus?

Visiting Belarus is cheap as per Western Europe standards, but it is more expensive than its cousins Ukraine and Moldova. Some bars and restaurants in Minsk are as expensive as Spain or Italy. 

Here the most typical costs:

• Eating in a local restaurant – 10-15 rubles
• 3-course meal in a good restaurant – From 30 rubles
• Espresso – 2-3 rubles
• Regular beer in a normal bar – 2-3 rubles
• Hostel for backpackers – $8-$10
• Double room in a guest house – $20-$25
• Mid-range hotel – From $30-$40
• Minsk Metro – 0.65 rubles
• Train journey from Minsk to Grodno – From 10 rubles
• Marshrutka journey from Minsk to Stalin Line – 4 rubles

Average daily budget for traveling to Belarus

Bear in mind that this is an average/approximation.

⚠️ Is it safe to travel in Belarus?

Visiting Belarus is as safe as in any other European country, perhaps even safer.

In Minsk at least, everything is so clean and civilized and I don’t recall seeing any antisocial behavior, something very common in any European capital.

What you do need to keep in mind is that Belarus is heavily militarized and you see soldiers everywhere, so be careful when taking pictures.

On the other hand, remember that KGB is still a thing in Belarus – in Minsk you can see the building from outside – and its core function hasn’t changed much since the fall of the USSR, meaning that they are almost as repressive as they used to be, with the tiny difference that today they control the internet as well, so I recommend you always connect with a VPN when you visit Belarus.

Here you can read how to find the best VPN for travel .

🏨 Accommodation in Belarus

Finding accommodation in Belarus isn’t a problem.

For backpackers, you can find several hostel options in Minsk, Grodno, and Brest.

In the rest of the cities, there are no hostels but guesthouses and economical hostels cost around $20-$25 for a double room and tend to be pretty good.

We always tried to rent full apartments.

You can find all options on Booking.com

🛺 How to move around Belarus: transportation

Traveling by public transportation in Belarus is great.

How to travel around Belarus on a Soviet train

From Uzbekistan to Belarus, the Soviet train experience is the same, same train, same system. From Minsk’s station, you can take a train to practically any city, but if your final destination is a village, you may have to take a bus after.

Furthermore, it is very cheap. One train ticket (economical class) from Minsk to Brest costs 13BYR, around $5, for more than 300km.

Belarus travel tip: You can check timings and book your tickets on this page .

How to travel around Belarus by marshrutka

Marshrutka means mini-bus in Russian, something like that, and it is the common way to move around in all Soviet republics. Usually, they tend to be old and pretty packed but in Belarus, they are brand-new and some of them even have Wi-Fi.

It is slightly more expensive than the train but still cheap. We paid 15 rubles (around $7) for the journey between Brest and Grodno, around 250km.

📚 Best books for backpacking in Belarus

Belarus travel guide by bradt.

A super guide, the one I personally bought. Bradt has the most insightful guides and they always focus on off the beaten track countries.

Eastern Europe travel guide by Lonely Planet (2019)

Otherwise, if you are traveling all around the region, you could also get the generic Eastern Europe guide, which includes one chapter about tourism in Belarus.

I also recommend Svetlana Alexiévich

Belarussian writer and Nobel Prize winner. Her books talk about the Soviet Union, but they always have a special focus on Belarussian people. These are the ones I read:

Voices of Chernobyl – Human stories that explain the consequences of Chernobyl.

Boys in Zinc – A book that compiles testimonies from people who were somehow related to the Afghan-Soviet war, from soldiers to prostitutes and mothers of deceased soldiers.

Get a KINDLE! – Buying a Kindle has been one of my best recent acquisitions.

⛅ Best time to visit Belarus

Visiting belarus in winter.

As you may imagine, the whole country is frozen but, if you don’t mind traveling with snow and your only objective is visiting Minsk and any other cities, it should be all right.

Visiting Belarus in summer

It can get hot but nothing extreme. Best time to explore its nature, especially Braslav Lakes.

Visiting Belarus in spring and autumn

For me, autumn is the best season, especially because of the autumn colors, but spring should be good as well.

I traveled to Belarus during the first 2 weeks of November. We had some gray days, but most days were sunny and the forest was at its best.

❗ More helpful information to visit Belarus

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

All guides and articles for traveling in Belarus destination

• Travel Guide to Minsk
• Unusual Things to do in Belarus
• Belarus Itinerary

Travel guides to former Soviet countries

• Georgia Travel Guide
• Ukraine Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Moldova
• Azerbaijan Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Kyrgyzstan
• Travel Guide to Tajikistan
• Uzbekistan Travel Guide
• Kazakhstan Travel Guide

If you found this Belarus travel guide useful and have any comment/suggestion, kindly leave a comment, thanks!

14 comments

Great review! There is something I do not agree with you. Is Europe a democracy? Not anymore I do not think so! To the point that governments feel the right to decide what we should take in our bodies! At least the Belarus government has clear the game on the jab! And are not forcing their citizens to be injected as the European countries and the western world are doing! Europe, US, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, South America governments have blood of innocent people in their hands, corruption is rampant and censorship in scientific research and information from credible sources is far from little!

are we still talking about tourism in Belarus?

