Commission communication pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 2317/95 of 25 September 1995 determining the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of the Member States
C 101/4 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 4. 98 Commission communication pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 2317/95 of 25 September 1995 determining the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of the Member States (˛) (98/C 101/03) Update and revision of information published on 14 June 1997 pursuant to Articles 2 and 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2317/95 - Information provided by the Member States as at 5 February 1998 A. 1. Inventory of visa regimes applied to countries not featured on the common list annexed to Council Regulation (EC) No 2317/95 (ˇ) Third countries BNL(*) DK Antigua and Barbuda V V Australia Bahamas Barbados Belize Bolivia BosniaÜHerzegovina Botswann Brazil Brunei Chile Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Dominica Ecuador El Salvador Estonia Grenada Guatemala Honduras Israel V V V V V V V V V V V V D V V V V V V E V V V V V V V EL V V V V V V V VØ(b) F V V V V V V V V IRL V I V A V P V FIN V S V UK VØ(f) V VØ(a) V VØ(c) VØ(a) V V V V V V VØ(a) V V V V VØ(c) V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V VØ(e) V V V V V V V V VØ(b) V VØ(d) V V V V V V V V V VØ(d) V V V V VØ(c) V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V (˛) OJ L 234, 3. 10. 1995, p. 1. (ˇ) "V’ whose nationals are subject to visa requirements by one or more Member States (Article 2(1)). 3. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 101/5 Third countries BNL(*) DK D EL Jamaica Kenya Kiribati Latvia Lesotho Lithuania Malawi Malaysia Marshall Islands Micronesia Namibia Nauru Nicaragua V V V V V V V V V V V ++ V V V V V V Northern Marianas V V E V V V V V V V V V V V F V V V V V V V V V V V V V V IRL I A V V V V V P V V V VØ(c) VØ(a) V VØ(c) V V VØ(c) VØ(a) V V V V V V V V V V V V V V VØ(c) V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V Panama Paraguay Poland Seychelles Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa St KittsØ&ØNevis St Lucia St Vincent and Grenadines Swaziland Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) VØ(b) V V V V V V V V V(a) V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V VØ(a) V V V V V V V V V V VØ(c) V V V V V V V V V VØ(a) V V V V V V V FIN S UK V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V Tuvalu V V V V V V V V V V V United States of America VØ(d) C 101/6 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 4. 98 Third countries BNL(*) DK Vanuatu Vatican State Venezuela Western Samoa Zimbabwe V V V V V V D V ⁄ V V EL V V V V E V V V F V V V V IRL V I V A V P V FIN V S V UK V VØ(f) V VØ(c) V V V V V V V V (*) Note: In application of the Convention of 20 April 1960, and in particular Article 3, the countries of Benelux have a harmonised policy in relation to short stay visas for third countries. Further information: (a) Austria: For BosniaÜHerzegovina, Latvia and Lithuania: holders of diplomatic passports are exempt. For Bahamas, Barbados, Seychelles, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago: holders of diplomatic passports or official duty passports are exempt. (b) Greece: Requires sea crew from Brazil and Poland to be in possession of visas. For Guatemala holders of diplomatic passports or official duty passports are exempt. (c) Italy: For Panama, holders of diplomatic passports are exempt, holders of official duty passports are exempt for a maximum of 90 days; for Barbados, Botswana, Dominica, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Samoa and Swaziland: holders of diplomatic passports or official duty passports are exempt for a maximum of 90 days. (d) France: For Chile and Israel, holders of diplomatic passports are subject to the visa requirement; this requirement also applies to the following categories of US national: - holders of diplomatic passports or officials on mission, - students, - journalists on mission, - sea and air crew on duty. (e) Germany: For El Salvador, holders of official duty passports are exempt for a maximum of 90 days. ⁄ In accordance with é 4 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 Durchführungsverordnung zum Ausl…ndergesetz (Regulations implementing the Aliens Law), holders of Vatican passports, irrespective of their nationality, are exempt from fulfilling the requirements for residence for a period of 90 days. (f) Portugal: For Australia, holders of diplomatic and official duty passports, and for Venezuela, holders of official duty passports, are subject to the visa requirement. ++ Denmark: Exemption also applies to holders of Latvian aliens passports. A. 2. Inventory of countries whose nationals are exempted from the visa requirement by all Member States Note: This information is not specifically required by the Regulation. Andorra Argentinia Canada Czech Republic Cyprus Hungary Iceland Japan Korea (Republic)Ø(g) Liechtenstein Malta Mexico Monaco New Zealand Norway San Marino Slovak Republic Slovenia Switzerland Uruguay (g) Germany: For Korea (Republic), holders of official duty passports are exempt for a maximum of 90 days. 3. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 101/7 A. 3. List of dependent territories of the Member States whose nationals are subject to the visa requirement by one or more Member States Territories BNL DK D EL E F IRL I A P FIN S UK Territories under United Kingdom administrationØ(*) Bermuda Montserrat St Helena VØ(h) V V V V V Territory under Portuguese administration Macao V V V V V V V V V V V V VØ(i) V VØ(j) V (*) Hong Kong ceased to be a dependent territory on 1 July 1997. Benelux, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom grant visa free access to the holders of British national (overseas) passports. Ireland and the United Kingdom also grant visa free access to holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports. (h) Denmark: except for holders of British dependent territories citizen passports. (i) Italy: require holders of "Documents (or certificates) of identity for visa purposes’ (Macao) to be in possession of visas. (j) Portugal: