Nuances Of Departure From Belarus Amidst Pandemic, Air Blockade
- 1.06.2021, 14:26
How to leave the country legally now?
On May 31, the Border Committee of Belarus announced that it does not consider a temporary residence permit abroad a reason to let a person go abroad. Belsat tells in what cases they will let people out of Belarus now, and in what not.
You Shall Pass
To Russia, either by land or by air. As the Border Committee of Belarus explained, the Belarusian side has neither border guards nor checkpoints there. Airplanes fly to Russia, and the railway service is gradually being restored. Whether Russia will accept it depends on the citizenship of the person who goes there. The road is open for citizens of Belarus if there is a negative test for coronavirus (done no earlier than 72 hours before entry).
To other countries by plane, if the plane flies there and the country accepts. Belarus did not impose departure restrictions. Information about which countries accept and do not accept tourists is published by Belavia. But where the planes fly is now a big question, because all neighbors, except Russia, have closed the air for Belarusian airlines, and foreign airlines (except for Russian ones) refuse to fly to Belarus. But Belavia has already found a way to Istanbul and Tell Aviv, by flying around those countries which do not accept its planes.
To other countries by land for work, training or treatment. On a business trip - if you have a paper business trip certificate or a copy of the business trip order; for treatment - subject to the availability of relevant documents; no more than once in 6 months - for training or permanent work in the presence of the relevant documents. Details are available on the website of the Border Committee. Buses and fixed-route taxis still go abroad, but trains only go to Russia. In the Homel and Hrodna regions they will take a payment for leaving the car - 29 rubles (soon they want to introduce such a fee in the Brest region). The list of which countries and in what cases will accept someone traveling from Belarus is here.
To other countries on land with a permanent residence permit - no more than once every six months.
To other countries by land in connection with a serious illness or death of a close relative - if there is a notification confirming serious illness or death. The Border Committee writes that they also let those who accompany people who go to the seriously ill or dead, but does not give details.
Foreign citizens - after 10 days of self-isolation.
You Shall Not Pass
To other countries, besides Russia, on the ground for rest - except that you can go on vacation to Russia, or fly by plane to where planes are allowed from Belarus. Tour operators who put up for sale bus tours to the EU countries or Ukraine, say: for the near future they do not have certainty as to when trips will be allowed again, and if the tour is posted for the coming weeks, they forgot to remove the offer from the website.
On vacation by plane to most countries - after all, airplanes from Belarus now almost never fly anywhere, except to Russia, through it to Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Armenia, Georgia, Egypt, Israel, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and some other countries. Tour operators have many flights in question: many airlines have stopped flights to Belarus, and it is not known whether it will be possible to arrange flights with a transfer in Russia or overflights of those who have banned flights from Belarus.
To other countries by land with a temporary residence permit - this became known today. Why this is so is unknown.
To other countries by sea - after all, in Belarus there is no direct access to the sea and river border checkpoints (the only checkpoints are located in the river ports of Homel, Mazyr, and Rechytsa, but these ports now do not accept international passenger voyages).