Access control on the border with Belarus. Border of Belarus and Russia: passports are looked at, but not checked

Last updated: 02/06/2017

The creation of a border zone on the border of the Russian Federation and Belarus does not provide for the introduction of border control, the opening of checkpoints and will not limit free border crossing. The FSB told Interfax about this.

“The establishment of a border zone does not provide for the implementation of border control of persons Vehicle, cargo, goods and animals, opening and functioning of checkpoints,” the department said in a statement.

The purpose of introducing a border zone, as stated by the FSB, is “to identify and suppress illegal transit migration, drug trafficking and the illegal movement of goods and materials across the border.”

Previously Head of the Russian FSB Alexander Bortnikov ordered In accordance with the order, the FSB will establish “places for entry or (passage) of persons and vehicles into the border zone and warning signs at the entrances.” In Russia, such zones exist in 47 federal subjects.

What was the reason for the introduction of the border zone?

A border zone on the border of Russia and Belarus will be introduced to create necessary conditions security state border RF. Today, a citizen of a third country cannot legally cross the border between Russia and Belarus, since there are no border checkpoints there. Previously, Russian border guards refused to let in EU residents, arguing that foreigners must undergo mandatory controls and mandatory have a Russian visa.

The authorities of the neighboring country, on the contrary, declared the principle of openness of their border to everyone. Another reason for the establishment of a border zone on the border with Belarus may be the signing by Minsk on January 9 of an agreement on a visa-free regime with 80 countries, including all members of the European Union and the United States. However, citizens of these countries will only be able to stay in Belarus for 5 days.

The introduction of a border zone on the part of Russia is due to the difference in the migration legislation of the two countries, which “allows persons from third countries to cross the Russian state border from the so-called uncontrolled borders,” a source in one of the regional border departments of the FSB told Gazeta.ru.

Why was there no border zone between Russia and Belarus?

Previously, the border zone between Russia and Belarus did not exist due to the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighborliness and Cooperation signed in 1995.

What is needed to cross the border zone?

To travel to Belarus, Russians, as before, will only need a Russian or foreign passport or birth certificate. To travel from Belarus, citizens only need a passport; for foreigners from the EU, they need international passport or its equivalent. For persons foreign countries, with which in Russia it is not installed without visa regime, you will need a visa, residence permit, temporary residence permit, migration card.

In the border zone, entry and exit controls will be carried out, documents will be checked for those traveling from Russia and to Russia. The posts will be equipped with terminals with access to databases of persons who are prohibited from entering the country for various reasons, a database of Russian debtors, a database of citizens wanted in Russia and Interpol.

In the Bryansk, Smolensk and Pskov regions along the border with Belarus, TASS reports. In the orders of the Director of the FSB, the Border Service of the FSB of the Russian Federation is instructed to “establish places and times for the entry (passage) of persons and vehicles into the border zone,” as well as to install warning signs at the entrances to the border zone. The order is due to come into force on February 7, 2017. Today, there is no border zone in the Smolensk region, in the Bryansk region there is only along the border with Ukraine, in the Pskov region - along the border with Latvia and Estonia.

The border zone regime is a section of terrain up to 5 kilometers long, necessary to protect the state border. Entry of vehicles or passage of people into the border zone is possible only with identification documents and passes issued by border authorities. In Russia, border zones exist in 47 constituent entities; they can pass both by land and by water. Access regimes, that is, entry points, routes and border zone schedules, are determined individually.

The border zone is not equipped in all areas Russian border. "Based on the nature of the relationship Russian Federation with a neighboring state, a border zone may not be established on certain sections of the State Border,” the law says.

The Russian-Belarusian border has existed since the collapse of the USSR, when Belarus and the RSFSR became independent states. In 1995, when the Treaty on the Union State was signed, the complete abolition of border and customs controls was declared, but checkpoints at the border remained and random checks of transport continued until 2011. At the same time, within the framework of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, citizens of both countries have the opportunity to cross the border without visas using an internal passport. Today, the state border between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus is not defined by any agreements and is not marked on the ground - this is the official wording of Rosgranitsa.

On July 1, 2011, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan lifted their internal borders as part of the launch of the Customs Union. All checkpoints on the Russian-Belarusian border have been dismantled. Transport control at the border was abolished even earlier - on April 1, 2011. Last six years cars with Russian and Belarusian license plates crossed the border without stopping; only trucks were subject to random checks.

