Organizations helping foreigners

The International Organization for Migration (IOM)

The IOM, if there are active programs, provides assistance in the voluntary return of foreigners to their country of citizenship or previous habitual residence, and also provides advisory assistance on safe travel and stay abroad.

Currently, the IOM office in the Republic of Belarus does not have active voluntary return programs, but work is underway to resume them. Return assistance is provided on an individual basis to the most vulnerable migrants with the assistance of the IOM Headquarters' Humanitarian Assistance Fund for Irregular Migrants in Geneva.

IOM Office
220005, Minsk, Gorny Lane, 3
Tel.: (8-017) 288-27-42

Hotline on safe travel and stay abroad (namely: counseling on preventing labor and sexual exploitation, sexual violence against children, children's safety on the Internet, travel and employment abroad, etc.):
Tel.: 113 - from a landline phone
Tel.: 8-801-201-5555 for calls from mobile phones
Calls are free. Anonymity is guaranteed.

Belarusian Red Cross Society (BRCS)

The BRCS provides the following services:

• provides advice on applying for social assistance and refers to the relevant authorities,
• assists in restoring family ties with close relatives who were lost as a result of armed conflicts,
• distributes food and hygiene kits to the most vulnerable families,
• provides emergency and monthly assistance from UNHCR funds to the most vulnerable persons applying for protection and those who have already been granted protection,
• can reimburse expenses for medicines (up to 80% of the cost) from UNHCR funds to the most vulnerable persons applying for protection and those who have already been granted protection,
• provides information about local employment centers where you can go to look for work,
• provides used clothing and footwear for children and adults.

BRCS Headquarters:
Minsk 220030, Karl Marx St., 35
Tel.: (8-017) 327-14-17

Here you can get the addresses of regional BRCS organizations in nine administrative districts of Minsk.

Regional branches:

• Brest 224005, Karl Marx St., 3
  Tel.: (8-0162) 23-90-48
• Vitebsk 210015, Pravda St., 18
  Tel.: (8-0212) 42-69-05
• Gomel 246050, Proletarskaya St., 9
  Tel.: (8-0232) 74-43-47
• Grodno 230023, Ozheshko St., 1
  Tel.: (8-0152) 74-32-26
• Mogilev 212030, Pervomayskaya St., 52
  Tel.: (8-0222) 70-94-37

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the Republic of Belarus (UNHCR)

The UNHCR provides assistance to individuals applying for protection and those who have already received protection, with a special focus on state procedures related to the application for protection in the Republic of Belarus.

The UNHCR may also refer individuals to the appropriate state authority and/or non-governmental organization if they require special/targeted assistance that can be provided by a specific organization within its powers.

Minsk 220030, Krasnoarmeyskaya St., 22A, offices 79-80
Tel.: (8-017) 328-69-61

Refugee Counseling Service (RCS)

(Joint project of the UNHCR and the public association "Belarusian Movement of Medical Workers")

The RCS provides advisory assistance, primarily on legal issues related to the procedure for granting protection in the Republic of Belarus (application for protection, specifics of the procedure itself), obtaining permits for permanent and temporary residence in the Republic of Belarus, applying for citizenship of the Republic of Belarus, protecting legal rights in court, drafting applications to state authorities, employment, medical care, etc.

Minsk 220104, Olshanski St., 74
Tel.: (8-017) 228-59-64, (8-044) 753-35-72, (8-033) 635-21-66

Regional offices:

• Brest, tel.: (8-033) 633-20-46;
• Vitebsk 210026, Pushkin St., 6A, tel.: (8-0212) 35-97-17, (8-033) 633-18-97;
• Gomel 246032, Yubileynaya St., 8/2, tel.: (8-0232) 58-68-86;
• Grodno, tel.: (8-033) 633-19-94.

Public Association "Club of Business Women" Brest

PA "Club of Business Women" provides foreigners with the opportunity to seek information from the "Hotline for Safe Travel, Stay Abroad and Combating Human Trafficking", where foreigners can consult on issues related to their stay in the Republic of Belarus:

• phone for calls within Belarus:
  8-801-201-5555
  operates from 8.00 to 20.00 without weekends
  free call from landlines, operators "A1", "MTS"
• phone for calls from abroad and mobile phones:
  +375 162 21 88 88
  paid call

ASSISTANCE PROGRAM "VOLUNTARY RETURN" AND REINTEGRATION

The International Organization IOM (International Organization for Migration) implements the Assistance Program for Voluntary Return and Reintegration.

IOM offers assistance to foreigners in the Republic of Belarus who have been denied refugee status or additional protection, those who have abandoned their intention to obtain refugee status, victims of human trafficking, as well as other migrants who intend to voluntarily return to their country of citizenship or previous residence but lack the means and/or travel documents to achieve this goal.

Assistance provided to foreigners under IOM programs includes:

• organization and funding of the return trip;
• assistance in the further settlement of the interested person;
• counseling to make an informed, voluntary decision to return;
• assistance in obtaining an exit document and organization of formalities related to the return, if required.

Individuals interested in receiving assistance with voluntary return can obtain more detailed information:

• by phone regarding voluntary return to their homeland:
  (8-017) 288-25-41/42.
• by visiting the IOM office in person at: Minsk, Gorny Lane, 3.