Commission communication in pursuance of Council Regulation (EC) No 574/1999 of 12 March 1999 determining the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders of the Member States
Date: 1999-05-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU visa policy, admission of aliens, external border of the EU, foreign national, third country

13.5.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 133/19

Commission communication in pursuance of Council Regulation (EC) No 574/1999 of 12 March
1999 determining the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when
crossing the external borders of the Member States (1)

(1999/C 133/11)

(Update and revision of information published 3 April 1998 (Official Journal C 101, page 4 pursuant to Articles 2
and 4 of Regulation (EC) No 2317/95 (2)) (cid:151) Information provided by the Member States as at 1 May 1999)

A.1. Inventory of visa regimes applied to countries not featured on the common list annexed to
Council Regulation (EC) No 574/1999 (*)

Third countries

BNL (**) DK

IRL

V

I

V

A

V

FIN

V

S

V

UK

P

V

V (f)

D

V

V

V

V

V

V

EL

V (b)

V

V

V

V

V (b)

V

V (b)

F

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

E

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V (a)

V (c) V (a)

V

V

V

V (a)

V (c)

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V (d)

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V (c)

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V (c)

V

V

V

V

V

V (h)

V

V

V

V

V (g)

V

V

V

V

V

V (g)

V

V

V

(cid:135)

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

Bahamas

Barbados

Belize

Bolivia

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei

Colombia

Costa Rica

Croatia

Dominica

Ecuador

El Salvador

Estonia

Grenada

Guatemala

Honduras

Israel

Jamaica

Kenya

Kiribati

Latvia

Lesotho

Lithuania

Malawi

Malaysia

Marshall Islands

(1) OJ L 72, 18.3.1999, p. 2.
(2) OJ L 234, 3.10.1995, p. 1.

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

It should be noted that in its judgement of 10 June 1997 in Case C-392/95 (Reports I-3213) the Court of Justice
annulled this Regulation while provisionally maintaining its effects. The new Regulation was adopted on 12 March
1999 and published in OJ L 72 on 18.3.1999.

C 133/20

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Official Journal of the European Communities

13.5.1999

Third countries

BNL (**) DK

Micronesia

Namibia

Nauru

Nicaragua

Northern Marianas

Panama

Paraguay

Poland

Seychelles

Slovak Republic

Solomon Islands

South Africa

St Kitts & Nevis

St Lucia

St Vincent and
Grenadines

Swaziland

Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

Trust Territory of the
Pacific Islands (Palau)

Tuvalu

United States of America

Vanuatu

Vatican State

Venezuela

Western Samoa

Zimbabwe

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

D

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

(e)

V

V

EL

V

V

V

V

V (b)

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V (b)

V

V

V

V (b)

E

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

IRL

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

F

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V (d)

V

V

V

I

V

V

V

V

A

V

V

V

V

V

P

V

V

V

V

V

V

V (f)

V

V (a)

V

V

V

V

V

V

V (c)

V

V

V

V

V

V (c)

V

V

V

V (a) V (f)

V

V

V

V

V

V (a)

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

FIN

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

S

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

UK

V

V

(*) (cid:145)V(cid:146) whose nationals are subject to visa requirements by one or more Member States (Article 2 (1)).
(**) Note: In application of the Convention of 20 April 1960, and in particular Article 3, the countries of the Benelux have a harmonised

policy in relation to short stay visas for third countries.

Further information
(a) Austria: for Bosnia-Herzegovina: holders of diplomatic passports are exempt. For Bahamas, Barbados, Seychelles, South Africa,

Trinidad and Tobago: holders of diplomatic passports or official duty passports are exempt.

(b) Greece: requires sea crew from Brazil and Poland to be in possession of visas. For Bosnia-Herzegovina: holders of diplomatic
passports are exempt. For Antigua and Barbuda and Zimbabwe: holders of diplomatic passports or official duty passports are
exempt. For United States of America: holders of diplomatic passports are subject to the visa requirement.
Italy: for Barbados, Botswana, Dominica, Lesotho, Samoa and Swaziland; holders of diplomatic passports or official duty passports
are exempt for a maximum of 90 days.

(c)

(d) France: For Israel, holders of diplomatic and official duty passports, and sea and air crew on duty, are subject to the visa

requirement. This requirement also applies to the following categories of US national:
(cid:151) holders of diplomatic passports or officials on mission
(cid:151) students following a course of study in France
(cid:151) journalists on mission
(cid:151) sea and air crew on duty
(cid:151) persons exercising an economic activity in France (including scientists and artists).