Thank you for replying, as you say yourself in your text, is important to understand what is the reality of the country we are visiting, their good and bad. This is a copy and paste from your text: Not sure if you know that Belarus is considered an authoritarian regime, the last dictatorship in Europe and the country with the most long-lasting President.

No press freedom, fraudulent elections, no real separation of powers and the only European country that keeps the death penalty. “..

Do you think there is now a freedom of press in the western world? Are you aware of what governments and press information are covering up and upholding from us in matters that are threatening our own lives and existence?

Do you know how many thousands if not millions have died unnecessary in our countries in the last 2 years and our still dying? If you do not know this information send me an email I will send you where to find it. Maybe you can help to safe one life! Nothing against you! Angry about what is still happening and so much ignorance going on. Take care Still I a nice review! 😉

Hi, very informative, as all your posts! Would be great to get some updated info though. Since it has become really difficult to reach Minsk via plane, do you know how the current situation at the borders is like? can you still travel to Belarus from Poland or Lithuania or are the borders closed?

Hi Ben, I am not entirely sure, but would love to know 🙂

I am from Poland and I am reading about the situation. I am not an expert, but I try to write as much as I know: The land borders are open. Polish and Lithuanian citizens coming from their countries can enter on a visa-free regime (and see every place in the country). How about the other nationalities – I don’t know, but I guess they probably can enter only the visa-free areas as it was before. Getting by air is almost impossible due to sanctions, but if you fly from the country that didn’t impose them, then I believe the visa-free regime is still in force.

I agree with Ben — very informative, as are all your posts. I travel as a tourist, not an investigative journalist. Hope to get to Belarus soon, as a tourist. Thanks for all your good work. Rosemary, 16 April 2023.

Thanks a lot 🙂

Hi, Joan, two more things: 1) You say, “If you want to visit the countryside or the northern forests and lakes, it is better to come outside of the winter months.” But if you’re planning to camp, AVOID JUL AND AUG, because the mosquitoes are fierce and will eat you alive. May, Jun or Sep are the best months for camping. Christa and Wolfgang (Austrians) told me this, and it was their first-hand experience. They barely survived the mossies. 2) You can’t book a hotel in Minsk via Booking.com right now (16 Apr 2023), but it seems you can book directly with the hotels themselves, at least with Hotel Belarus. I tried it this morning as an experiment, and it seemed to work okay. Joan, you’re a man, right? I ask because Joan is a girl’s name in English. Over and out, Rosemary.

Thanks for that Rosemary! Yes, I am a man, Joan is a male name in Catalan language 🙂

Hi Joan, I am a Canadian living in Ireland with friends in Belarus. I want to visit them but since the war they have shut down the visa free travel into Minsk because there are no flights from the EU. I am asking you if I get a proper visa and meet the requirements (ie insurance etc) will I be allowed to cross a land border such as Lithuania? Thanks for your help.

Hi Terry, as far as I know, visas are being issued on arrival and you can fly from Istanbul. I know people who’ve been there recently.

It’s good to hear from you again, Joan. Belarus is still very high up on my travel list. I think foreigners can’t cross into Belarus via a land border, but only by flying into Minsk.

Hi Joan, great article and blog. I am having some problems to find correct/updated information about Visa-free regions Grodno and Brest. On official websites it seems to be still in place, but in Vilnius Eurolines office they told me not. I know you have to get hotel reservations and medical insurance, but I wouldn’t like to get on the bus and be left down at the border. My idea was to travel to Grodno from Vilnius, then move to Brest and from there back to Poland. Can you anyhow verify if this is possible? Thank you so much in advance!

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Border crossing rules for foreign citizens

When crossing the border of the Republic of Belarus regardless of crossing method, it is obligatory to pass: border and customs control and, if necessary, automobile, veterinary, sanitary-quarantine and phytosanitary types of control.

When you enter Belarus, you must present the following documents to the border guard:

• a valid passport intended for crossing the border;
• insurance for a car registered outside Belarus;
• an electronic control stamp confirming payment for disinfection services.

When leaving Belarus, you must present the following documents to the border guard:

• a document confirming the payment of a local fee for crossing the border by drivers of vehicles registered both in Belarus and abroad.

Foreign citizens and stateless persons can cross the State Border of the Republic of Belarus having the following documents:

1. Valid document for traveling abroad (passport) with a visa for citizens of  countries with which Belarus has a visa regime;

2. A document for returning to the state of citizenship or residence (if the passport is lost on the territory of the Republic of Belarus);

When crossing the State Border of the Republic of Belarus, a foreign citizens must:

• produce a document for traveling abroad with a valid visa of the Republic of Belarus (if needed);
• Upon entry receive and fill in the migration card according to the requirement (stipulated on the backside of “A” part). It is produced with the passport for traveling abroad to the border service officer at the border checkpoint. The border service officer puts in the migration card and the passport a mark of entry of the foreign citizen to the Republic of Belarus. Foreign citizen receives back part “B” of the migration card. Example of migration card.
• Upon departure from the Republic of Belarus a foreigner citizen, except temporarily or permanently residing in the Republic of Belarus, unless otherwise stipulated by the legislative acts and international treaties of the Republic of Belarus, is obliged to hand over a part "B" of the migration card to the official of the border service body of the Republic of Belarus when passing the border control at state border checkpoints.

