UAE, Chile sign reciprocal visa waiver MOU

New York: Sept 24, 2012 (WAM) - The Governments of the of the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Chile have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the exemption of entry visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official and special passports on reciprocal basis. The MOU was signed yesterday in New York by UAE Foreign Minister H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Chile's Minister of Foreign Affairs Alfredo Moreno Charme. The MOU takes into account the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963 and emanates from a mutual desire to promote further development of bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries. Under the MOU, the two countries shall permit each other's nationals holding valid diplomatic, official/special passports to enter, exit from and transit through their respective territories without entry visa and without a fee. The UAE and Chilean citizens who hold diplomatic, official/special passports are allowed to stay in each other's territory for a period not exceeding 90 days. When either of the two countries appoints any of its citizens to its diplomatic and consular missions in the territory of the other Party, it shall inform that country of the appointment before the appointee's arrival to its territory. Article 4 of the MOU states that both countries shall exchanged specimens of their passports through diplomatic channels no later than 30 days after the date of signature of this MOU. In case of any changes made by either country to the passports issued by it, it shall provide the other country with the specimen of its new passport before its introduction date. If either country introduces any amendments to its internal regulations pertaining to the diplomatic or official/ special passports, it shall inform the other country. Article 5 provides for nationals of either UAE or Chile holding diplomatic or official/ special passports are not permitted to work or engage in any profession or to study in each other's country without observing the rules and regulations applicable in both countries pertaining to those activities. It stipulates that nationals of either country may enter the territory of the other country only through the border points designated for international passenger traffic and that nationals of either country holding diplomatic or official passports shall abide by the rules and regulations in force in the other country's territory throughout the duration of their stay. The two countries expressed their readiness to guarantee the highest level of protection of passports and travel documents against forgery. They shall review them for compliance with the minimum security standards for machine-readable travel documents recommended by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Article 9 of the MOU stresses that this MOU does not affect the rights and obligations of the two countries arising from international conventions and agreements to which either or both of them are Party to. According to article 10, any differences between the two Parties arising out of interpretation or application of this MOU will be settled by consultations and negotiations between them through diplomatic channels. Article 11 of the MOU stipulates that any amendments to the MOU shall be mutually agreed upon by the two countries and done by the exchange of official notes through diplomatic channels. This MOU shall enter into force 30 days after the date of receipt of the last notification by which Parties notify each other of the completion of the internal procedures necessary for this purpose. This MOU shall remain in force for an indefinite period, unless either Party notifies the other in writing through diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate it. Such termination shall take effect 30 days after the date of the official notification of termination. This MOU has been drafted in duplicate in the Arabic, Spanish and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the English version shall prevail. – Emirates News Agency, WAM