(e) Germany: In accordance with § 4 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 Durchf(cid:252)hrungsverordnung zum Ausl(cid:228)ndergesetz (Regulations implementing the Aliens
Law), holders of Vatican passports, irrespective of their nationality, are exempt from fulfilling the requirements for residence for a
period of 90 days.

(f) Portugal: For Australia and Paraguay: holders of diplomatic and official duty passports are subject to the visa requirement. For South

Africa: holders of diplomatic and official duty passports are exempt.

(g) Benelux: For Jamaica and Malawi, holders of diplomatic or official duty passports are exempt.
(h) Denmark: For Croatia, holders of diplomatic or official duty passports are exempt.
(cid:135)

exemption also applies to holders of Latvian aliens’ passports.

13.5.1999

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 133/21

A.2. Inventory of countries whose nationals are exempted from the visa requirement by all

Member States

Note: This information is not specifically required by the Regulation.

Andorra
Argentina
Canada
Chile
Czech Republic
Cyprus
Hungary
Iceland
Japan
Liechtenstein
Malta

Mexico (i)
Monaco
New Zealand
Norway
San Marino
Singapore
Slovenia
South Korea
Switzerland
Uruguay

(i) Austria: For Mexico, holders of diplomatic or official duty passports are subject to the visa requirement.

A.3. List of dependant territories of the Member States whose nationals are subject to the visa

requirement by one or more Member States

Territories

BNL

DK

D

EL

E

F

IRL

I

A

P

FIN

S

UK

Territories under United Kingdom administration

Bermuda

Montserrat

St Helena

V (j) V (j)

V

V

V

V

Territory under Portuguese administration (-23.12.1999)

Macao

V

V

V

V

V

V (j)

V (k)

V (k)

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V (l)

V

(j) Denmark, France and Germany: except for holders of British Dependent Territories Citizen passports.
(k) France: For Montserrat and St Helena: except for passports carrying the mention (cid:145)holder has the right of abode in the United

Kingdom(cid:146).

(l) Portugal: exempts holders of Portuguese aliens’ passports.

A.4. Specific situation pertaining to territorial entities in China (1)

Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region

BNL

DK

V (m)

V

D

V

EL

V (m)

E

V

F

V

IRL

I

V (m)

A

V

P

V

FIN

S

UK

V

V (m)

(1) OJ L 72, 18.3.1999, p. 5, Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 574/1999 (cid:151) the footnote reads as follows:

(cid:145)In respect of China, this does not include holders of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport. Article 2 applies:
Member States may decide whether to maintain or review their visa requirements in respect of such persons.(cid:146)
(m) Benelux, Greece, Italy and Sweden grant visa free access to the holders of British national (overseas) passports.

B. Territorial entities and authorities which are not recognised (Article 2(3))

The nationals of territorial entities and authorities which are not recognised as States by any Member State
are subject to the visa requirement by all Member States.

Palestinian Authority

BNL

DK

V

V

D

V

EL

V

E

V

F

V

IRL

V

I

V

A

V

P

V

FIN

V

S

V

UK

V

C 133/22

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Official Journal of the European Communities

13.5.1999

C. Situation of stateless persons and recognised refugees and the visa requirement for first entry

into the territory (Article 2 paragraph 2)

Member States

Stateless persons (1)

Recognised refugees (2)

Comments

Benelux

Denmark (i)

Germany (iii)

Greece (3)

Spain

France (3)

Ireland

Italy

Austria (3)

Portugal

Finland (i)

Sweden (i)

United Kingdom

Explanatory notes

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory (ii)

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory, except for
persons issued with travel
documents by a country
whose nationals are not
required to possess visas

Visa mandatory, except for
persons issued with travel
documents by a country
whose nationals are not
required to possess visas

least

Travel documents valid for
at
four months
required. This exemption
does not apply to persons
who have entered illegally
or have been deported for
illegal residence

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

Visa mandatory

(1) Within the meaning of the New York Convention of 28 September 1954 relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (to which not all
Member States are contracting parties) A visa is not required for entry to the territory of those Member States which apply the
Schengen Agreements or for circulation within this space for a period of 90 days for the holder of a travel document which is issued
in accordance with the 1954 Convention, provided that the person also has a residence permit issued by one of the Member States
applying those agreements.

(2) Within the meaning of the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951 and the Protocol of 31 January 1967 relating to the Status of

Refugees.

