Belarus Extends Visa Exemptions for Baltic and Polish Travelers
Belarus expands visa-free access to Latvian, Lithuanian, and Polish citizens in 2024, though Latvia's foreign ministry urges caution due to safety concerns.
Citizens of Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland now benefit from extended visa-free access to Belarus in 2024. However, Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised its nationals against traveling to Belarus on security grounds.
Expanded Visa Exemptions
Since 15 April 2022, Latvian and Lithuanian citizens—along with Latvia’s non-citizens—have been permitted to enter Belarus without a visa. From 1 July 2022, the exemption was extended to include Polish citizens as well. According to Belarus’s border guard authorities, a significant number of Latvian, Lithuanian, and Polish travelers have already taken advantage of these visa-free arrangements to enter Belarus.
Despite this, Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to discourage its citizens from traveling to Russia or Belarus.
Special Passports for Belarusians in Lithuania
Lithuania has announced plans to issue special passports to Belarusian residents legally settled in the country. This policy follows Minsk’s decision to halt passport renewals for citizens abroad, a move that has disrupted Belarusian diaspora communities across Europe.
Over the past three years, approximately 200,000 to 300,000 Belarusians have left the country. Lithuanian authorities have previously warned Belarusian nationals against returning to Belarus even if their passports expire.
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