Giving birth in Argentina for families from Belarus

In short

Belarusian citizens do not need a visa for Argentina — up to 90 consecutive days within a year of first entry. That is usually enough for a 2–3 month birth trip. The child becomes a Belarusian citizen automatically if at least one parent is Belarusian, but Belarus does not recognise the second (Argentine) citizenship.

The main difference from other countries is Decree No. 278: since September 7, 2023, Belarusian missions abroad no longer issue or replace passports and rarely certify powers of attorney. So anything that needs a power of attorney or an apostille at home must be done in Belarus before you fly.

Entry and length of stay

• Under the Belarus–Argentina agreement (in force since May 19, 2017), holders of ordinary passports may stay without a visa for up to 90 consecutive days from the date of first entry within a year. The Cancillería list also puts Belarus in the “up to 90 days” group.
• Migraciones only considers an extension of a tourist stay before it expires. Given the agreement’s annual limit, do not treat an extension as plan A — it is better to fit the trip within 90 days.
• After the birth, the parents apply for residence on family-reunification grounds — from then on their status is confirmed by the precaria. Since DNU 366/2025 this is temporary residence; details in Parents’ residence and DNI.
• At the border you may be asked for a return ticket, an address and health coverage; tourist policies usually do not cover childbirth — see health insurance during pregnancy.

Flights and connections

There are no direct flights from Minsk to the EU, so the route to Buenos Aires usually goes through Istanbul, Dubai or Moscow, connecting to a flight to South America (often with a stop in São Paulo or Rio).

• An airside connection in Istanbul or Dubai usually does not require a visa. With separate tickets, when you must re-check luggage, check the airport’s rules.
• Going overland via Vilnius or Warsaw requires a Schengen visa — that is not transit but entry into the EU.
• You cannot fly via the USA without a US visa: there is no transit zone there.
• If the flight stops in Brazil and you stay in transit, a Brazilian visa is usually not needed; if you leave the airport or have a separate ticket, check the rules for Belarusian citizens in advance.
• After week 28 airlines ask for a doctor’s letter, and close to week 36 they may refuse boarding. How to prepare for the flight: Mom-to-be, you are not alone.

Documents and apostille — only in Belarus

Belarus and Argentina are both parties to the Hague Convention, so Belarusian documents need an apostille for Argentina. Since Decree No. 278, the apostille is issued only by the competent authorities in Belarus; documents can be submitted by the holder in person or by a representative with a power of attorney made in Belarus.

1. Passports of both parents with plenty of validity: a passport can no longer be renewed or replaced abroad.
2. Marriage certificate and your own birth certificates — apostilled.
3. Police clearance certificates for both parents — apostilled. You will need them for residence; getting a new one from Argentina without a power of attorney made in Belarus is difficult.
4. Order duplicates of documents you may need later (birth certificates of older children, name-change documents) and apostille them too.
5. Check the Latin spelling of names in all passports.

In Argentina, documents are translated by a sworn translator; Migraciones does not accept translations made in Minsk.

The path in Argentina

The birth at the clinic, registration at the Registro Civil (within 40 days by law), the baby’s DNI and Argentine passport, then the parents’ residence via RaDEX. The full route is in the guide Birth in Argentina: step by step. The Argentine partida has no “patronymic” field, while Belarusian documents will have one: decide in advance how to write the name — see Patronymics in foreign documents.

The child’s citizenship and dual citizenship

• Under the Law on Citizenship of Belarus as amended in 2023, a child is a Belarusian citizen by birth if at least one parent is a Belarusian citizen, regardless of the place of birth. Citizenship arises automatically with no separate decision, but it has to be confirmed in documents — at the embassy or by the internal affairs authorities.
• Dual citizenship is not recognised: for Belarusian authorities the child is only a Belarusian citizen and uses Belarusian documents in Belarus. He or she does not lose Argentine citizenship, though.
• In practice: the child enters and leaves Belarus on a Belarusian document, and leaves Argentina on an Argentine passport (Argentines leave the country on Argentine documents).

The embassy in Buenos Aires: what it can do

There is a Belarusian embassy in Buenos Aires, which also covers several neighbouring countries. Before visiting, check the opening hours and appointment system on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

For anything concerning the child you will need the Argentine partida with the Cancillería apostille (requested online through TAD) and a translation, the parents’ passports and the marriage certificate. Check the translation requirements with the embassy.

The child’s passport and travelling to Belarus

• A Belarusian passport for the child is issued only in Belarus — at a citizenship and migration office or at the Main Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• To bring the child home, the embassy issues a certificate of return — a document for a single entry into Belarus. Apply for it early, before buying tickets.
• The child flies out of Argentina on an Argentine passport (RENAPER offers an express option). If only one parent is travelling with the child, a notarised authorisation from the other parent is required.

Scenario: we are staying in Argentina

If you do not plan to go back in the coming years, Decree No. 278 makes preparation especially important.

• Powers of attorney for a relative — signed with a notary in Belarus before you fly: to obtain and apostille documents (police certificates, duplicate certificates), to rent out or sell your home, for banking and pension matters. From Argentina, in most cases you can no longer make such a power of attorney for Belarusian authorities. Details: Powers of attorney before departure.
• Validity of the parents’ passports: if a passport expires in a year or two and you do not plan to go back, think ahead about renewing your Argentine residence — Migraciones needs a valid passport.
• The child’s citizenship can be confirmed at the embassy without leaving Argentina; the passport can wait until your first trip to Belarus — you will then travel on a certificate of return.
• Consular registration for long-term residents abroad makes dealing with the embassy easier.

Common mistakes

• Flying with a passport that expires in a few months — it can no longer be replaced abroad.
• Not apostilling police certificates before departure and then looking for a way to order them from Argentina.
• Relying on a power of attorney signed before an Argentine notary for a property deal in Belarus.
• Buying tickets to Minsk before getting the child’s certificate of return.
• Different Latin spellings of the surname in the parents’ passports and in the partida.
• Thinking the extension can be filed with Migraciones after the 90 days have run out.

How we help

We check your Belarusian documents and powers of attorney before you fly, handle the birth, registration, the baby’s DNI and passport and the parents’ residence, and prepare the documents for the embassy. Other countries are on the Birth by country page, and embassy and translator contacts are in the directory. Confirming the child’s citizenship and home-country documents is part of the “Baby’s documents back home” package ($290); full support is the Premium package.

Other countries: Kazakhstan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Israel.