The migration card is not filled in when entering the territory of the Republic of Belarus and when leaving the territory of the Republic of Belarus and is not produced by foreign citizens, who cross the State Border of the Republic of Belarus for temporary stay in the Republic of Belarus.

When departing from the territory of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation, foreign citizens receive a migration card from the competent authorities of the Republic of Belarus. The migration card is filled in before entering the Russian Federation and is produced to the competent authorities of the Russian Federation during their stay in the Russian Federation.

For violation of rules of staying in the Republic of Belarus (stay in Belarus without a Belarusian visa, migration card, passport or other document for travel abroad, violation of the registration procedure) foreign citizens are subjected to administrative responsibility (a warning or a fine in the amount of 50 base values or deportation) in accordance with the Article 24.35 of the Code of Administrative Offences of January 6, 2021 № 91-3.

• the driver of the vehicle must have an insurance certificate valid on the territory of the Republic of Belarus and confirming civil liability insurance in a member state of the "Green card" system;
• Participation in the road traffic in the Republic of Belarus of a vehicle, registered abroad without the effective agreement of compulsory insurance of civil liability of owners of vehicles, results in administrative liability in the amount of 20 base values in accordance with Paragraph 5 of article 18.19 of the Code.

At the entrance to the Republic of Belarus for a term of less than one month, foreign citizens should have funds equivalent to at least 2 base values, established in the Republic of Belarus, per each day of stay. At the entrance to the Republic of Belarus for more than a month, foreign citizens should have funds equivalent to at least 50 base values.

Example of migration card.

Citizens at the checkpoints are forbidden:

• To leave money in the documents, which are produced for checking;
• To offer and (or) to hand over officials any valuables, offer and (or) provide the property benefitse;
• To take photos, filming, talking on mobile phones;
• To perform other actions preventing the implementation of border and other types of controls.

On the territory between the state border and correspondent checkpoint is prohibited:

• Parking of vehicles;
• Loading and unloading of passengers;
• Cargo-handling works;
• Presence of individuals not related to state border crossing.

For violations of these requirements foreign citizens are subjected to administrative liability (warning with deportation or without deportation, or  a fine of up to fifty base values in accordance with Article 24.21 Code of Administrative Offences dated January 6, 2021 № 91-З (hereinafter - the Code).

Rules of stay in the Republic of Belarus for foreign citizens

A foreign citizen or a stateless person , who arrived in the Republic of Belarus, is obliged to register in a registration authority at place of actual temporary stay within ten days , except for Sundays, public holidays and high days.

Since 2 January 2019 foreign nationals and stateless persons who are temporarily staying in Belarus will be able to get registered on the website portal.gov.by without having to visit a local police office. This service is free of charge and will be available to foreigners who arrived in Belarus through checkpoints on the Belarusian border. To find out the details, please, click here .

To find out the details, please, click here.

Electronic Registration

of Foreigners Temporarily Staying in the Republic of Belarus

Article 41 of the Republic of Belarus Act of 4 January 2010 “On the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Republic of Belarus” establishes the obligation of foreign citizens and stateless persons (hereinafter referred to as foreigners) temporarily staying in the Republic of Belarus, to register in a registration body at the place of actual temporary stay within ten days, unless otherwise specified by this Act, other legislative acts and international treaties of the Republic of Belarus.

Electronic registration of foreigners is carried out through the unified portal for electronic services (portal.gov.by) free of charge.

This administrative procedure is available for foreigners who entered the Republic of Belarus crossing points of the state border of the Republic of Belarus. Foreigners arriving in the Republic of Belarus through the state border with the Russian Federation should apply in person to the citizenship and migration unit of the internal affairs body at their place of residence in Belarus for registration.

The Republic of Belarus has signed the agreements with Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates and Russia, ensuring a special mode for citizens of these countries who can stay in Belarus for up to 30 or 90 days without registration, respectively. If a foreigner intends to exceed this period, it is necessary to obtain a permit for temporary or permanent residence depending on the purpose of entry. The period of registration for a foreigner is regulated by international treaties concluded with various countries

To register, one will need a computer, mobile phone or tablet with Internet access. Using any browser, go to the website of the unified portal for electronic services portal.gov.by, choose the language of work, create a personal account using the email address. Then, in your account, in the tab “Available services” select the category “Citizenship and migration”, order the service, fill out the application (foreigner registration code 200.12.14.1.).

The application should contain the surname and name of a foreigner in Latin or Cyrillic as indicated in the passport (one option is sufficient), passport information, insurance, date of entry into the country, address of temporal stay. There is also a column for the information about the visa, but if, for example, a foreigner arrives in Belarus under the visa-free mode, there is no need to fill it out. It is also necessary to pay attention to the correct filling of all fields obligatory for filling out.

