European Community visa facilitation agreements with third countries

The European Community, wishing to promote sustainable economic, cultural, and scientific ties with third countries, based on the principle of mutuality, but at the same time observing that visa facilitation must not induce illegal immigration, has concluded visa facilitation agreements with Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The visa facilitation agreements between the European Community and third countries govern such issues as:

• visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports
• categories of persons to whom multiple-entry visas may be issued
• documentation justifying the purpose of the journey to be submitted by specific categories of persons
• fees for processing visa applications
•  categories of persons exempted from payment for the processing of visa applications

The visa facilitation agreements between the European Community and third countries do not govern such issues as:

• refusals of visa applications
• acceptance of validity of travel documents
• evidence of sufficient means of subsistence
• prohibition of entry, and expulsion procedures

Full texts of the facilitation agreements

• Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on the facilitation of the issuance of visas to the citizens of the European Union and the Russian Federation
• Agreement between the European Community and Ukraine on the facilitation of the issuance of visas
• Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Moldova on the facilitation of the issuance of visas
• Agreement between the European Union and Georgia on the facilitation of the issuances of visas 
• Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Serbia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas
• Agreement between the European Community and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the facilitation of the issuance of visas
• Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Montenegro on the facilitation of the issuance of visas
• Agreement between the European Community and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas
• Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Albania on the facilitation of the issuance of visas