However, in 2014, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko unilaterally introduced a border zone regime on the Belarusian side. Then this decision was called “the actual suspension of the agreement on Customs Union"and was associated with the cooling of relations between Moscow and Minsk (Russia accused Belarus of condoning the penetration of sanctioned products into the country). For some time after Lukashenko’s order was issued, Belarusian customs officers checked all transport at the border traveling in both directions. But today there are no Belarusian border guards on the border with Russia, as well as a border zone, this statement was made by the State Border Committee of Belarus.

For citizens of Russia and Belarus, the establishment of a border zone does not change anything, said the Russian Ambassador to Minsk Alexander Surikov. According to him, Belarusians will be able to pick mushrooms in the Smolensk forests as before, “but it’s still better to have a passport with you. Border controls on trains from Belarus will not be introduced yet.” “But perhaps in Moscow it will be necessary to “feel out” citizens of third countries,” the ambassador added. - Because the world is very turbulent. ISIS (a terrorist organization banned in Russia. - RNL) has not gone away."

The decision to establish a border zone on the Russian-Belarusian border is a preventive measure against possible border crossings by citizens of third countries, Surikov said. “We respect the sovereignty of Belarus, but we are a little alarmed by this decree on visa-free entry into the national airport for citizens of 80 countries. We are not saying that this is bad or good. Let’s say, citizens of more than a hundred countries enter Russia without visas. But not immediately,” the Sputnik Belarus agency quotes Surikov as saying.

“If citizens of third countries are not allowed through automobile checkpoints, they can enter through aviation ones. For example, we have a visa regime with Georgia, and Belarus has a visa-free regime. We are still looking at this matter narrowly, but already at airports we are starting to keep an eye on citizens of third countries. You must have a visa,” the ambassador noted.

Experts agree that the decision to create border zones should not affect ordinary residents of Russia and Belarus. However, those traveling to Belarus by car or train will have to present documents - at least to Russian border guards. Russians will only need to take with them a domestic or foreign Russian passport(Russian citizens under 14 years old - birth certificate). It is known that the road route through Belarus to Europe was used by emigrants and those citizens of the Russian Federation who, for one reason or another, are prohibited from leaving the country. Now this “window” will be closed for them.

Problems will arise primarily for residents of third countries who used the Russian-Belarusian border as a backdoor to Russia. For example, there is a visa regime between Moscow and Tbilisi, but Georgian citizens bypass it by entering Russian territory through Belarus. You won't be able to pull off this trick again. However, Russian border guards began to fight this phenomenon back in the fall-winter of 2016: first, the Russian border authorities banned EU citizens from entering their territory through the Republic of Belarus, and then the Russian Federation reduced the number of international checkpoints through which cargo carriers from third countries can cross the Belarusian border. Russian border. According to the Russian authorities, the presence in the passport of a valid Russian visa- not a sufficient factor to get into Russia. By law, this can only be done through international checkpoints.

According to sources in the FSB, the border zone regime along the Belarusian border is being introduced to curb the flow of migrants and sanctioned goods. The media associate these measures with Lukashenko’s recent order to introduce visa-free regime for citizens of 80 countries, including the entire European Union and the USA.

The new rules, which come into force on February 12, will apply only to tourists arriving in Belarus for no more than five days. The visa-free travel procedure does not apply to persons arriving in Belarus on flights from Russia, as well as those intending to fly to Russian airports. This is due to the fact that flights between Belarus and Russia are domestic, and therefore there are no border controls. The Belarusian authorities emphasized that they would not allow foreigners to enter the Russian Federation without visas. But, despite their assurances, the FSB Border Service began checking the passports of passengers on Minsk-Moscow flights. It is not clear from the FSB order whether full-fledged border checkpoints will appear on the border with Belarus and whether border guards will conduct universal document checks. Head of the Federation Council Committee on international affairs Konstantin Kosachev stated that the border zones on the border with Belarus are designed exclusively for citizens of third countries - does this mean that only foreigners will be checked, while citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus will be able, as before, to move freely from country to country? In addition, the possibility of organizing a border zone in such a short time : Now there are no serious checkpoints on the roads where all cars and passengers can be inspected. Finally, it is unknown what exactly the inspection procedure will consist of and how long it will take. The Standing Committee of the Union State is currently studying all these issues in order to compare the FSB order with the existing.

legal framework Konstantin Kosachev, speaking on the Rossiya 24 TV channel, also stated that Russia and Belarus can agree on joint visas for foreigners. “I think that we can go much further with our Belarusian friends and use not only restrictive measures, but also agree either on joint, or agree on mutual recognition of visas,” the senator said. He also emphasized that Russia’s decision to introduce border zones with Belarus will not affect ordinary citizens of the Union State. “We have been visiting each other without any obstacles, and we will continue to visit each other,” Kosachev noted.