Then one needs to check all the data entered and click the button “Send application”. After a few seconds, one should receive a message about the successful registration or the system will recommend contacting the citizenship and migration unit if the information does not match.

In case of personal appeal of temporarily staying foreigners to the citizenship and migration units of the internal affairs bodies, registration is carried out in the previously established order.

One will have to apply personally to the citizenship and migration unit at the place of residence in two cases: if a foreigner wants to renew registration at the same address, which he/she indicated in the electronic application, or if he/she arrives in Belarus through the border with Russia.

A foreigner does not have to carry proof of electronic registration. It is enough to report this, for example, to a border guard officer when leaving the country. If one has necessary technical means, one can save a screenshot of the answer about the successful registration or print the registration form, this will speed up the verification process.

It you have any issues of concern regarding the implementation of the specified administrative procedure, contact our technical support service of the National Center for Electronic Services by phone 311-30-00, ext. 713 and the Department of Citizenship and Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs by phone 218-55-08, 218-52- 51.

Obtaining registration of temporary stay in electronic form does not grant the right of entry, temporary stay and movement in the border zone .

Registration authorities of the Republic of Belarus are:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• Bodies of internal affairs;
• Health resort and wellness organization;
• Subject of agro-ecotourism;

Foreigners temporarily staying in the Republic of Belarus, who stay in hotels, sanatorium-resort and health-improving organizations, or who live in agroecotourism entities, are exempted from the registration, as the above entities independently submit information about foreigners to the internal affairs bodies.

Registration is made on the basis of the application for registration or a written request of the receiving organization.

Application forms:

• request for registration;
• application for registration;
• application for extension of temporary stay;

The period of temporary stay of a foreigner- his actual stay in the Republic of Belarus. If between his entry and departure from the country passed less than 24 hours, each such period is counted as one day in the period of his temporary stay.

Registration of a minor is made on the basis of documents submitted by his representative.

If a foreigner departed from the Republic of Belarus during the registration period, upon his subsequent registration within a calendar year upon the application and the documents that confirm the crossing of Belarus border, the period of staying abroad is not included in his registration period.

When changing the place of stay the foreigner (except for tourists traveling within the country), within 10 days (except for Sundays, state holidays and high days) must apply for registration to the registration authority at the new place of temporary stay.

Specific aspects of transit travel of foreign citizens and stateless persons through the territory of the Republic of Belarus

Foreign citizen travelling in transit through the territory of the Republic of Belarus, enters the Republic of Belarus and departures from the Republic of Belarus on a valid passport or other replacing document, suitable for traveling abroad and issued by the relevant authority of the state of citizenship or habitual residence of the foreigner or an international organization, with transit visa or another visa of the Republic of Belarus, granting a foreigner the right to cross the state border of the Republic of Belarus, unless otherwise provided by international treaties of the Republic of Belarus.

Documents for transit travel through the territory of the Republic of Belarus

• passport for traveling abroad;
• transit visa of the Republic of Belarus (except when a transit visa is not required) ;
• health insurance contract (except for persons who are not subjected to compulsory insurance);
• document allowing to return to the state of citizenship or residence (if passport is lost on the territory of Belarus);
• the driver of a motor vehicle should have an insurance certificate valid on the territory of Belarus and confirming  liability insurance in the member-state of the Green Card System ;
• to have the means to cover the cost of your transit (at least 5 base values for each day of transit);

Transit of foreign citizens through the territory of the Republic of Belarus is carried out in a period not exceeding two days from the date of their entry into the Republic of Belarus, except in cases of forced stop.

Forced stop is recognized in following cases

• natural disasters, accidents and other natural and man-caused emergencies which delay the movement of the vehicle;
• the vehicle is damaged and needs repairing;
• illness or a health state if, in accordance with the medical conclusion issued by a health institution of Belarus, further traveling of the foreign citizens and/or the accompanying person seems dangerous for their life and health;
• unforeseen delays during transfer from one type of transport to another at the point of transfer;
• occurrence of other unforeseen circumstances preventing further traveling of the foreign citizen.

Transit travel (transit) of foreign citizens through the territory of the Republic of Belarus without transit visas is possible:

• when foreign citizens have other visas of the Republic of Belarus granting them the right to cross the State border of the Republic of Belarus;
• if foreign citizens are air travelers performing a direct flight through the territory of the Republic of Belarus;
• when traveling to the country of destination by international airlines with a transfer at the airport of the Republic of Belarus, provided that the passengers have documents granting entry to the country of destination and air tickets with the confirmation of the departure date  from the transfer airport, if the period of stay on the territory of Belarus does not exceed 24 hours. At the same time, the passengers are not allowed to leave  the territory of the airport specially allocated for them;
• for citizens of the states with which Belarus has relevant agreements on visa-free travel;
• when the President of the Republic of Belarus establishes  visa-free transit travel (transit) through the territory of the Republic of Belarus;

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE RULES AND THE ORDER OF CROSSING THE STATE BORDER PLEASE CALL

24-hour hot line  for the state border crossing +375 17 329 18 98

24-hour helpline of the personal security service if wrong acts were committed against you by border service officers +375 17 224 50 08

24-hour helpline of the personal security service if wrong acts were committed against you by customs officers +375 17 218-92-92

24-hour hotlines of the operational services of the military units of the border  services of the Republic of Belarus:

• Polotsk +375 214 45-20-75;
• Smorgon' +375 159 29-33-01;
• Lida +375 154 55-10-20;
• Grodno +375 152 47-71-12;
• Brest ;+375 162-21-08-04;
• Pinsk +375 165 35-84-14;
• Gomel +375 232 43-42-64;
• Mozyr +375 236 34-17-60;

You can also contact the administration of the State Border Committee and the territorial bodies of the Border Guard sService of the Republic of Belarus.

