Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Latvia And The Government Of The State Of Israel On The Abolition  Of Visa Requirements For Holders Of Regular National Passport

The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the State of Israel (hereinafter referred to as the "Contracting Parties"),

CONSIDERING the interest of the two countries in promoting the friendly relations between them, and

DESIRING to simplify and facilitate the travelling procedures between the two countries,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

For the purposes of this Agreement the term "national passport" means the regular travelling passport of the Republic of Latvia and the State of Israel, respectively.

Article 2

Citizens of either Contracting Party, holding valid national passports authorising the crossing of State borders, shall be allowed to enter, leave, transit and stay on the territory of the State of the other Contracting Party without visas, for up to ninety (90) days.

Article 3

Subject to the foregoing provisions, persons benefiting under this Agreement shall, while in Latvia or in Israel, comply with the laws and regulations applicable to foreigners in respect of entry and residence, temporary or permanent, and shall not take up any employment or other remunerated work, unless proper authorisation has been given by the respective Government.

Article 4

Citizens of either Contracting Party who, whilst in the territory of the other Contracting Party, lose the valid document authorising the crossing of the State borders, shall immediately notify relevant authorities in that State. Such authorities shall issue, free of charge, a certificate conforming the notification of the loss. The diplomatic mission or consular office of the State concerned will issue a new document authorising the crossing of the State borders on the basis of such a certificate.

Article 5

The provisions of this Agreement do not affect the right of each Contracting Party to refuse its consent for the entry into, or stay on its territory, of any citizen of the other Contracting Party whose presence it may consider undesirable.

Article 6

Each Contracting Party undertakes to permit re-entrance into its respective territory, without major formalities, of any of its citizens.

Article 7

The Governments of the Republic of Latvia and of the State of Israel reserve the right to temporarily suspend the application of this Agreement, except for Article 6 thereof, for reasons of public order or national security, by giving the other Government immediate notice through diplomatic channels.

Article 8

Notifications of any changes concerning the terms of entry, stay or departure of persons pursuant to this Agreement shall be transmitted immediately through diplomatic channels to the other Contracting Party.

Article 9

1. The Contracting Parties shall exchange, through diplomatic channels, specimens of their valid travel documents, not later than thirty (30) days from the date of the entry into force of this Agreement.

2. In case of any changes in the travel documents currently in use or the introduction of new travel documents, their specimens shall be transmitted in the same manner, not later than thirty (30) days before their introduction.

Article 10

The present Agreement shall enter into force for an initial period of one year, ninety (90) days from the date of the second of the diplomatic Notes by which the Contracting Parties notify each other that their internal legal procedures for the entering into force of the Agreement have been complied with. The validity of the Agreement shall be automatically extended for additional periods of one year each, unless either Contracting Party notifies the other, by diplomatic Note, of its intention to terminate it, no later than thirty (30) days before the end of each period.

DONE at Jerusalem, on the 8 May 2000, which corresponds to the 3rd day of IYAR 5760, in Latvian, Hebrew and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.