Belarus
Regulations on entry, stay, residence, and treatment access for people living with HIV
The categories of restriction are:
- Unclear restrictions - it is not clear to what extent restrictions apply.
Restrictions on entry to Belarus
Sources are mixed on whether Belarus imposes entry restrictions on people living with HIV.
According to UNAIDS, Belarus does not have any HIV-related restrictions on entry.
However, Article 30 of The Law of the Republic of Belarus of January 4, 2010 No. 105-Z on the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons in the Republic of Belarus establishes that non-nationals may be refused entry if, among other reasons, ‘the foreigner has a disease that is included in the list of diseases that pose [a] danger to public health.’ It is not clear if this would include HIV.
Restrictions on short-term stay in Belarus
It is unclear whether Belarus imposes restrictions on short-term stay of people living with HIV.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Belarus does not have any HIV-related restrictions on short-term stay.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, short-term visas for private purposes require ‘a letter of visa support of a Belarusian healthcare institution or contract for medical services with a Belarusian healthcare institution, made in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus’, where the purpose of travel includes the provision of medical care in Belarus. It is not clear if this applies only to health tourism, or if it would also apply to other kinds of tourism where the person would require routine healthcare, such as related to their HIV status, on their trip.
Restrictions on long-term stay in Belarus
It is unclear whether Belarus imposes restrictions on long-term stay of people living with HIV.
According to UNAIDS Belarus does not have any HIV-related restrictions on long-term stay.
However, according to the US Department of State, long-term residents (those spending more than 90 days a year in Belarus) or students must obtain an HIV test in Belarus and submit the results to the Department of Citizenship and Migration when applying for an extension of stay or residency.
In addition, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, the same requirements apply for long-term visas for private purposes as for short-term purposes, as outlined above.
Treatment access in Belarus
The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in Belarus. There is some evidence that some non-nationals are restricted from accessing treatment in the same way as nationals.
According to IOM, access to medical assistance for non-nationals in Belarus is governed by Article 5 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus On Health Care (18 June 1993), as well as other laws. This law grants non-nationals and stateless individuals who have permanent residency in Belarus the right to affordable medical care on the same terms as Belarusian citizens, unless otherwise specified by national laws or international agreements.
Non-nationals and stateless individuals who are temporarily staying or residing in Belarus are entitled to access medical services at their own expense, through legal entities, or other funding sources not prohibited by Belarusian law, unless different provisions are established by the law or international treaties. As a result, non-nationals who are temporarily staying or residing in Belarus typically receive medical care on a paid basis.
Non-nationals who have a residence permit or who have applied for or been granted refugee status, and their families, can receive HIV-related care, HIV diagnosis and HIV treatment free of charge.
Belarus has also signed several international agreements addressing the provision of emergency, urgent, and planned medical care.
Citizens of the Russian Federation temporarily staying or residing in Belarus can receive emergency medical care, including HIV-related care free of charge. HIV diagnosis is to be paid for and HIV treatment is not available. Citizens of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are entitled to emergency medical care but must pay for HIV testing and do not have access to HIV treatment.
Sources
The HIV Justice Network's Global HIV Criminalisation Database
Visit the Belarus page on the Global HIV Criminalisation Database to see more information about known HIV criminalisation laws in this country, an overview of how the laws are used, and any significant advocacy developments.
UNAIDS Global AIDS monitoring data
This information about access to HIV services comes from UNAIDS https://lawsandpolicies.unaids.org/, a platform to view data on HIV-related laws and policies. This is information provided by national authorities and civil society and may contradict other sources.
Migrant populations
| Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable documented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable undocumented migrants to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
| Migrants are able to access HIV services | Yes |
Refugees and asylum seekers
| Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable asylum seekers to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens | Yes |
| Laws/policies enable refugees to access HIV services under the same conditions as citizens implemented (countries with such laws/policies) | Yes |
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This site focuses on information about HIV travel. Please also consult your own Foreign Office/Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, or the local consulate of the country you are visiting, to see what restrictions there are specifically for you as a citizen of your country, regardless of your HIV status.