PLEASE REMEMBER!

The republic of belarus has a beltoll collection system.

BelToll – is an electronic toll collection system , which operates on the territory of the Republic of Belarus since the 1st of July, 2013. The system is based on the use of specialized radio technology over short distances. This technology allows road users to pay for travel without stopping vehicles at collection points.

Map of toll roads

The drivers of the following vehicles types must pay for driving toll roads, which are included in BelToll system:

• motor vehicles with the technically permissible total weight exceeding 3.5 tons;
• motor vehicles with the technically permissible total weight not exceeding 3.5 tons, registered outside the Customs Union.

The drivers of  vehicles with technically permissible total weight not exceeding 3.5 tons, registered in the member-states of the Customs Union, do not pay for driving toll roads.

Toll road users who drive:

• route vehicles, engaged in urban transportation of passengers;
• vehicles used for emergency recovery;
• vehicles used for transportation of humanitarian aid to the population of the Republic of Belarus and other countries.

must conclude an agreement with the State Institution "Belavtostrada" for use of a toll road without the payment. After signing the contract, it is necessary to obtain the appropriate on-board device and fix it on the windshield in accordance with the supplied instruction.

For timely payment for travel by foreigners and LBG who entered the territory of the Republic of Belarus on a vehicle not registered in the Customs Union, it is necessary to contact one of the nearest border points.

Foreign citizens and stateless persons who have entered the territory of the Republic of Belarus on the vehicle not registered in the Customs Union, must apply to the nearest border points for timely payment

In borde service points you can:

• get full information about BelToll system;
• check the status of your account (profile);
• get a full range of services for registration and conclusion of the contract, termination of the contract, return the on-board devices, etc. for the prepaid contracts;
• refill your account, make a deposit for the on-board device usage, etc. for prepaid contracts;
• get or replace on-board device (including a verification of the onboard devices);
• get information on tariffs, road network (booklets, maps, brochures);
• file a complaint about the BelToll system.

About visa rules of the Republic of Belarus

Visas are issued to foreigners by diplomatic missions or consular offices of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, internal affairs bodies, border guard bodies of the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter referred to as border guard bodies), unless otherwise specified by legislative acts of the Republic of Belarus.

You can find out more information at:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

• Lenin St., 19, Minsk 220030, Republic of Belarus
• tel. (+375 17) 327 29 22
• fax (+375 17) 210 42 50, 327 45 21
• mfa.gov.by/visa/

Other information of interest can be obtained by contacting your consular offices located in the Republic of Belarus

Grounds for refusal and prohibition of entry to the Republic of Belarus

A foreigner may be refused of entry to the Republic of Belarus, if:

• a foreigner at the checkpoint at the State Border violated the rules of crossing the State Border, customs rules - until the violation is eliminated;
• the validity of the document for traveling abroad does not exceed ninety days before the anticipated departure of a foreigner from the Republic of Belarus;
• a foreigner was convicted in the Republic of Belarus or another state for committing a crime recognized as such in accordance with the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, and his conviction was not cleared or settled;
• a foreigner during his stay in the Republic of Belarus was repeatedly (five or more times) brought to administrative responsibility in the course of one year and the period not expired, at the end of which he was considered not subjected to an administrative penalty;
• a foreigner who was subjected to administrative penalty in the form of a fine during his stay in the Republic of Belarus, who failed to pay it within the period stipulated by the legislative acts of the Republic of Belarus for the execution of the decision on imposing an administrative penalty in the form of a fine;
• a foreigner cannot confirm the availability of funds necessary to cover the costs of his stay in the Republic of Belarus and departure from the Republic of Belarus, or submit assurances of presentation of such cash assets in the manner and the amount established by the Council of Ministers;
• the period of temporary stay of a foreigner in the Republic of Belarus, stipulated by the first and second parts of Article 39 of this Law, has expired;
• there are reasonable grounds to assume that the foreigner may avoid leaving the Republic of Belarus at the end of the period of temporary stay or temporary residence or uses the territory of the Republic of Belarus for illegal migration to a third country;
• the stay of a foreigner in the Republic of Belarus is contradicts the interests of the national security of the Republic of Belarus, public order, protection of morality, public health, rights and freedoms of citizens of the Republic of Belarus and other persons;
• the entry of a foreigner into the Republic of Belarus must be restricted in order to implement international treaties of the Republic of Belarus;
• the foreigner, who is subject to compulsory health insurance in accordance with the legislative acts of the Republic of Belarus, does not have a compulsory health insurance contract with a Belarusian insurance organization or a health insurance contract entered into with a foreign insurance organization, valid on the territory of the Republic of Belarus;
• there is no place in the foreigner's document for traveling abroad to place a mark on the entry of a foreigner into the Republic of Belarus and (or) marks on his departure from the Republic of Belarus.

