Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated November 4, 2015 No. 450 announced the 3rd denomination of the national currency since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The 2000 money exchange, which began on July 1, 2016, was a consequence of prolonged hyperinflation in the Republic. The exchange of old money for new ones in Belarus is carried out for:

• facilitating the payment system;
• reducing the costs of issuing banknotes;
• identifying hidden income of the population;
• strengthening the Belarusian ruble against the euro and dollar.

For the population, the key questions were where, how and until when it was possible to exchange old money for new ones.

Is it possible to exchange old money for new ones in Belarus?

Denomination in its simplest sense removes extra zeros from banknotes. Banknotes of the 2000 model are useless on their own. Until December 31, 2016, the country, in fact, had a double price tag for goods, i.e. it was possible to pay with both old and new money.

In all stores in Belarus one could see the conversion table:

Starting from January 1, 2017, only Belarusian banknotes of 2009 have value. The exchange of old money for new ones in Belarus is not only possible, but has become a necessary reality. There is no point in keeping waste paper that is worth nothing.

The exchange amount must be a multiple of 100. If the amount is less than the established limit, the National Bank simply has nothing to give you.

In Russia and Kazakhstan, from January 1, 2017, the exchange of Belarusian currency of the 2000 model for domestic currency is impossible due to their withdrawal. The only option is to exchange them for 2009 banknotes. Then, if desired, you can buy any currency with them.

Only public banknotes can be exchanged. The denomination did not affect investment and commemorative coins issued by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus in recent years before the denomination. They are valid for any payments. The value of each banknote is equal to their face value.

The 2016 denomination was planned already in 2008. New banknotes were developed in 2007, but the 2008 crisis that hit the world economy did not allow Belarus to carry out monetary reform on time. Old-style money is exchanged in Belarus at the rate of 10,000:1. This rate is set at the same rate for the entire exchange period.

Both cash and cards can be exchanged. When withdrawing money from a card, the exchange occurs automatically at the accepted rate. Deposit owners will not have to write a new application for recalculation of funds. Some banks were able to adapt immediately and their customers could withdraw savings from ATMs in the new currency starting July 1, 2016.

Instead of thousandth banknotes, the following are introduced into circulation:

How does denomination happen?

Denomination is the enlargement of a country’s monetary unit. As of June 1, 2016, over 97% of the amount and 60% of all banknotes in circulation among the population in the form of cash were seized.

Currency reform is a measure that the Republic’s economy needed 8-9 years ago. Hyperinflation made every first resident of the country a millionaire. At the same time, banknotes of truly high value were extremely rare. Belarusians had to carry a real money bag with them, and the coins went out of circulation completely. Because of this, the Belarusian banknote has become known as one of the strangest currencies in Europe.

Consolidation is a purely technical event. It does not affect the level of inflation, salaries, the amount of debt obligations, the exchanger works automatically. The same cannot be said about special management and accounting programs, such as 1C. With the introduction of kopecks, it became necessary to move to new configurations; it will be necessary not only to modify the form, but also to update the metadata. You can do this yourself following the instructions if you use a simple accounting system. In other cases, the help of specialists is necessary.

Denomination in the Republic of Belarus began not only 8 years later than expected, but also under very strange circumstances. The National Bank has officially admitted that the first batch of new money has a spelling error (“pyatsdzesyat” instead of “pyatsdzyasyat”) and is a facsimile of the former head of the central bank of Belarus. The fact is that the banknotes were printed back in 2008, since then the country has undergone a change in the leadership of the National Bank and language reform. And since they printed a decent amount of banknotes, they did not redo anything.

The design of the new banknotes, although imbued with pride in national places, was developed by EU artists. Many note the fact that the new Belarusian ruble is similar to the euro. It is noteworthy that money was also printed abroad, in particular in Great Britain.

Where can you exchange old-style money for new ones, and until what time can the exchange be carried out?

