News: New entry rules to Belarus for Russian citizens under 14 years of age

Starting from January 20, 2026, amendments to Federal Law No. 114-FZ of August 15, 1996, «On the Procedure for Exit from the Russian Federation and Entry into the Russian Federation», will come into force. These changes affect travel regulations for Russian citizens under the age of 14 traveling to Belarus and a number of other countries.

Under the new rules, a birth certificate will be excluded from the list of documents allowing Russian citizens under the age of 14 to travel abroad. This applies to trips to Belarus, Abkhazia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and South Ossetia. To cross the border, children will be required to have a foreign (international) passport, regardless of whether they are traveling with their parents or with accompanying persons.
It is also specified that children who left the Russian Federation using a birth certificate before January 20, 2026, will retain the right to return to Russia using this document. After that date, this option will remain available only to this category of minors.

In light of the upcoming changes, citizens are advised to plan their trips in advance and to arrange international passports for their children in a timely manner.