Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on the Abolition of Visa Requirements

The Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus (hereinafter referred to as the Contracting Parties), desirous of further deepening friendly relations between the two States and of facilitating travel by their citizens and thus contacts between them,

have agreed to conclude this Agreement on the Abolition of Visa Requirements.

Article 1

(1) Citizens of the Republic of Cyprus and citizens of Latvia shall be exempted from visa requirements to the extent and under the conditions as laid down in the present Agreement.

(2) "Citizens" - for the purpose of this Agreement - shall mean persons who hold the citizenship of either State under the laws and regulations of the respective State.

Article 2

(1) Citizens of either State who hold a valid travel document as referred to in the Annex to this Agreement, which is an integral part of it, may enter the territory of the other State without a visa and stay there for a period up to ninety (90) days during one calendar year.

(2) Citizens of either State who wish to stay on the territory of the other State, as visitors, for a period of more than ninety (90) days during one calendar year, shall obtain the necessary permit from the authorities of the receiving State. They may apply for such a permit either before their arrival or during their first sixty (60) days stay in the receiving State.

(3) Citizens of either State who wish to enter the territory of the other State for the purpose of permanent residence, employment or studies, with the exception of the case referred to in Article 3, must obtain residence permits or approval for such permits from the competent authorities of the receiving State prior to their entry.

Article 3

Holders of diplomatic and service passports assigned to work at the diplomatic missions, consular offices and international organisations on the territory of the other State may enter its territory and stay there without visas for the duration of their assignment. The receiving State shall be notified of their stay by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the sending State to the diplomatic mission of the receiving in fifteen (15) days before their assignment to work. The rights resulting from the principles defined in this Article will be extended to the members of families, provided they are holders of documents as referred to in the Annex to this Agreement.

Article 4

Citizens of each of the two States may cross the state frontier of the other State at any border crossing point open to international traffic.

Article 5

(1) The Contracting Parties shall, before the entry into force of this Agreement, provide each other, with specimens of valid travel documents, and will be providing each other with specimens of new valid travel documents at least thirty (30) days prior to their introduction.

(2) The Contracting Parties shall inform through the diplomatic channels each other about amendments in the laws and regulations which regulate entering and residing of persons.

Article 6

(1) Citizens of either State who have lost travel documents on the territory of the other State are obliged to report the loss immediately to the competent authorities of the receiving State. The latter shall issue free of charge a certificate attesting the reported loss of the travel documents.

(2) The diplomatic or consular mission of the State whose citizen lost his / her travel document shall issue a new travel document on the basis of the certificate referred to in paragraph 1.

(3) Departure with the travel document issued in accordance with paragraph 2 can be effected, accordingly, on the basis of domestic laws and regulations.

Article 7

(1) The Agreement shall not affect the right of the competent authorities of either State to refuse entry to citizens of the other State who are regarded as persona non-grata, as well as the right to shorten or terminate the stay of such a person in accordance with domestic laws and regulations of the receiving State.

(2) Each of the Contracting Parties shall readmit into its territory, at the request of the other Contracting Party, without unnecessary formalities, each of its citizens, who, on the territory of that Contracting Party ceased to fulfil the condition of entry and stay.

Article 8

The citizens of either State shall observe the laws and regulations valid on the territory of the other State while staying on that territory.

Article 9

The application of the present Agreement may - in full or in part - be suspended provisionally by either Contracting Party on grounds of public order or security. The other Contracting Party shall immediately be notified through diplomatic channels of such a suspension and its revocation.

Article 10

(1) The present Agreement is concluded for an indefinite period of time and shall enter into force after the elapse of thirty ( 30 ) days from the day of the exchange of Notes by which the Contracting Parties have notified each other that their respective internal requirements for its entry into force have been fulfilled. The Contracting Parties agree to implement the Agreement provisionally from the date of its signature.

(2) Either Contracting Party may at any time terminate this Agreement by giving written notice to that effect through diplomatic channels; the Agreement shall cease to be effective on the ninetieth (90th) day after the date of receipt of the notice by the other Contracting Party.

Done in Nicosia at the 8 of March, 2001, in two originals, each in the Latvian, Greek and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.

For the Government For the Government

of the Republic of the Republic

of Latvia of Cyprus

Annex

To the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and the Government of the Republic of Latvia on the abolition of visa requirements

Travel documents valid within the framework of this Agreement are:

1. For the citizens of the Republic of Cyprus:

(a) Diplomatic passport

(b) Service passport

(c) Ordinary passport

(d) Certificate of identity

2. For the citizens [of the Republic] of Latvia

(a) Diplomatic passport

(b) [Service passport

(c)] Ordinary passport

(c) Return certificate - only for returning to the Republic of Latvia