Most of the old banknotes were changed in 2017. But up to 7 requests are still received every day to exchange old Belarusian money for new ones. The Republic of Belarus has approved the following dates and places where it is still possible to change old money. signs:

• 01.2018–31.12.2019, inclusive: exchange only in the territory of the Republic of Belarus. You will receive banknotes of the 2009 sample from the National Bank, banking and parabank credit organizations.
• 01.2020–31.12.2021, inclusive: only at the National Bank of the Republic.

On January 1, 2022, the 2000 banknotes were officially declared invalid. The population of Belarus, as well as citizens of other countries who still have that kind of money, have 5 years.

Most of those who have not exchanged their old money at the moment are either holders of 50 ruble banknotes. (according to the devaluation rate, there is simply nothing to exchange such money for in a single quantity) or with a face value of 100,000 rubles. and more. There is a possibility that after some time, high denomination banknotes will be of interest to collectors. Already now there are advertisements online about selling them for n-amount in dollars. Enterprising “millionaires” should keep in mind that numismatists will be interested in specimens preserved in in good shape, as well as a rare series.

Rare and expensive modern Belarusian banknotes

It may not always be profitable to exchange old Belarusian money for new ones. For those who do not understand bonistics, below is a list of banknotes for which collectors are already ready to pay you a tidy sum of money.

Banknotes of rare series:

• 50 rub. 2000 Lo series;
• 100 rub. 2000 TV series;
• 100 rub. 2000 TB series;
• 500 rub. 2000 series Pl;
• 1,000 rub. 2000 series VZ;
• 1,000 rub. 2000 series NG.

Defective banknotes are also of interest. For example, a paper jam occurs when printing. It is very difficult to find them, but if you do, you will get 10 times their real value.

2016 Denomination - Sip fresh air in the economy of Belarus. It is difficult to say whether the decision to push back the deadline by as much as 8 years was correct. Reforms are always difficult, since any violation of the usual way of life, especially concerning the financial well-being of the population, is a period of denial and rampant fraudulent schemes. But in conditions of hyperinflation, this is the only tool that can protect the country from default.

In Belarus (locals say “Belarus”) the Belarusian ruble is used. In mid-February 2017, at the exchange rate of the National Bank of the Republic, 100 Russian rubles cost slightly less than 3.5 Belarusian rubles. The US dollar exchange rate against the local currency at the same time was 1.97.

People call Belarusian money “bunnies”. In the 1990s, the first banknotes of independent Belarus featured representatives of the local fauna, and there was a hare on the ruble bill. Now Belarusian money has had a new design for several years, but the colloquial name remains the same.

What to travel with from Russia

It is best to travel from Russia to Belarus with Russian rubles, and then exchange them for local currency in the country of arrival. This is recommended by travel sites and people who have already visited the republic. The main reasons for this are the following:

1. There are many exchange offices and bank branches in Belarus where they exchange currency. Moreover, this applies not only to Minsk. Exchange offices can be found even in small towns.
2. In places where there are a lot of tourists, exchangers can be found almost at every turn. So, in the building of the Minsk railway station, at the airport there are several of them.
3. The exchange rate at Belarusian exchange offices is very favorable for the client.
4. In Belarusian exchange offices there will be no problems with ignorance of the language. Everyone in the republic speaks Russian.
5. Buying Belarusian rubles in Russia is quite problematic; not every bank sells them, even in Moscow. This currency can be found in exchange offices, in particular at the Belorussky railway station. But in the Russian outback, the “bunny” is exotic.

In Belarus there is also a free exchange of American dollars or euros. But, of course, it’s not worth buying these currencies specifically for the subsequent acquisition of “bunnies” - this is both unprofitable and unnecessary.

Cashless option

In addition to cash, you should take a plastic card with you to Belarus. If you have a card from one of the international payment systems, you can freely pay in many shops and restaurants. In large cities, cards are accepted almost everywhere.