A foreigner is prohibited from entering the Republic of Belarus if:

• when presenting documents necessary for obtaining a visa to enter the Republic of Belarus or making a decision on his entry into the Republic of Belarus to the relevant state bodies of the Republic of Belarus, the foreigner reported false information, provided documents and (or) information that do not correspond to the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Belarus, including forged, fake or invalid documents;
• a foreigner is included in the List of persons whose entry into the Republic of Belarus is prohibited or undesirable;
• there is the evidence available that the foreigner is or was a person carrying out an extremist, including terrorist, activities, was or is connected to extremist, including terrorist, smuggling, and (or) other activities aimed at harming the national security of the Republic of Belarus, to the illicit trade in arms, ammunition or explosives, illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, illegal migration of foreigners, human trafficking;
• a foreigner has a disease included in the list of diseases that pose a danger to public health.

If a decision was taken to refuse entry into the Republic of Belarus, the visa previously issued to the foreigner for the entrance into the Republic of Belarus shall be cancelled. Border control authorities do not provide to the foreign citizens information concerning the reason for the refusal of entry into the Republic of Belarus.

On the basis of the decision to refuse entry into the Republic of Belarus the foreigner in accordance with order established by the legislation of the Republic of Belarus may be included in the list of persons, whose entry into the Republic of Belarus is prohibited or undesirable. The term of prohibiting to enter the Republic of Belarus is from six months to five years.

A foreigner who stays in the Republic of Belarus and is included in the List of persons whose entry into the Republic of Belarus is prohibited or undesirable, with the exception of foreigners previously deported or expelled from the Republic of Belarus, is obliged to leave the Republic of Belarus within the period established by the body authorized to make a decision to refuse entry into the Republic of Belarus and identified such a foreigner on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

Do American Citizens Need a Visa to Travel to Belarus?

Do you reside in the United States? Are you planning to visit Belarus? If the answer is yes then this article is perfect for you.

Before you book your flight, you could be thinking: Do American citizens need a visa to enter Belarus? What visa do I need to travel to or visit Belarus? What are the visa requirements for Belarus? How long can I stay in Belarus on e-visa?

The majority of American people are now asking themselves these questions. As the world gets smaller thanks to modern technology and more convenient travel options, it’s natural to want to see different parts of the globe.

However, if you want to travel to another country but don’t know the Visa requirements, this could be a bit challenging.

Luckily, we will discuss the visa requirements as well as other important information about traveling to Belarus with American passport.

It is important to plan ahead before traveling to ensure that nothing goes wrong. To aid you in this, we’ve created this article that provides helpful information on what you should do prior to traveling to Belarus.

We will discuss what type of visa you need to enter or visit Belarus, as well as how long you can stay in Belarus if your visa is approved.

This article will tell you everything you should be aware of when applying for a visa for a trip to Belarus as a citizen from the United States.

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About Belarus

Belarus is among the most beautiful nations in the world; it is known for its diverse culture and rich heritage. The country offers many possibilities for visitors to get to know its rich history and cultural heritage.

If you are looking for an ideal destination for your vacation or simply want to discover a new place, Belarus is a great choice!

One method to understand what makes this country unique is to go to one of the numerous tourist attractions!

There are many aspects that make the United States distinctive. It is rich in history, which can be observed in all towns and monuments. In addition, it has a diverse population of people from all over the world who reside there.

If you are planning on traveling there soon, then make sure you check out some of these tourist attractions to ensure that you do not lose everything!

Belarus is an Eastern European country that borders Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania. It is a landlocked country with a population of 9.5 million people. The capital city is Minsk and the official language is Belarusian. The country has a long history of being occupied by different empires - including the Russian Empire, Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union again. This has led to some interesting architecture in the capital city of Minsk - especially around Independence Square (also known as Freedom Square). The country's natural resources include timber, natural gas, water resources and peat deposits. Belarus also has one of the world's largest reserves of underground gas storage capacity.

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Visa Requirements for Visiting Belarus With American Passport:

In this section we will discuss the visa requirement for Belarus. However, prior to getting your heart set on visiting Belarus be aware that there are a variety of types of visas and each has specific conditions.

If you’re contemplating an excursion to Belarus , there are many aspects to take into consideration, such as the visa requirements for entering the country. Although no two countries will have identical procedures but each country has specific requirements to obtain visas. This can assist you in deciding whether the trip is worth the expense and effort.

If you’re planning to travel to any other country, the first thing you should ensure you have the proper documentation to apply for an entry visa.

In order to get a visa you will require a number of documents you need to have, such as proof of employment or income. The requirements may vary depending on which type of visa you are trying to apply for. So make certain to verify before you make any plans!