The official representative of the State Border Committee of Belarus, Anton Bychkovsky, called Moscow’s decision to establish a border zone internal matter Russia, reports Rossiyskaya Gazeta. At the same time, Alexander Lukashenko accused Russia of violating international agreements in connection with the restoration of border zones.

The Standing Committee of the Russian-Belarusian Union State (US) is studying the Russian Federation’s decision to introduce border zones with Belarus, and also does not believe that it provides for any restrictions, State Secretary of the SG Grigory Rapota told RIA Novosti. “The Standing Committee of the Union State is currently studying this issue and, taking into account the clarifications we have received, comparing it with the legal framework that exists. We need time,” Rapota said. According to him, “to a first approximation, we are not talking about restrictions in the border zone, but about streamlining the movement of citizens of Belarus and Russia.” “For citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus traveling by road, rail and by air, nothing will change,” he emphasized.

MOSCOW, July 21 - RIA Novosti, Sergey Belousov. Belarus is open for Russians in every sense of the word, and a trip there is not much different from a visit, for example, by a resident of Pskov to the Smolensk region. However, the laws for motorists in this country still have their own characteristics. About the intricacies of traveling by car to the fraternal republic - in the material of RIA Novosti.

No paperwork

The automobile border between Russia and Belarus changed dramatically at the beginning of 2017: now Russian border guards are stationed at all checkpoints, who carefully check passports and other documents. At the beginning of the year, the Belarusian authorities simplified the rules for entering the country for citizens of 80 countries, so Russian side was forced to take such measures.

However, Russians and Belarusians do not need to worry: all they need to do is show their national passports and calmly cross the border without unnecessary inspections or delays. Medical insurance Russian citizens are not required, the only additional document The car will have an international civil liability insurance policy "Green Card". It can be purchased in advance or bought directly at the border. If the trip is planned only on the territory of Belarus, then the European compulsory motor liability insurance will cost approximately 750 rubles (at the border - up to a thousand rubles). It is better not to neglect purchasing a policy; the fine for its absence will be 3.5 thousand rubles.

Free for paid

There are more than 1.5 thousand kilometers of toll roads in Belarus, but Russian cars weighing up to 3.5 tons, like cars from other countries participating in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), are exempt from tolls.

The speed limit in Belarus is the same as ours: 60 km/h in populated areas, 90 km/h outside the city and 110 km/h on highways marked with a sign with a green background. On six highways, including the main M1/E30 (Moscow - Minsk - Brest), along which most Russians get to Belarus, the speed has been increased to 120 km/h, as indicated by the corresponding signs.

Gasoline costs a little less than in Russia: AI-95 - on average about 38 rubles (in our country - about 40 rubles). A few years ago, it was possible to pay in Russian rubles at Belarusian gas stations, but since 2015, the country switched to cash payments exclusively in the national currency. Bank cards are always an option.

Crimes and Punishments

Belarusian rules traffic similar to ours, with the exception of some details. There, for example, you can move around during daylight hours without low-beam headlights on, and no one will be punished for running fog lights during the day. But young drivers are treated more strictly: if your driving experience is less than two years, in Belarus you can drive at a maximum speed of 70 km/h, moreover, you must stick the corresponding sign on the car in the form of the number 70 in a red circle. Fines for such drivers are calculated accordingly: if an inexperienced driver drives at a permitted speed of 120 km/h, then he is considered to be 50 km/h over the speed limit, with all that it entails.

The amounts of fines are measured in basic units (BV). From January 1, 2017, one BV is equal to 23 denominated Belarusian rubles - this is about 700 of our rubles. In Belarus you can easily lose about seven thousand for simply spitting through an open door while driving. Unfastened seat belt not so “dangerous” - a warning or a 700 ruble fine.

There will be no fine for driving 10 km/h faster than the permitted limit, but then everything is very strict. Exceeding by just 30 km/h in terms of severity of punishment is no different from driving at a speed of 250 km/h: from two to seven thousand rubles. Repeated violations result in deprivation of rights. But this is only if you are caught by traffic cops. Cameras in Belarus are much more loyal to law enforcement officers: the maximum fine for driving in excess of the permissible speed by 40 km/h or more will be about four thousand rubles.

For going to oncoming lane they will be fined seven thousand rubles or their license will be taken away for a year, for talking on the phone while driving they will issue a warning or require a fine of 1.4 thousand rubles, for violating parking rules - 700 rubles or a warning. Due to latest changes In the Russian traffic regulations, which allowed transporting a child aged seven to 12 years in the back seat without using seats, it should be taken into account that different rules apply in Belarus. A child between the ages of five and 12 must sit either in a seat or in a booster seat or cushion that can be safely secured using a seat belt.