exempts holding of Portuguese aliens passports. B. Territorial entities and authorities which are not recognised (Article 2(3)) The nationals of territorial entities and authorities which are not recognised as States by any Member State are subject to the visa requirement by all Member States. Territory BNL DK Palestinian Authority V V D V EL V E V F V IRL V I V A V P V FIN V S V UK V C. Situation of Stateless persons and recognised refugees and the visa requirement for first entry into the territory (Article 2(2)) Member States Stateless personsØ(˛) Recognised refugeesØ(ˇ) Comments Benelux Visa mandatory Visa mandatory DenmarkØ(i) Visa mandatoryØ(ii) Visa mandatory GermanyØ(iii) Visa mandatory, exÜ cept for persons issued with travel documents by a country whose nationals are not reÜ quired to possess visas Visa mandatory, exÜ cept for persons issued with travel documents by a country whose nationals are not reÜ quired to possess visas - Travel documents valid for at least four months required - This exemption does not apply to persons entered who have illegally or have been deported illegal residence for C 101/8 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 4. 98 Member States Stateless personsØ(˛) Recognised refugeesØ(ˇ) Comments GreeceØ(—) Spain FranceØ(—) Ireland Italy AustriaØ(—) Portugal FinlandØ(i) SwedenØ(i) Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Visa mandatory United Kingdom Visa mandatory Visa mandatory Explanatory notes (˛) Within the meaning of the New York Convention of 28 September 1954 relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (to which not all Member States are Contracting Parties). (ˇ) Within the meaning of the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951 and the Protocol of 31 January 1967 relating to the Status of Refugees. (—) With the exception of Austria, Greece and France, the Member States apply, on a reciprocal basis, the European Agreement on the abolition of visas for refugees, done at Strasbourg on 20 April 1959. Article 1 of this Agreement is worded as follows: "1. Refugees lawfully resident in the territory of a Contracting Party shall be exempt, under the terms of this Agreement and subject to reciprocity, from the obligation to obtain visas for entering or leaving the territory of another Party by any frontier, provided that: (a) they hold a valid travel document issued in accordance with the Convention on the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951 or the Agreement relating to the issue of a travel document to refugees of 15 October 1946, by the authorities of the Contracting Party in whose territory they are lawfully resident; (b) their visit is of not more than three months’ duration. 2. A visa may be required for a stay of longer than three months or for the purpose of taking up gainful employment in the territory of another Contracting Party. ’ France, which is a Contracting Party to this Agreement, has suspended its application pursuant to Article 7 thereof, with effect from 16 September 1986. (i) Applies to the whole of the territory covered by Article 1(2) of the Nordic Convention of 12 July 1957 relating to the abolition of passport controls, including Iceland, Norway and the Faeroes; exemption from visa requirement for Stateless persons holding travel documents issued by Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Norway which entitle the persons concerned to return to their territory. (ii) 90Üday exemption for holders of the Certificate of Status "For Stateless Alien’ issued by the US military authorities in Germany. (iii) Stateless persons and refugees who are in the country lawfully and are not the subject of a deportation order are exempt from the visa requirement for a three month period, on condition they do not exercise an economic activity, in so far as their passports have been (a) issued by the authorities of one of the countries or territories listed below and (b) entitle the holder to return and are still valid for at least four months. List of countries concerned: Andorra, Argentina, Australia (including the Cocos, Norfolk and Christmas Islands), Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France (including French Guiana, Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, R~union, St Pierre and Miquelon), Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Korea (Republic), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands (including the Netherlands Antilles), New Zealand (including the Cook, Niue and Tokelau Islands), Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal (including Macao), San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man), United States of America (including the Virgin Islands, Samoa, Guam and Puerto Rico), Uruguay, Venezuela. 3. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 101/9 D. Categories of nationals of third countries on the common list who are exempt from the visa requirement within the meaning of Article 4(1) of the Regulation I. GENERAL COMMENTS: Article 4(1) refers to the following categories: 1 = holders of diplomatic passports 2 = holders of official duty passports and other official passports 3 = civilian air and sea crew, etc. 4 = flight crew and attendants on emergency or rescue flights and other helpers in the event of disaster or accident 5 = others For the categories referred to in 1, 2 and 3 the Member States have entered into international commitments which provide for general or specific exemption from the visa requirement. Examples of these agreements include the Vienna Convention of 18 April 1961 on Diplomatic Relations, or relating to transport, the Chicago Convention of 7 December 1944 on InterÜ national Civil Aviation, and particularly its Annex 9 or the International Labour Organisation’s Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention, 1958 (No 108). Under point 5, it should be noted that there is an exemption for third country schoolchildren resident in a Member State of the European Union travelling as part of a school trip in accordance with the joint action 94/795/JHA (OJ L 327, 19. 12. 1994) with the exception of Portugal. II. SPECIFIC INFORMATION The information given below is more specific to the Member States, and varies depending on the agreements they have signed with the third countries concerned with a view to dispensing with the visa requirement for the categories of nationals of third countries listed pursuant to Article 4(1) of the Regulation. Benelux: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports or official duty passports: Cłte d’Ivoire, Morocco, Pakistan, Senegal, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey - Holders of diplomatic passports: Romania and Chad - Holders of United Nations passes - Holders of a NATO mission order 3: - Exemption for civilian air and sea crew - Special conditions for the internal navigation of the Rhine Denmark: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: India, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, and Turkey - Holders of United Nations passes - Holders of a NATO mission order 3: - Exemption for civilian air and sea crew Germany: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports: Bulgaria, India and Morocco - Holders of official duty passports: Ghana, Pakistan, Philippines, Senegal, Thailand, Turkey and Chad. These are exempt for a maximum of 90 days 3: 4: - Exemption for civilian air and sea crew - Special conditions for the internal navigation of the Rhine and Danube - Flight crew and attendants on emergency or rescue flights and other helpers in the event of disaster or accident C 101/10 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 4. 98 Greece: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Albania, Bulgaria, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) (Montenegro and Serbia) - Holders of diplomatic passports: Romania Spain: 1 and 2: - For Bulgaria, Marocco, Romania and Tunisia: exemption for holders of diplomatic passports for a maximum of 90 days - For the Philippines and Turkey: exemption for holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports for a maximum of 90 days 3: - Exemption for civilian air and sea crew France: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports, official duty or special passports: Turkey - Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Cłte d’Ivoire - Holders of diplomatic passports: Gabon, Morocco, Romania, Senegal, Tunisia 3: - Exemption for civilian air crew within the meaning of Annex 9 of the Chicago Convention of 7 December 1944 on International Civil Aviation - Exemption for civilian sea crew holding certificates Convention No 108 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) of 13 May 1958, in accordance with the International Convention of 9 May 1965 5: - Holders of French residence documents (with the exception of documents issued by New Caledonia, Wallis and Fortuna, French Polynesia, SaintÜPierre and Miquelon), or by Monaco - Holders of residence documents issued by: Benelux, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Austria or Portugal Ireland: 3: - Exemption for civilian air and sea crew members Italy: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports: Peru - Holders of diplomatic passports: Albania, Romania; exempted for a maximum of 30 days - Holders of official duty passports: Peru; exempted for a maximum of 90 days - Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Mauritania, Philippines, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey - Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports exempted for a maximum of 90 days: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cłte d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Gambia, Guyana, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Maldive, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Uganda, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) (Montenegro and Serbia) - For Egypt, Cłte d’Ivoire, Morocco, Romania, Russia and Senegal: exemption for civilian sea crew limited to the city and port area until the ship sails from port - For Taiwan: exemption for civilian air crew - For Turkey: exemption for holders of special passports 3: 5: 3. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 101/11 Austria: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Cłte d’Ivoire, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey - Holders of diplomatic passports: Romania, Bulgaria, FYROM - Holders of United Nations passes - Persons benefiting from privileges and immunities holding special identity cards - Customs and immigration officials working in cooperation with the Austrian authorities - Members of IFOR in transit - For Bulgaria: exemption for sea crew (Danube) - Flight crew and attendants on emergency or rescue flights and other helpers in the event of disaster or accident - Sports teams in transit, political guests - Train crews in transit 3: 4: 5: Portugal: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports: Romania - Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Angola, Cape Verde, Morocco, Mozambique and Tunisia - Exemption for civilian sea crew holding certificates issued by signatories to Convention No 108 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and for civilian air crew holding licences and certificates within the meaning of Annexes 1 to 9 of the Chicago Convention of 7 December 1944 on InterÜ national Civil Aviation 3: Finland: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Pakistan, PhilÜ ippines, Thailand, Turkey Sweden: 1 and 2: - Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey United Kingdom: 1 and 2: - Accredited members of diplomatic missions in London and their families (unless the person was recruited locally while in the United Kingdom and is not a diplomatic agent). In the case of nationals from countries who are subject to a visa requirement a gratis exempt visa should be obtained prior to travel to facilitate entry into the United Kingdom - Persons exempted by the Secretary of State (in effect, persons employed by international organisations) - Members of the home (armed) forces, and members of Commonwealth or NATO forces serving in the United Kingdom or attending training courses 3: 5: - Exemption for civilian air and sea crew members who are arriving in or departing from the United Kingdom as crew members - Persons with the right of abode in the United Kingdom