(3) With the exception of Austria, Greece and France, the Member States apply, on a reciprocal basis, the European Agreement on the

abolition of visas for refugees, done at Strasbourg on 20 April 1959. Article 1 of this Agreement is worded as follows:
(cid:145)1. Refugees lawfully resident in the territory of a Contracting Party shall be exempt, under the terms of this Agreement and subject
to reciprocity, from the obligation to obtain visas for entering or leaving the territory of another Party by any frontier, provided
that:
(a) they hold a valid travel document issued in accordance with the Convention on the Status of Refugees of 28th July 1951 or
the Agreement relating to the issue of a travel document to refugees of 15 October 1946, by the authorities of the
Contracting Party in whose territory they are lawfully resident;

(b) their visit is of not more than three months’ duration.

2. A visa may be required for a stay of longer than three months or for the purpose of taking up gainful employment in the

territory of another Contracting Party.(cid:146)

France, which is a Contracting Party to this Agreement, has suspended its application pursuant to Article 7 thereof, with effect from
16 September 1986.

(i) Applies to the whole of the territory covered by Article 1(2) of the Nordic Convention of 12 July 1957 relating to the abolition of
passport controls, including Iceland, Norway and the Faeroes; exemption from visa requirement for stateless persons holding travel
documents issued by Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Norway which entitle the persons concerned to return to their territory.
(ii) 90-day exemption for holders of the Certificate of Status (cid:145)For Stateless Alien(cid:146) issued by the US military authorities in Germany.
(iii) Stateless persons and refugees who are in the country lawfully and are not the subject of a deportation order are exempt from the
visa requirement for a three-month period, on condition that do not exercise an economic activity, in so far as their passports have
been (a) issued by the authorities of one of the countries or territories listed below and (b) entitle the holder to return and are still
valid for at least four months.
List of countries concerned:
Andorra, Argentina, Australia (including the Cocos, Norfolk and Christmas Islands), Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada,
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France (including French
Guiana, Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Reunion, St Pierre and Miquelon), Greece, Guatemala, Honduras,
Japan, Kenya, Korea (Republic), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia,
Hungary,
Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands (including the Netherlands Antilles), New Zealand (including the Cook, Niue and Tokelau
Islands), Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal (including Macao), San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom (including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man), United States of America
(including the Virgin Islands, Samoa, Guam and Puerto Rico), Uruguay, Venezuela.

Jamaica,

Iceland,

Ireland,

Israel,

Italy,

13.5.1999

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C 133/23

D. Categories of nationals of third countries on the common list who are exempt from the visa

requirement within the meaning of Article 4(1) of the Regulation

I. GENERAL COMMENTS:

Article 4(1) refers to the following categories:

1 = holders of diplomatic passports

2 = holders of official duty passports and other official passports

3 = civilian air and sea crew, etc.

4 = flight crew and attendants on emergency or rescue flights and other helpers in the event of disaster or

accident

5 = other

For the categories referred to in 1, 2 and 3 the Member States have entered into international
commitments which provide for general or specific exemption from the visa requirement. Examples of
these agreements include the Vienna Convention of 18 April 1961 on Diplomatic Relations, or relating to
transport, the Chicago Convention of 7 December 1944 on International Civil Aviation, and particularly its
Annex 9 or the International Labour Organization’s Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention, 1958 (No
108).

Under point 5, it should be noted that there is an exemption for third country school children resident in a
Member State of the union travelling as part of a school trip in accordance with the joint action
94/795/JHA (OJ L 327, 19.12.1994) with the exception of Portugal.

II. SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

The information given below is more specific to the Member States, and varies depending on the
agreements they have signed with the third countries concerned with a view to dispensing with
the visa requirement for the categories of nationals of third countries listed under Article 4(1) of
the Regulation.

Benelux:

1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports or official duty passports: C(cid:244)te d’Ivoire, Morocco, Pakistan,

Senegal, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Romania and Chad

(cid:151) Holders of United Nations passes

(cid:151) Holders of a NATO Mission Order

3:

(cid:151) Exemption for civilian air and sea crew

(cid:151) Special conditions for the internal navigation of the Rhine

Denmark:

1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Bulgaria, Romania

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports:

India, Pakistan, Philippines,

Thailand and Turkey

(cid:151) Holders of United Nations passes

(cid:151) Holders of a NATO Mission Order

3:

(cid:151) Exemption for civilian air and sea crew

Germany:

1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Bulgaria, India and Morocco