It does not matter in what currency your card was issued: Russian rubles, dollars or euros. You can just go with your “salary”. You will make a purchase in Belarusian rubles, and your bank will debit the amount in the currency of your account. Moreover, the conversion will take place at a preferential rate.

In addition, using Visa or MasterCard cards, you can exchange your “card” money for Belarusian rubles at local ATMs or cash points. Again, at a favorable rate. But please note: there is usually a fee for withdrawing money from a non-native ATM. Therefore, it makes sense to cash out an impressive amount at once, and not a couple of hundred rubles.

Please note: if the card is a credit card, there will be a fee for withdrawing cash. And usually quite big. Therefore, use a credit card only for payments in retail chains, and go to the ATM with a debit card.

Knowledgeable tourists recommend dividing the money you plan to take with you when traveling to Belarus. Place the main amount on a plastic debit card so that you can conveniently pay and withdraw money from it. And for small expenses, immediately upon arrival in the republic, purchase Belarusian rubles.

Moreover, it is better not to buy too many “bunnies”. If you do not have time to spend them during your trip, you will have to go to the exchange office with them again before leaving. And in Russia it will be much more difficult to sell Belarusian money.

Just in case

In conclusion, advice from experienced travelers. Sometimes it's better if you already have some local currency in your pocket when you arrive in the country. Just in case. Even if you are going to “brotherly” Belarus.

There will be no problems if you arrive by train or plane. At large train stations and airports you can exchange Russian money for Belarusian money, usually even at night.

But it's a completely different matter if you travel by car. And so, when the border of two countries is crossed, some difficulty arises. For example, ends drinking water, gas runs out or the car gets stuck. And you are in a rural area, where cards are not accepted and there are no exchangers.

You won't be able to pay in Russian rubles anywhere. Dollars or euros too. Well, if only you agree with someone privately. Therefore, if you can buy some “bunnies” before traveling to Belarus, buy them.

Close economic ties, as well as the territorial proximity of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Belarus provoke frequent trips by citizens of one country to another. Naturally, it is not always possible to buy the currency of a third-party state in advance. Or after visiting it, foreign monetary units remain. In any of these cases the question of exchange arises. In particular, where can you convert Belarusian rubles into Russian ones. Considering that our portal specializes in the Russian banking system, we decided to identify which domestic credit institutions carry out this operation. The issue with Belarusian rubles of 2000 and banknotes of an earlier sample from 1992-1999 was also considered, since some of these banknotes, subject to certain conditions, can be exchanged for Russian rubles.

Where to convert cash Belarusian rubles to Russian rubles

We analyzed information on the official websites of the largest domestic banks about the service of exchanging cash foreign currency into national currency. Small credit institutions were not included in the assessment, since their resources often do not contain details of all the possibilities of the operation in question. As it turned out, only one bank provides the opportunity to exchange Belarusian rubles into Russian ones. It is Sberbank. Moreover, only 15 of its branches throughout the country are vested with the corresponding right.

It is worth noting that it is not necessarily only Sberbank that provides the service of exchanging the national currency of the Republic of Belarus into domestic monetary units. This may also be available in small regional credit institutions. Or at exchange offices, for example, airports, border areas, railway stations, etc. Unfortunately, it is not possible to analyze these options remotely, since information about their activities is either incomplete or completely absent on the Internet. Therefore, monitoring of such methods of the conversion in question must be carried out in the form of personal visits.

Separately, two nuances can be noted regarding Sberbank conversion centers. Firstly, they offer the opportunity to exchange not only Belarusian rubles for Russian rubles, but also 14 other types of foreign currencies. Secondly, it clearly traces the option of determining the offices in which the service in question will be available. They were selected not on a territorial basis, for example, to cover the majority of regions or to make offices as accessible as possible for nearby ones, but according to the population size in the cities of presence. 15 conversion centers are located in 15 Russian cities with the largest population.