Visa is required to enter this country. You must apply for a visa before traveling to this country. There are various types of visas one can apply for, such as student visas, working visas, and touristic visas, which all fall into this category. Nevertheless, remember that every category has a distinguished variety of requirements. Some visas are hard to get, whereas others are granted very easily. The same is why one needs to conduct thorough research before selecting the type of Visa they wish to obtain. To acquire it, you must visit the embassy of the country you wish to travel to. You must submit all your legal documents and follow the guided procedure. Most of these visas are granted on a referral basis as well. However, it all depends upon the country. Please check with the embassy of the country for the requirements and the application process.

In the end, it’s important to understand how Belarus visas work and how they affect how you travel. While this article has provided an overview of the procedure, you should also contact your local consulate or embassy for more information about your particular situation.

Last Updated: 16/09/2022

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• Passports, travel and living abroad
• Travel abroad
• Foreign travel advice

Entry requirements

This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a ‘British Citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Belarus set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how Belarus’s entry requirements apply to you, contact the Embassy of Belarus in the UK .

Travel from and to Ukraine

FCDO advises against all travel to Ukraine, including from Belarus.

British nationals cannot currently cross the Belarus-Ukraine border. If you travelled to Belarus from Ukraine and need assistance, contact the British Embassy Minsk on +375 17 229 8200 or send an enquiry using the web contact form .

Travel from and to Russia

FCDO advises against all travel to Russia, including from Belarus.

If you travelled to Belarus from Russia and need assistance, contact the British Embassy Minsk on +375 17 229 8200.

The Russian government states that there are no legal grounds for foreigners (including British nationals) to cross the Russia-Belarus state land border including by road, bus or rail. If you try to do this, you will be refused boarding or stopped at the border.

Events involving Russia are fast-moving. You are strongly advised to check FCDO ’s Russia travel advice , which advises against all travel to Russia.

Air travel to Russia

FCDO is not aware of any difficulties for British nationals travelling by air between Belarus and Russia. However, make sure you get an exit stamp in your passport when you leave Belarus. If you don’t, you will not be allowed back in on your next visit.

Make sure you have the correct visas for your entire visit to Russia. You can find more information on the website of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in London .

COVID-19 rules

There are no COVID-19 related travel restrictions for Belarus.

Countries may restrict travel or bring in rules at short notice. Check with your travel provider for changes.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you may need to stay where you are until you test negative. You may also need to seek treatment there.

Visit TravelHealthPro (from the UK’s National Travel Health Network and Centre) for general COVID-19 advice for travellers .

Passport validity requirements

Check with your travel provider to make sure your passport and other travel documents meet their requirements.

To visit Belarus, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months from the date you arrive.

Children of Belarusian passport holders

Under-16s who do not have a Belarusian passport but have a parent who does, must have a Belarusian embassy or consulate-issued travel certificate to enter Belarus. This applies wherever they were born and whatever other nationality they may have. Parents of children entering on this document should liaise with the Belarusian authorities (State Border Committee, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to make sure their children also have the relevant documentation to exit Belarus.

Visa requirements

All British nationals (except those entering on a diplomatic or official passport ) arriving by air can enter Belarus for up to 30 days without a visa.

The 30-day visa free rules are allowed for British nationals arriving and departing from the following international airports:

• Minsk National Airport

If you want to stay longer than 30 days you’ll need a visa.

If you are travelling from the EU to Belarus by car or bus over a land border, the visa-free arrangement does not apply and you’ll need a visa. You can find more information on the website of the Embassy of Belarus in the UK .

If you’re travelling directly from or to Russia, the visa-free arrangement does not apply and you’ll need a visa. You can find more information on the website of the Embassy of Belarus in the UK .

Visas for travelling through Belarus

You don’t need a visa to transit Belarus by air, but the maximum period you can remain airside (in the airport without going through border control) is 24 hours. You must get a transit visa in all other circumstances, including if you are travelling on any regional rail routes.

If you try to transit Belarus in other circumstances without a visa, the border authorities will send you to Minsk to get the appropriate visa. You could also be deported or fined up to 300 US dollars.

Visa-free visits to the Brest and Grodno regions

You can visit some regions of Belarus for short periods without a visa via a land border, including:

• Augustouski Canal
• Belovezhskaya Pushcha

However, you must arrange your visit and itinerary through a registered tour operator and travel through specific border checkpoints. To do this, you must check information on the Grodno Visa-Free website .

Insurance requirements

When you apply for your visa or when you arrive at the airport or travel into Belarus via a land border, you will need to show documentary evidence of medical insurance to the value of 10,000 euros and funds equivalent to 25 euros per day. This can be in the form of cash, credit card or travellers cheques in any currency. Contact the Embassy of Belarus for full details.

Journalists

If you plan to work as a journalist in Belarus, you must get accreditation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus before you travel.

Registering accommodation

It is a legal requirement for accommodation providers to register any foreign guest staying for more than 10 days in Belarus. Registration will normally be arranged by your hotel. If you’re staying with someone, check that they’re doing this. You can register online (this page may not be accessible from all countries) or with the local police office (OVIR) in the district in which you’re staying. There are fines for not registering in time. Further information can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website .