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Chad, Ghana, Pakistan, Phil-
ippines, Senegal, Thailand and Turkey. These are exempt for a maximum of 90 days (on
condition that do not exercise an economic activity)

3:

(cid:151) Exemption for civilian air and sea crew

(cid:151) Special conditions for the internal navigation of the Rhine and Danube

C 133/24

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Official Journal of the European Communities

13.5.1999

4:

(cid:151) Flight crew and attendants on emergency or rescue flights and other helpers in the event of

disaster or accident

Greece:

1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Albania, Bulgaria, Morocco,
Peru, Philippines, Tunisia, Turkey and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) (Montenegro
and Serbia)

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Romania

Spain:

1 and 2: (cid:151) For the Bulgaria, Morocco, Romania and Tunisia: exemption for holders of diplomatic

passports for a maximum of 90 days

(cid:151) For the Philippines and Turkey: exemption for holders of diplomatic passports and official

duty passports for a maximum of 90 days

3:

(cid:151) Exemption for civilian air and sea crew

France:

1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports, official duty or special passports: Turkey

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: C(cid:244)te d’Ivoire

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Bulgaria, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM),

Gabon, Morocco, Romania, Senegal, Tunisia

3:

(cid:151) Exemption for civilian air crew within the meaning of Annex 9 of the Chicago Convention

of 7 December 1944 on International Civil Aviation

(cid:151) Exemption for civilian sea crew holding certificates Convention No 108 of the International
Labour Organization (ILO) of 13 May 1958, in accordance with the International Convention
of 9 May 1965.

5:

(cid:151) Holders of French residence documents (with the exception of documents issued by New
Caledonia, Wallis and Fortuna, French Polenysia, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon), or by Monaco.

(cid:151) Holders of residence documents issued by: Benelux, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Austria or

Portugal.

Ireland:

3:

(cid:151) Exemption for civilian air and sea crew members

Italy:

1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Peru

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Albania, Romania; exempted for a maximum of 90 days

(cid:151) Holders of official duty passports: Peru; exempted for a maximum of 90 days

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco,

Mauritania, Philippines, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports exempted for a maximum of 90
days: Benin, Burkina Faso, C(cid:244)te d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Gambia, Guyana, Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Niger, Senegal, Togo, Uganda, Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (FRY) (Montenegro and Serbia)

5:

(cid:151) For Turkey: exemption for holders of special passports

Austria:

1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: C(cid:244)te d’Ivoire, Maldives, Morocco,

Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Thailand, Turkey

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Romania, Bulgaria and FYROM

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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(cid:151) Holders of United Nations passes
(cid:151) Persons benefiting from privileges and immunities holding special identity cards
(cid:151) Customs and immigration officials working in co-operation with the Austrian authorities
(cid:151) Members of Implementation Force (IFOR) and Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in transit
(cid:151) For Bulgaria: exemption for sea crew (Danube)
(cid:151) Flight crew and attendants on emergency or rescue flights and other helpers in the event of

disaster or accident

(cid:151) sports teams in transit, political guests
(cid:151) train crews in transit

3:
4:

5:

Portugal:
1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Bulgaria, Romania

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Angola, Cape Verde, Morocco,

Mozambique, Sao TomØ and Principe and Tunisia

3:

(cid:151) Exemption for civilian sea crew holding certificates issued by signatories to Convention No
108 of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and for civilian air crew holding licences
and certificates within the meaning of Annexes 1 to 9 of the Chicago Convention of
7 December 1944 on International Civil Aviation

Finland:
1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Bulgaria

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand

and Turkey

Sweden:
1 and 2: (cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports: Bulgaria

(cid:151) Holders of diplomatic passports and official duty passports: Philippines, Thailand and Turkey
(cid:151) Holders of United Nations or European Union passes.

United Kingdom:
1 and 2: (cid:151) Accredited members of diplomatic missions in London and their families (unless the person
was recruited locally while in the United Kingdom and is not a diplomatic agent). In the case
of nationals from countries who are subject to a visa requirement a gratis exempt visa should
be obtained prior to travel to facilitate entry into the United Kingdom

(cid:151) Persons exempted by the Secretary of State (in effect, persons employed by international

organizations)

(cid:151) Members of the Home (Armed) Forces, and members of Commonwealth or NATO forces

serving in the United Kingdom or attending training courses

(cid:151) Exemption for civilian air and sea crew members who are arriving in or departing from the

United Kingdom as crew members

(cid:151) Persons with the right of abode in the United Kingdom

3:

5: