AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA ON MUTUAL ABOLITION OF VISA REQUIREMENTS

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

desiring to facilitate travels of their nationals and to develop friendly relations between the two countries,

have agreed as follows:

Article 1

Nationals of either Contracting Party holding a valid national passport, diplomatic, consular, official, special passport or service passport may enter repeatedly the territory of the other Contracting Party and stay there for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days without being required to obtain visa.

Article 2

1. Nationals of either Contracting Party holding valid diplomatic, consular, official, special or service passports who are appointed to the diplomatic mission or consular post in the territory of the other Contracting Party, or are representatives to the international organizations residing on the territory of the other Contracting Party may enter into that territory without a visa, stay there for the period of their assignments and leave the country without a separate permission.

2. Nationals of the Contracting Party who are family members of the persons referred to in paragraph 1 and who live with them in the household, may enter into the territory of the other Contracting Party, stay there during the period of their assignments without a visa and leave it without a separate permission if they themselves are holders of a valid diplomatic, consular, official, special or service passport.

Article 3

Visa exemption does not grant the right to work to the citizens of the Contracting Parties. Persons who enter the territory of the other Contracting Party with the aim of work, to carry a profession, to study or for a period exceeding ninety (90) days are obliged to get visas beforehand.

Article 4

Nationals of either Contracting Party are obligated to respect the laws of the other Contracting Party during their sojourn on its territory.

Article 5

Each Contracting Party reserves the right to refuse the entry or to terminate the term of stay on its territory of citizens of the other Contracting Party for reasons of national security, public health and public order.

Article 6

Each Contracting Party undertakes to readmit, without special formalities, into its territory, any of its own nationals.

Article 7

1. Nationals of the either Contracting Party who have lost a travel document specified in the Article 1 of the present Agreement on the territory of the other Contracting Party, are obliged to report it immediately to the competent authorities of that Contracting Party, which shall issue them free of charge document certifying this fact.

2. In case of paragraph 1, the diplomatic mission or consular post of either Contracting Party shall provide its citizens with the temporary travel documents to be used to leave the territory of the other Contracting Party.

Article 8

1. The Contracting Parties shall exchange through diplomatic channels specimens of their valid travel documents specified in the Article 1 of the present Agreement not later than thirty (30) days before the entry into force of the present Agreement.

2. If either Contracting Party modifies its travel documents specified in the Article 1 of the present Agreement or introduces any new travel documents after entry into force of the present Agreement, it shall provide the other Contracting Party with the specimens of such documents through diplomatic channels at least thirty (30) days before they are introduced.

Article 9

Either Contracting Party may temporarily suspend the application of the present Agreement wholly or partially, except of Article 6, for the reasons of national security or public order.

Article 10

The present Agreement is concluded for an indefinite period of time. Either Contracting Party may terminate it at any moment with thirty (30) days previous notice in writing through diplomatic channels.

Article 11

Any amendment of the present Agreement agreed upon by the Contracting Parties shall be effected by exchange of notes.

Article 12

This Agreement shall enter into force on the thirtieth (30th) day after the date of the receipt of the latter note by which the Contracting Parties notify each other of the fulfilment of all internal legal requirements necessary for its entry into force.

Done in Moscow on April 6, 2004 in two originals, each in the Latvian, Spanish and English languages, all being equally authentic. In case of any difference in its interpretation, the English text shall prevail.

For the Government of the Republic of Latvia

For the Government of the Republic of Panama