Is it safe to travel to Belarus?

[cednation]

My girlfriend is from Belarus (Minsk). Each time we've met, we've met in a 3rd country. She just moved to Poland, and I plan to visit her there next month. Would it be safe for me as an American or Canadian man (I have both passports) to travel with her to Belarus? She might suggest we go there so I can meet her family. I don't speak any Russian. I'm White and find I can blend in fairly well among Russian ppl if I don't open my mouth. I'm curious if any other people in similar situations have traveled there.

This is the US travel advisory right now (level 4: Do not travel):

Do Not Travel to Belarus due to the arbitrary enforcement of laws, the risk of detention, the Russian military attack on neighboring Ukraine, and the buildup of Russian military in Belarus along the border with Ukraine. U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately via commercial or private means.

[Trenchcoat]

My girlfriend is from Belarus (Minsk). Each time we've met, we've met in a 3rd country. She just moved to Poland, and I plan to visit her there next month. Would it be safe for me as an American or Canadian man (I have both passports) to travel with her to Belarus? She might suggest we go there so I can meet her family. I don't speak any Russian. I'm White and find I can blend in fairly well among Russian ppl if I don't open my mouth. I'm curious if any other people in similar situations have traveled there.

This is the US travel advisory right now (level 4: Do not travel):

Do Not Travel to Belarus due to the arbitrary enforcement of laws, the risk of detention, the Russian military attack on neighboring Ukraine, and the buildup of Russian military in Belarus along the border with Ukraine. U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately via commercial or private means.

Odds are that warning dates from around the start of the Russian Invasion. Russian troops have now largely moved around to the Donbass & Crimea area. Nearest would probably be around Kharkiv & a few on the order just north of Kherson. Belarus has not thrown their lot in with Putin and I don't think they will now, there's nothing in it for them. In fact they probably don't want Putin to win truth be known as it would mean being more under the dominance of its powerful neighbour. If Putin to Ukraine, he would look at taking Moldova, Georgia, the Stans and along with all of that with Belarus then being left isolated would be a case of they fully submit to Russia or face invasion also. Belarus went along with Russian troops attacking from Belarus territory partly because he didn't have much choice as at the time their army looked very powerful and partly because Belarus is in theory in some ways on the surface at least aligned to Moscow.

Whether it is safe to go is down to every person's thoughts and judgement. I personally wouldn't go to Russia at this time nor Belarus in the first stage of the Russian Invasion. Now though I think risk of going to Belarus has declined. Main thing is stay clean of any illegal goods, stay out of trouble, keep low key and to yourselves in public, don't upset anyone and most of all don't raise mention of politics, the war and especially Lukashenko in public or when not in totally trusted company. If there is any state secret police around just ignore there presence and carry on as if you haven't seen them doing mundane non-offensive stuff. Choice is yours on whether you go but personally myself In think its fine so long as you quietly go about your own peaceful & legal activities.

[BC]

I would follow the travel advisory.

[JohnDearGreen]

My girlfriend is from Belarus (Minsk). Each time we've met, we've met in a 3rd country. She just moved to Poland, and I plan to visit her there next month. Would it be safe for me as an American or Canadian man (I have both passports) to travel with her to Belarus?

According to videos from Irish Partizan, situation in Belarus is very calm.   The smaller cities have always looked very safe to me, even now.   Going by land from Poland requires a Belarus visa.   Visit Grodno, Lida (I.P. has videos on both), then on to Minsk.  if you are with your lady, I would think it would be safe.  Maybe her parents would like a few days getaway to one of those smaller cities.   Things seem to be very inexpensive there.

Watching videos of Russia, only problem I've seen is some guy playing guitar and singing American songs in Moscow city center got beat up.   Tall Travels is spending much time in St. Pete without any big worries.  He will be posting a video in the near future on the safety aspects in St. P.

Of course, there can always be problems.  I had a youth gang banging on my Kyiv apartment door at 1am Friday and Saturday night near Tolstoy metro back in 2002.

[Hammer2722]

My wife is from Minsk. Even she will not travel to Belarus at this time due to the current situation going on now. You can go but as an American you will need a tourist visa which means you will need an invitation letter, etc.

[ML]

My wife is from Minsk. Even she will not travel to Belarus at this time . . ..

That should be a wake up call for any love struck western guy.

[JohnDearGreen]

[krimster2]

was it safe for your ancestors to cross the ocean in a leaky wooden boat loaded with sick people, with no medical care to journey to a new land and to a new life, with maybe 5 dollars in their pocket?
somehow they managed
there are always those who go, and those who remain behind because they worry about being safe more than about being happy and moving forward in life
fortune ALWAYS favors the bold over the timid
decide which one you are

[BC]

Krim,

alternatives exist.

http://mfa.gov.by/en/visa/freemove/general/

[krimster2]

good list...

[2tallbill]

Odds are that I have no clue, my advice should be ignored, but I post
like a madman anyway because the mods let me.

I reckon that somebody helped you compose that.

[Trenchcoat]

I reckon that somebody helped you compose that.

Lol, I may know more than you think Beel. If I ever get a hottie to live with I'll have you eating your words

[Hammer2722]

Lol, I may know more than you think Beel. If I ever get a hottie to live with I'll have you eating your words

I think Bill will be safe in that regard, lol

[2tallbill]

Lol, I may know more than you think Beel. If I ever get a hottie to live with I'll have you eating your words

I would love it to be proved wrong, and eat those words. I actually hope/wish the
best for you.

[JohnDearGreen]

Apparently Poland is now not accepting land entry from Belarus to Poland for non-EU travelers.
Land access would now need to use Lithuania.

[ML]

Apparently Poland is now not accepting land entry from Belarus to Poland for non-EU travelers.
Land access would now need to use Lithuania.

Or use Czech, Slovakia, Germany and Ukraine.

Or wait . . . did you mean to say Poland not allowing exit to Belarus?