Customs rules

If you are carrying more than 10,000 US dollars in cash or travellers cheques, you must complete a currency and goods declaration form. You must do this both when you enter and leave Belarus. The form must be stamped by a customs officer.

You are not allowed to take more currency out of Belarus than you declared when you arrived. Keep your entry declaration forms for the duration of your visit. When you leave Belarus, you will complete a new form, but you must also show the entry form. If you do not, you could be delayed and fined.

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TSA viewed as gold standard, goes beyond all boundaries

Enhancing vital relationships with aviation leaders around the world is the work of 27 TSA professionals known as Transportation Security Representatives (TSARs). Their primary focus is to raise the global bar on transportation security.

“In many corners of the world, including mine, TSA is viewed as the gold standard when it comes to aviation security procedures, policies and technologies,” said TSAR Brian Krenzien. “Most of the countries in my portfolio look forward to increasing their collaborative efforts between their country and TSA.” 

The TSAR’s work is essential in keeping international aviation security standards high, especially for countries who provide last point of departure (LPD) security. That means that once an aircraft departs that country’s airspace, the next stop is at a U.S. airport.

“I primarily work at the ministry level and with the civil aviation authority of the various countries to understand their challenges and opportunities and see how TSA can help close those gaps,” explained Krenzien. “Additionally, I work with the U.S. State Department and the host nation government to develop bilateral international agreements between the U.S. and the nation concerning Federal Air Marshal agreements, sharing of sensitive security materials, visa waiver programs and joint testing opportunities.” 

For Krenzien, whose area of responsibility includes 10 countries in central and eastern Europe, two of which are at war with each other, diplomacy is a key skill.

“I have the unique situation of figuring out how to manage civil aviation concerns in the midst of an ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine,” said Krenzien, who mentioned prior to the present war, both Ukraine and Russia had LPD service to the U.S. Currently, all flights from Russia to the U.S. have been suspended. On the other side of the conflict, he explains, “The airspace in Ukraine has been shut down since the early days of the war.”

TSARs partner with 16 TSA international industry representatives (IIRs) stationed around the world who are responsible for working with various foreign air carriers. IIR Dan Love works that beat in central Europe and is co-located with Krenzien in Warsaw, Poland.

“Ironically, no two countries in my area of responsibility (AOR) speak the same language,” said Krenzien whose AOR includes Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland and Romania along with Russia and Ukraine. “So, every country I go to for work or pleasure, I have to learn how to say good morning, please and thank you.”

Compliance staff at six regional operation centers (ROCs) across the globe round out TSA’s international  organizational chart and are focused on assessing the level of compliance to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards for foreign airports providing LPD service to the U.S. ROCs are instrumental in helping Krenzien assess international airports with a large passenger volume to the U.S.

“All of the countries I work with were part of the Soviet Union, but now have turned their focus west to become part of the European Union and possibly the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” said Krenzien, acknowledging their strong desire to improve their civil aviation security. “I work closely with the Transportation Sector Security Assistance Branch to identify and arrange technical and educational training in aviation security, insider threat and cybersecurity. I’m deployed to the field, so I rely heavily on the desk officers back at TSA HQ to help me arrange and choreograph all these moving parts.”

Krenzien’s personal journey began after his retirement from the Coast Guard, where he had international responsibilities similar to that of a TSAR. His TSAR role came into focus while working as a senior program manager for a corporation collaborating with DHS to develop screening technologies for land and sea borders. He’s quick to mention the present group of TSARs come from very diverse professional backgrounds.

“Some have come through traditional pipelines of working their way up from transportation security officer to more senior roles including federal security directors, deputy federal security directors and assistant federal security directors, then transitioning over to the TSAR role,” said Krenzien. “Others have come up through the Federal Air Marshal Service, or with a background in compliance, and some have come up through a background as program analysts.”

For Krenzien, understanding the Polish culture is one of the benefits of the TSAR role. His penchant for team sports has allowed him to meet a wide and diverse international social group who he spends time with outside of work.

“Coming to Warsaw has provided an amazing opportunity to step into a completely different culture and to explore a part of the world most Americans don’t get to see,” marveled Krenzien. “I think that is true of most of the stations where TSARs are posted. As with most things in the day-to-day lives of TSARs, each post is different and has its own unique challenges. For me, Polish is not the easiest language to learn, so there is that challenge, but the city is cosmopolitan enough that most people speak some English.”

As countries continue to restore air travel post COVID-19, Krenzien points to the interest in family ancestry as a reason international travel is ripe for expansion.

 “The countries in this portfolio are eagerly looking westward for their futures and recognize that many of their citizens have ties to family members in the U.S.,” said Krenzien. “Opening up these transportation routes will in turn enable Americans to better understand their own roots, and it is my job to help ensure that travel can be done in a secure manner for American citizens and host nation citizens to travel to and from the United States. By working closely with the government of each of the countries in my portfolio, I feel my goal is to facilitate this travel in an efficient and secure means, further protecting the interests of U.S. citizens at home and abroad.”

By Karen Robicheaux, TSA Strategic Communications & Public Affairs