You can apply for international protection in Belarus if you had to leave the country of your citizenship or permanent residence due to:
- fear of becoming a victim of persecution on the grounds of race, religion, citizenship, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political beliefs;
- threat of the death penalty, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
- violence in situations of international or non-international armed conflict.
The following types of international protection exist in Belarus:
- REFUGEE STATUS
- SUBSIDIARY PROTECTION
- ASYLUM
- TEMPORARY PROTECTION
You will not be able to receive international protection in Belarus if:
- you have committed crimes against peace or humanity, as well as war crimes;
- you have committed a serious crime of a non-political nature outside Belarus;
- you are allegedly guilty of acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations;
- the competent authorities of the State of your permanent residence, which is not the State of your nationality, recognize your rights and obligations related to the nationality of that State;
- you are already protected or assisted by United Nations bodies or agencies other than the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Important
Information about your having been granted protection and your status is confidential and cannot be shared without your written consent with:
- states, public authorities, organizations and citizens of the State of your nationality, as well as the media;
- other states, state bodies, organizations and foreigners, as well as international organizations and citizens of Belarus.
Below we will consider the types of international protection that you can get in Belarus, how they differ and what are the grounds for obtaining them, as well as what this or that type of protection will give you.
REFUGEE STATUS
You may be granted refugee status if you are already in Belarus and in your country of citizenship you fear persecution on the grounds of race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
Refugee status is granted for as long as such threats persist. Refugee status entitles you to permanent residence in Belarus.
If you are granted refugee status, you have the right to:
- obtain a refugee certificate and a travel document of the Republic of Belarus;
- obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit in the Republic of Belarus;
- independent settlement in the family of a Belarusian citizen or a foreigner permanently residing in Belarus, and in the absence of such an opportunity – to live in places of temporary settlement until the issuance of a permanent residence permit in the Republic of Belarus, but not more than one year, as well as in special residential facilities – if there are vacancies;
- medical care on a par with Belarusian citizens (i.e. free of charge or paid according to the price list for Belarusian citizens);
- receiving education on an equal footing with citizens of the Republic of Belarus;
- receiving monetary assistance (in the amount of 1 basic unit – as of April 2023, 37 rubles ~12 euros).
Subsidiary PROTECTION
You may be granted subsidiary protection if:
- there are no grounds for granting you refugee status;you have a well-founded fear upon return to your State of nationality of being subjected to:
the threat of death, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment:
- the threat of the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
- a threat to life due to violence in an international or non-international armed conflict.
Subsidiary protection is granted for up to one year, but can be renewed annually if the danger persists in your country.
If you have been granted subsidiary protection, you are entitled to:
- receiving a certificate of subsidiary protection and a travel document of the Republic of Belarus;
- obtain a temporary residence permit in Belarus for the period of subsidiary protection;
- accommodation in temporary settlement places during the period of subsidiary protection, but not more than one year, as well as in special dwellings intended for temporary residence – if there are vacancies;
- medical care and employment on an equal footing with foreigners permanently residing in Belarus;
- extension of subsidiary protection;
- filing a new application for protection if grounds for granting refugee or asylum status arise.
A minor foreigner who has been granted subsidiary protection also has the right to receive pre-school, general secondary and special education and medical care on a par with Belarusian citizens.
Asylum
Asylum in Belarus can be granted if you have been forced to leave your country of citizenship because of persecution for political, religious beliefs or nationality.
Asylum is granted for as long as you remain threatened in your country of citizenship.
Asylum entitles you to permanent residence in Belarus.
If you are granted asylum, you have the right to:
- obtain a temporary or permanent residence permit in the Republic of Belarus;
- obtain a travel document of the Republic of Belarus;
- independent settlement in the family of a Belarusian citizen or a foreigner permanently residing in Belarus, and in case of inability to settle in the territory of Belarus on your own in places of temporary settlement until the issuance of a permanent residence permit in the Republic of Belarus, but not more than one year – if there are available places;
- medical care on a par with Belarusian citizens (i.e. free of charge or paid according to the price list for Belarusian citizens);
- receive education on a par with citizens of the Republic of Belarus;
- receive monetary assistance.
If you are granted refugee status, subsidiary protection or asylum in Belarus, you are also entitled to:
- assistance in obtaining information about close relatives living in the state of citizenship;
- voluntary return to the state of citizenship;
- family reunification;
- Application to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;
- Judicial protection on an equal basis with Belarusian citizens;
- enjoyment of other rights on a par with foreigners temporarily or permanently residing in Belarus.
TEMPORARY PROTECTION
Temporary protection is a special type of international protection, which is granted in case of the mass arrival of foreigners to Belarus, when individual consideration of their applications for protection at the time of their arrival is impossible.
The period of temporary protection is determined by the Council of Ministers of Belarus, but cannot exceed one year.
During the period of temporary protection, you can either leave Belarus and return home or apply for individual protection in Belarus.
If you are granted temporary protection, you are entitled to:
- free emergency medical care in state health care organizations;
- accommodation in places of settlement and movement within the territory of Belarus in accordance with the established procedure;
- voluntary return to your country of citizenship;
- Application to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;
- enjoy other rights on an equal footing with foreigners temporarily staying in Belarus.
Remember that when receiving any type of international protection in Belarus, you are obliged to:
- to comply with the Constitution and legislation of the Republic of Belarus, to respect its national traditions;
- within five days after familiarizing yourself with the decision on granting asylum to register with the citizenship and migration unit;
- within five days to inform the citizenship and migration department of any changes in surname, first name, patronymic, family composition, marital status, acquisition of citizenship of another state;
- inform about the intention to leave Belarus for permanent residence;
- perform other duties on an equal footing with foreigners temporarily staying or temporarily or permanently residing in Belarus.
