AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND Concerning The Abolition Of Visas

Article 1

Citizens of the Republic of Latvia holding valid passports of the Republic of Latvia shall be free to enter the Republic of Finland at any authorized border-crossing point and to stay in the Republic of Finland for a period not exceeding three months without being required to obtain a visa. This period of three months shall be calculated from the date of entry into any Nordic State being a Party to the Convention of 12 July 1957 on the Waiver of Passport Control at the Intra-Nordic Borders. Any sojourn in any of those States during six months preceding the entry into any of those States from a non-Nordic State shall be included in the above period of three months.

Article 2

Citizens of the Republic of Finland holding valid passports of the Republic of Finland shall be free to enter the Republic of Latvia at any authorized border-crossing point and to stay in the Republic of Latvia for a period not exceeding three months during one calendar year without being required to obtain a visa.

Article 3

It is understood that the waiver of the visa requirement does not exempt persons benefitting under this Agreement from the necessity of complying with the laws and regulations in force in the respective State concerning entry, residence - temporary or permanent - and work.

Article 4

The authorities of each State reserve the right to refuse permission to enter or stay in the country to citizens of the other State considered undesirable.

Article 5

The authorities of each State undertake to readmit without formality, into its teritory, any of its citizens.

Article 6

Either Goverment may temporarily suspend the foregoing provisions in whole or in part, except Article 5 thereof, for reasons of public order. Such suspension shall be notified to the other Government through diplomatic channels.

Article 7

Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the rights and obligations of either Contracting Party arising from other existing or future international agreements.

Article 8

This Agreement shall enter into force thirty days after the date when the Contracting Parties have notified each other that the necessary internal procedures for its entry into force have been completed.

This Agreement may be denounced by either Government by notification in writing through diplomatic channels, the denunciation taking effect one month after the date of the notification.

Done at Riga on 28th July 1997 in duplicate, in the English language.

ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA VALDIS BIRKAVS MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND  TARJA HALONEN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS