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Sweden’s Migration Agency has updated its legal position on issuing foreigner’s passports to Belarusian citizens.
In the agency’s legal position, published on Monday, it is acknowledged that Belarusian citizens cannot obtain passports at diplomatic missions representing their country abroad. The agency also cites a statement by the UN Special Rapporteur, which says that the ban on issuing and exchanging passports abroad “is part of a policy of punishing Belarusians living in exile, including human rights defenders, journalists and members of the opposition, for their alleged political disloyalty.”
“Under the circumstances, Belarusians should not be encouraged to travel to their country to obtain a passport. In practice, this means that Belarusian citizens who are abroad (that is, outside Belarus) will not be able to obtain a document that serves as a passport”, the document says.
Thus, Belarusian citizens will have the right to obtain a foreigner’s passport in Sweden, although with one restriction — such a document will not be valid for travel to their home country.