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Travel.State.Gov > International Parental Child Abduction > Country Information > Belarus International Parental Child Abduction Information

International Parental Child Abduction

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Travel.State.Gov > International Parental Child Abduction > Country Information > Belarus International Parental Child Abduction Information

Belarus

Belarus
Republic of Belarus
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.

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: 

... [READ MORE]

Hague Convention Participation

Party to the Hague Abduction Convention?
Yes
U.S. Treaty Partner under the Hague Abduction Convention?
No
Learn why the Hague Abduction Convention Matters.

What You Can Do

Learn how to respond to abductions FROM the US
Learn how to respond to abductions TO the US
ALL / ALL /

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
consularminsk@state.gov

For information concerning travel to Belarus, including information about the location of the U.S. Embassy, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, entry/exit requirements, safety and security, crime, medical facilities and health information, traffic safety, road conditions and aviation safety, please see country-specific information for Belarus.

The U.S. Department of State reports statistics and compliance information for individual countries in the Annual Report on International Child Abduction. The report is located here. 

Belarus acceded to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (Hague Abduction Convention) on January 12, 1998; however, the United States and Belarus are not yet treaty partners.  Until Belarus and the United States establish a treaty relationship per Article 38 of the Convention, parents whose children have been abducted from the United States to Belarus or wrongfully retained in Belarus are unable to invoke the Convention to pursue their children’s return or to seek access to them.

Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country. The government of Belarus maintains information about custody, visitation, and family law on the Internet here.  (The Code of the Republic of Belarus on Marriage and Family).  Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in Belarus and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances. 

The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, Directorate for Overseas Citizens Services, Office of Children’s Issues provides assistance in cases of international parental child abduction.  For U.S. citizen parents whose children have been wrongfully removed to or retained in countries that are not U.S. partners under the Hague Abduction Convention, the Office of Children’s Issues can provide information and resources about country-specific options for pursuing the return of or access to an abducted child.  The Office of Children’s Issues may also coordinate with appropriate foreign and U.S. government authorities about the welfare of abducted U.S. citizen children.  Parents are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of State for assistance.

Contact information:

Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Children's
CA/OCS/CI
SA-17, 9th Floor
Washington, DC 20522-1709
Telephone:  1-888-407-4747
Outside the United States or Canada: 1-202-501-4444
Website: travel.state.gov/

Email: AbductionQuestions@state.gov

Parental child abduction is not a crime in Belarus.  This is in accordance with the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, which is available here at (Russian only).

Parents may wish to consult with an attorney in the United States and in the country to which the child has been removed or retained to learn more about how filing criminal charges may impact a custody case in the foreign court.  Please see Possible Solutions - Pressing Criminal Charges for more information. 

Legal systems and laws pertaining to custody, divorce, and parental abduction vary widely from country to country.  Parents are encouraged to consult with an attorney who specializes in family law in Belarus and who can provide accurate legal guidance that is specific to their circumstances.

The Office of Children’s Issues may be able to assist parents seeking access to children who have been wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States.   Parents who are seeking access to children who were not wrongfully removed from or retained outside the United States should contact the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Belarus for information and possible assistance.

Neither the Office of Children’s Issues nor consular officials at the U.S. Embassy or Consulates in Belarus are authorized to provide legal advice.

U.S. Embassy Minsk, Belarus, suspended services in 2022.

This list is provided as a courtesy service only and does not constitute an endorsement of any individual attorney. The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the persons or firms included in this list.  Professional credentials and areas of expertise are provided directly by the lawyers.

Mediation is a possible remedy for both abduction and access cases. According to the Law on Mediation of the Republic of Belarus, Russian only), mediation is performed by a licensed mediator provided both parties agree to the process of mediation.  Mediation is voluntary. The registry of licensed mediators is maintained by the Ministry of Justice.  The Law on Mediation in Belarus will come into legal force on August 26, 2014.

Exercising Custody Rights

While travelling in a foreign country, you are subject to the laws of that country. It is important for parents to understand that, although a left-behind parent in the United States may have custody or visitation rights pursuant to a U.S. custody order, that order may not be valid and enforceable in the country in which the child is located.  For this reason, we strongly encourage you to speak to a local attorney if planning to remove a child from a foreign country without the consent of the other parent.  Attempts to remove your child to the United States may:

  • Endanger your child and others;
  • Prejudice any future judicial efforts; and
  • Could result in your arrest and imprisonment.

The U.S. government cannot interfere with another country’s court or law enforcement system.

To understand the legal effect of a U.S. order in a foreign country, a parent should consult with a local attorney in the country in which the child is located.  

For information about hiring an attorney abroad, see our section on Retaining a Foreign Attorney. 

Although we cannot recommend an attorney to you, most U.S. Embassies have lists of attorneys available online. Please visit the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate website for a full listing.

For more information on consular assistance for U.S. citizens arrested abroad, please see our website.

Country officers are available to speak with you Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.  For assistance with an abduction in progress or any emergency situation that occurs after normal business hours, on weekends, or federal holidays, please call toll free at 1-888-407-4747. See all contact information.

DISCLAIMER: The information in this flyer is provided for general information only, is not intended to be legal advice, and may change without notice. Questions involving interpretation of law should be addressed to an attorney licensed in the relevant jurisdiction. 

 

Last Updated: June 1, 2015

Assistance for U.S. Citizens

U.S. Embassy Minsk
46 Starovilenskaya St.
Minsk 220002, Belarus
Telephone
+(375) (17) 210-1283
Emergency
+(375) (29) 676-0134
Fax
+(375) (17) 334-7853
Email
consularminsk@state.gov
Website
https://by.usembassy.gov/embassy/minsk/

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