Eastern Europe has been in a state of heightened tension since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This conflict has led to a significant increase in travel advisory levels across the region.
The U.S. State Department, in response to these escalating tensions, issued Belarus a level 4 travel advisory in 2022, a warning that was reissued on December 18, 2024.
What is a Level 4 Travel Advisory?
The U.S. Department of State issues travel advisory levels 1-4 for all countries to help U.S. citizens understand and mitigate their travel risks. The levels are based on crime, current events, terrorism, natural disasters, and health. The levels are reevaluated every 12 months for levels 1 and 2 and every 6 months for levels 3 and 4.
Level four is the highest advisory level issued by the U.S. Department of State. These countries are considered to pose life-threatening risks, and you are advised to provide a will and DNA sample in case before traveling to them.
Why is Belarus Under a Level 4 Travel Advisory?
The U.S. State Department strongly advises all U.S. citizens to leave Belarus immediately due to the country’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine, unlawful detention, and the potential for civil unrest. The U.S. Department of State suspended operations of the U.S. Embassy in Minsk on February 28, 2022, suspending all routine and emergency consular services.
The arbitrary and volatile law enforcement in Belarus has caused the heightened risk of detention. Their government also conducts surveillance on electronic devices, so U.S. citizens are urged not to bring them.
1,300 people are currently in jail for political offenses that may not be considered crimes in the United States. Dual citizens are not exempt from the travel advisory. Belarus does not acknowledge dual citizenship, which will delay or cause a denial of U.S. consular assistance for detained dual nationals.
Precautions in Belarus
If you are already in Belarus or plan to visit despite the travel advisory, you are encouraged to follow these precautions:
- Consider leaving electronic devices behind.
- Do not take part in demonstrations.
- Avoid crowds.
- Log out and do not log into social media accounts.
- Ensure travel documents are accessible and valid.
- Enroll in STEP to receive alerts and make locating you in an emergency easier.
- Have a plan that does not involve the U.S. government’s assistance.