Drunks and drug addicts are not liked in Belarus: the punishment for them will be from 35 to 70 thousand rubles plus deprivation of rights for three years. The same penalty applies for refusing to pass medical examination. By the way, the permissible level of alcohol in exhaled air is 0.3 ppm (previously it was 0.5).

You will probably have to pay fines, because local traffic cops are allowed to take away foreign citizens rights until the debt is repaid. Procedural and Executive Code of the Republic of Belarus on administrative offenses allows you to do this in cases of speeding and parking violations. Both “crimes” must be recorded by special automatic means technical means, read - cameras in a traffic police car or mobile radars. No money? Then, in exchange for your license, you will be given a temporary permit.

In addition to the police, hundreds of cameras monitor order on the roads of Belarus. If you get caught speeding, your car may be “caught” before the border by a camera that checks foreign cars based on violations. You will have to pay at the nearest control and payment point (PPO). For example, along the M1/E30 highway it is located 20 km from the border with Russia.

Director Federal service Security of the Russian Federation Alexander Bortnikov immediately established a border zone on the border with Belarus with several orders. As follows from documents published on the portal legal information, the border zone was established to “create the necessary conditions for protecting the state border of the Russian Federation.”

In accordance with the orders of the head of the FSB regional departments in the Smolensk, Pskov, Bryansk regions will have to establish places and times for the entry and passage of persons, as well as vehicles, into the border zone and organize the installation of warning signs.

At the same time, previously there was no border zone on the borders of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation with Belarus. Before this, there was no border zone in the Smolensk region, in the Bryansk region it existed only along the border with Ukraine, and in the Pskov region - along the border with Latvia and Estonia. Bortnikov’s order comes into force on February 7, 2017.

IN explanatory note to the draft of one of Bortnikov’s orders posted on Federal portal draft regulatory legal acts, it is said that the document “is aimed at creating the necessary conditions for protecting the state border of the Russian Federation in the Russian-Belarusian section and carrying out measures to prevent offenses, the fight against which is within the competence of border authorities.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and the State Border Committee have not yet commented on Russia’s introduction of a border zone on the border with the republic.

In January of this year, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree “On establishing a visa-free procedure for the entry and exit of foreign citizens,” which introduces visa-free entry into the country for a period of no more than five days when passing through customs at the Minsk National Airport for citizens of 80 countries. The decree will come into force next week.

Minsk's decision applies to 39 European countries, including the entire European Union, as well as Brazil, Indonesia, the USA, Japan and other countries. “First of all, these are countries that are favorable in terms of migration, strategic partners and states that have unilaterally established a visa-free regime for Belarusian citizens,” explained in Minsk.

In the very near future, to enter Belarus in a visa-free regime, you will only need to have a passport with you, cash(a certain amount in foreign currency or Belarusian rubles based on each day of stay in the country - at least 46 Belarusian rubles) and a medical insurance policy in the amount of at least 10 thousand euros.

At the same time, Minsk explained that the established procedure for visa-free movement of foreigners does not apply to persons arriving in the country on flights from Russia, as well as those intending to fly to Russian airports, because these flights are domestic and border control is not carried out on them.

The Kremlin called the introduction by Belarus of a visa-free regime for the EU countries and a number of others an internal matter of Minsk foreign countries, noting that this step was agreed upon with Moscow. “This is an absolutely internal matter for Belarus,” Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov explained to reporters.

New details about sensational border order

On February 1, 2017, it became known that the FSB of Russia, represented by its director Alexandra Bortnikova issued an order to establish. This news was, to put it mildly, shocking for the Belarusian side: the neighbors did not conduct any preliminary negotiations about a possible innovation and simply presented a fait accompli ­­ – in the Bryansk, Pskov and Smolensk regions along the Belarusian border there will be a special border zone.

Border zone(border zone) is a territory along the border of a state where the free movement of people is limited and there are special rules stay. Thus, the border zone is a security facility where a foreigner may be required not just to have an identity document, but also a whole bunch of additional pieces of paper, without which... Then everyone knows the end of this saying.

A particular information panic was caused by the fact that the FSB order did not specify the exact conditions of entry and exit for both Russians and Belarusians. However, during the day, February 2, appropriate comments were made.

Despite the fact that the new FSB decree does not yet have any extraordinary consequences for Belarusians, the domestic Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not express much enthusiasm for the “innovation”. IN