Until December 31, 2025, visa-free entry to Belarus remains in effect for citizens and non-citizens of Latvia. Alongside this, organized tourist group movements on this and the Russian routes have been completely halted – this is both a Latvian decision and EU sanctions. How to get through?
"Everyone is polite — both ours and not ours"
The Latvian checkpoint "Paternieki" is operating, one might say, in a "pre-war" mode. Riga residents Olga and Maris have just returned from a week-long road trip in Belarus and told us:
– The electronic queue makes life much easier. We were scheduled for 20:10, and we arrived an hour and a half early. We waited. There were about six cars with us in the area. We even left earlier – at 19:50. We brought dollars and Belarusian rubles. Our people were told to bring 40 euros for the return trip. We paid all the Belarusian fees: car insurance, entry fee, disinfection, which also totaled about 40 euros.
The Belarusians checked the suitcases and the trunk. Meticulously, but not maliciously. My husband printed and filled out the declaration (only the driver fills it out) in advance. And off we went! A tourist SIM card is sold at the first gas station in Vitebsk, costing 14 euros.
– What is prohibited to bring into Belarus and what into Latvia?
– Into Belarus – luxury items, drugs, explosives – that’s clear. Into Latvia – alcohol, cigarettes (whether they will take your opened pack depends on the specific customs officer there). Only sweets and dry products are allowed. Meat and dairy – prohibited. Medications must be taken out of their packaging. Clothing tags must be removed. On the way back, from the Belarusian side, we paid another 10 euros for the queue. There are also toll roads there – mainly to Minsk, but we didn’t need to go there.
Everything went very quickly. The Belarusians rummaged through the suitcases with clothes again – I don’t know why. In general, everyone is polite. Both Belarusians and ours. The question of why you are traveling was asked. In our case, we said it as it is – visiting. In Belarus, the declaration must indicate the city and address where we will be staying. There was no phone checking at all. At no stage. And our people were not forced to drain fuel from the tank. They didn’t even ask. But this, perhaps, depends on who you encounter? We left Belarus with more than half a tank.
Latvia-Belarus: Closed Until Better Times
The border crossings "Silene" on the Latvian-Belarusian border, "Vientuli" and "Pededze" on the Latvian-Russian border, which have been closed since 2023, will remain completely closed.
The decision of the Minister of the Interior, Rihards Kozlovskis ("New Unity"), was made, as official sources state, taking into account the war initiated by Russia in Ukraine and the hybrid war initiated by Belarus against neighboring countries. Moreover, the closure from the Latvian side was accompanied by a pompous exit to the neutral zone by our brave border guards – armed and fully protected.
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