As of January 20, 2026, amendments to the Federal Law “On the Procedure for Exiting the Russian Federation and Entering the Russian Federation” have come into force, changing travel regulations for the youngest Russian citizens.
Core Changes
Children under the age of 14 are now required to have their own foreign passport for travel to Belarus. A birth certificate is no longer considered a valid document for crossing the border into this country.
For adults and adolescents aged 14 and older, the rules remain unchanged: entry into Belarus is still permitted using an internal Russian passport.
Important Nuances
- Trains and Tickets: Russian Railways and other carriers now issue international tickets for children under 14 only upon providing foreign passport details.
- Passport Type: Both biometric passports (valid for 10 years) and old-style passports (valid for 5 years) are acceptable.