Unofficial translation
The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan HEREBY DECREES:
1. To approve the attached Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Governments of States of the Benelux on exemption from visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports, made in Brussels on March 2, 2015.
2. This decree shall enter into force from the date of signing.
| Prime Minister | |
| of the Republic of Kazakhstan | К. Massimov |
| Approved by decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated July, 2015 no. 598 |
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Governments of States of the Benelux on exemption from visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports
The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Governments of the States of Benelux (hereinafter referred to as the “Parties” and individually as the "Party").
RECOGNIZING that the Governments of the States of Benelux act together in accordance with the Agreement between the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, signed on April 11, 1960 in Brussels, regarding the transfer of immigration control to the external borders of the Benelux;
WISHING to facilitate the entry for citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan and for citizens of the States of Benelux, who are holders of a valid national diplomatic passport to their respective states;
HAVE AGREED as follows:
In the present Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:
- “the States of Benelux” means the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands;
- “the Territory of Benelux” means the united territories of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Europe.
Article 2 Competent authorities
The competent authorities responsible for the Implementation of the present Agreement shall be as follows:
1. on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan; and
2. on behalf of the Governments of the States of Benelux: on behalf of the Kingdom of Belgium – Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, on behalf of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and on behalf of the Kingdom of Netherlands - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 3 Abolition of visa requirements
1. The citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan who are holders of valid national diplomatic passports may enter the territory of the States of Benelux without a visa and stay in the territory for a period not exceeding ninety (90) calendar days.
2. The citizens of the States of Benelux, who are holders of valid national diplomatic passports may enter the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan without a visa and stay in the territory for a period not exceeding ninety (90) calendar days.
Article 4 Accredited representatives
1. The citizens of the state of one of the Party, the holders of valid national diplomatic passports, who are members of diplomatic representative offices, consular institutions or representative offices of international organizations, located in the state of the other Party may enter, exit and stay in the territory of the State of the other Party may enter, exit and state in the territory of the receiving Party without visas during the period of their accreditation.
2. The Parties notify each other about the arrival of persons, mentioned in paragraph 1 of this article, and these persons must comply with the rules of accreditation of the other Party.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Articles 3 and 4 of the present Agreement, each of the Parties shall reserve the right to refuse entry to the territory of its state to any person considered as undesirable or whose presence in its state is considered to be detrimental to law and public order or national security.
Article 6 Application of the laws
The present Agreement does not affect the applicable laws of the States of the Parties governing the entry, duration of stay, stay and expulsion and any kind of activities of foreigners.
Each Party undertakes to receive back to the territory of its state, at any time and without formalities, persons who entered the said territories with a valid national diplomatic passport issued by the competent authorities of the states of the Parties.
The Parties shall send through diplomatic channels the samples of their new or changed national diplomatic passports as well as the detailed information in regard of the use of such passports 60 (sixty) calendar days prior to the date of their introduction.
Article 9 Settlement of disputes
Any disputes between the Parties arising on the application or interpretation of the present Agreement shall be resolved peacefully through consultations and negotiations between the Parties.
Article 10 Amendments and supplements
The present Agreement may be amended and supplemented, by mutual agreement of the Parties, through the exchange of notes between the Parties through diplomatic channels.
The Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of Belgium (hereinafter referred to as the depositary) shall act as the Depositary of the present Agreement for the Governments of the States of Benelux. The Depositary shall provide the States of Benelux with a certified copy of the present Agreement.
Article 12 Entry into force, duration and termination
1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date of receipt through diplomatic channels of the last written notice on the completion by the Parties of the domestic procedures necessary for its entry into force.
2. The present Agreement is concluded for a period of one year, after which it shall be extended for an indefinite period until one of the Parties sends a written notification to the depositary through diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate the present Agreement no later than 30 (thirty) calendar days before expiration of this period.
3. At the end of the initial one-year period, either Party may withdraw from the present Agreement by sending a written notification to the depositary through diplomatic channels of its intention to withdraw from the present Agreement no later than 30 (thirty) calendar days before the date of the anticipated withdrawal.
4. Withdrawal of any Party from this Agreement shall lead to the termination of its effect for all Parties.
5. The depositary shall notify the Parties of the receipt of any notification referred to in this article.
Any Party is entitled to suspend the present Agreement. The Party shall immediately notify the Depositary through diplomatic channels of its decision to suspend the present Agreement. The Depositary shall inform the other Parties of the receipt of such notification. The same procedure shall apply in case of cancellation of the suspension of the present Agreement.
Article 14 Application in the Kingdom of Netherlands
In relation to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the present Agreement may apply to Aruba, Curacao, St. Martin Island and the Caribbean Kingdom of the Netherlands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba).
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned duly authorized to this by their respective governments, have signed the present Agreement.
Made in the city of Brussels on March 2, 2015, in duplicate, each in Kazakh, French, Dutch and English languages, of equal force. In case of disagreement in the interpretation of the provisions of the present Agreement, the Parties will refer to the text in English.
| For the Government |
| of the Republic of Kazakhstan |
| ____________________________ |
| For the Government |
| of the Kingdom of Belgium |
| ____________________________ |
| For the Government |
| of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg |
| ____________________________ |
| For the Government |
| of the Kingdom of Netherlands |
| ____________________________ |