Where to change Belarusian money of 2000 and earlier, and how much they cost

The above exchange offices accept Belarusian rubles exclusively from the 2009 model. Other monetary units that were previously in circulation in the Republic of Belarus cannot be directly converted into another currency, for example, the Russian ruble. At the same time, it is worth considering that in Belarus the denomination was carried out twice. Accordingly, there may be two versions of banknotes on hand - 2000 and 1992-1999. The possibility of their use differs. Therefore, both options should be considered separately.

How to change Belarusian money from 2000 to rubles

As stated above, it is impossible to directly exchange Belarusian rubles of 2000 into Russian ones. Although, there is still a solution to the issue. These samples are being replaced with new ones - 2009. This can be done exclusively on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. That is, it is impossible to make a replacement in Russia or any other country. The operation time is limited. Depending on the possible point, they can be divided into two periods.

1. Until January 1, 2020, Belarusian money from 2000 can be exchanged for new money from 2009 at any credit institution in Belarus. That is, in any bank. Whether it is commercial or state-owned does not matter.
2. Until January 1, 2022 - exclusively at the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NB RF).

After replacing old samples with new ones, it becomes possible to convert Belarusian rubles into Russian ones. Here it is worth considering an additional nuance - the denomination rate. That is, a decrease in the denomination of banknotes. The ratio is 10,000 to 1. Accordingly, instead of Belarusian rubles of 2000, 10,000 times less rubles of the new 2009 model will be provided.

For example, if you have 5,000 rubles from 2000, then after replacing them the holder will receive 50 kopecks of the Belarusian currency of 2009. It is these 50 kopecks that in the future will be possible to exchange for Russian rubles at the above conversion centers.

After the deadline (from January 1, 2022), the national currency of the Republic of Belarus of the 2000 model is canceled. That is, it completely loses its value. It will be impossible to exchange it for newer samples and especially for other currencies. The only option to get at least some money for it is to sell it to collectors.

Is it possible to replace banknotes from 1992-1999?

Regarding Belarusian rubles 1992-1999. These monetary units were withdrawn from circulation on January 1, 2000. The allotted period for replacing them with newer models was 4 years. That is, they could be replaced with 2000 rubles before January 1, 2004. With a denomination rate of 1000 to 1. Thus, at the moment it is impossible to use banknotes from 1992-1999. Not by any means. Naturally, if we do not consider selling them to collectors.

Alternative options for converting Belarusian rubles into Russian rubles

These methods do not provide for the direct exchange of cash monetary units of the Republic of Belarus into the national currency of the Russian Federation. There are two options in total.

1. Transfer from card to card.
2. Electronic means.

The first involves sending money from a plastic payment instrument with an account in Belarusian rubles to a card with an account in Russian rubles. When performing an operation, a forced conversion is performed. Accordingly, a person ultimately receives the national currency of the Russian Federation. You can complete the transaction through most online banking services, specialized services on the websites of credit institutions and third-party resources.

It is important to consider the nuances of this operation:

• Transfers can be made using the card number. The main thing is that the recipient and sender have plastic from international payment systems. For example, MasterCard or Visa.
• Before performing the operation, you should contact the issuing bank, whose call center number is always indicated on the plastic itself, to clarify the exchange rate. Sometimes it can be quite unprofitable.
• The transfer period may be quite long. The delay in some cases reaches 5 working days. These include: Monday-Friday. Naturally, dates that are defined as public holidays are also subtracted from them.

Electronic money involves the use of the WebMoney service, which allows you to open accounts in different currencies, exchange them online, and also transfer money to other users of the system anywhere in the world. Important nuance is that to carry out the conversion you first need to top up your online wallet, and then withdraw funds after the exchange. In fact, this can only be done if one person is registered in Belarus and the second in Russia. You can top up or withdraw money in WebMoney only in the national currency of the service user’s place of residence.