Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.16
By Ilaha Mammadli - Trend:
The government of Azerbaijan has completed the preparations for signing the visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Switzerland and Norway, Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev told Trend on Nov.14.
"All intrastate procedures have already been completed and it is expected to sign the documents soon," the deputy minister said.
Under the agreement, the facilitated visa regime with Switzerland and Norway will correspond to the terms of the agreement with EU.
The agreements with EU countries entered into force on September 1, 2014.
This agreement doesn't cover such EU countries as Denmark, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as the countries which have joined the Schengen zone - Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
"Currently, we are not negotiating with other countries, except Norway and Switzerland, which haven't joined this agreement. In the case of necessity, we will sign separate agreements with these countries on visa facilitation and readmission," the deputy minister said.
Under the agreement, visa fees have been reduced from €60 to €35, and some categories of citizens are to be exempt from the fees altogether.
EU member states will issue multiple-entry visas with validity from one to five years for frequent travelers. Holders of diplomatic passports are exempted from the visa obligation.
Under the agreement, visa handling fee will not be collected from certain categories of applicants, including members of official delegations, children under the age of 12, pensioners, researchers and students.
The visa facilitation agreement will facilitate the travel of Azerbaijani citizens to the Schengen zone countries and the EU citizens to Azerbaijan.
Additionally, this agreement will contribute to the development of relations between the citizens of EU and Azerbaijan. It will cover an extensive list of persons. First of all, they are the citizens traveling abroad for education and business.
Under the agreement, the procedure of acquiring short-stay visas, which allow to freely leave and enter the territory of the majority of EU countries will be easier and cheaper for the Azerbaijani citizens, especially for those who travel a lot.
Short-stay visa allows to stay in EU countries for no longer than 90 days per period of 180 days.
Readmission agreements set out clear obligations and procedures for the authorities of EU member states and Azerbaijan. They regulate the terms of deportation of persons who illegally reside in the territories of the parties to the agreement. They also cover the illegal citizens of the third countries and stateless persons.
Full respect for human rights envisaged by the European Convention on Human Rights is guaranteed while implementing the readmission agreements.
Azerbaijan and the European Union signed a visa facilitation agreement during the summit of members of the EU Eastern Partnership program in Vilnius on Nov.29, 2013. The readmission agreement with EU was signed on Feb.28, 2014.
To date, the EU has signed visa facilitation and readmission agreements with 12 countries, namely, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, Georgia, the Republic of Cabo Verde and Armenia. All the agreements, excluding the agreement with Cabo Verde, have already entered into force.