Communication from the Commission pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement as amended by Regulation (EC) No 2414/2001 of 7 December 2001
Date: 2003-03-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU visa policy, admission of aliens, crew, external border of the EU, foreign national, migrant worker, passport, refugee, stateless person

C 68/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

21.3.2003

Communication from the Commission pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15
March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when
crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (1)
as amended by Regulation (EC) No 2414/2001 of 7 December 2001 (2)

Additional information communicated to the Commission in conformity with Article 5 of the Regulation as at 31
December 2002 (3)

(2003/C 68/02)

1. Exceptions by virtue of Article 4(1) and (2), to the visa requirement envisaged by Article 1(1)

1.1. The visa requirement is waived for the categories of persons originating in the countries in

the column on the left corresponding to the following key:

D = diplomatic passports

S = official duty passports and other official passports

BNL (*)

DK (**)

D (***)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

DS

DS

D

DS

DS

D (1)

SP = special passports.

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belize

Benin

Bhutan

Bosnia and Herzegovina

D

Botswana

Burkina Faso

Burma/Myanmar

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Cape Verde

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

(1) OJ L 81, 21.3.2001, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 327, 12.12.2001, p. 1.
(3) In application of Article 1 of the protocol on the position of Ireland and the United Kingdom annexed to the Treaty
on the European Union and to the European Community Treaty, and without prejudice to its Article 4, the
provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 are not applied by Ireland or the United Kingdom.

21.3.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 68/3

BNL (*)

DK (**)

D (***)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Central African
Republic

Chad

China

Colombia

Congo

D

DS

DS

DS

Côte d'Ivoire

DS

DS

DS

DS

Cuba

Democratic Republic of
the Congo

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

East Timor

Egypt

Equatorial Guinea

Etritrea

Ethiopia

Fiji

Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia

D

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

D

D

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Ghana

Grenada

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Jamaica

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Lebanon

Lesotho

D

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

DS

DS

C 68/4

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Official Journal of the European Union

21.3.2003

BNL (*)

DK (**)

D (***)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Liberia

Libya

Madagascar

Malawi

Maldives

Mali

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Micronesia

Moldova

Mongolia

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Nauru

Nepal

Niger

Nigeria

North Korea

Northern Marianas

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Papua New Guinea

Peru

Philippines

Qatar

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines

Samoa

São Tomé and Príncipe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

DS

D

DS

DS

DS

D

D

DS

D

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

D

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS, SP

DS

DS

DS, SP

D (2)

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

D

Serbia and Montenegro

DS

Seychelles

21.3.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 68/5

BNL (*)

DK (**)

D (***)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Sierra Leone

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Surinam

Swaziland

Syria

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

The Comoros

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Vietnam

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe

D

DS

DS

DS

DS, SP

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS, SP

DS

DS

DS

DS, SP

D

DS

DS

DS

D

DS

D

DS

DS, SP DS, SP

DS

DS

DS

DS

D

DS, SP

DS

DS, SP DS, SP

DS

DS

ENTITIES AND TERRITORIAL AUTHORITIES THAT ARE NOT RECOGNISED AS STATES BY AT LEAST
ONE MEMBER STATE

Palestinian Authority

Taiwan

(*) Note: Benelux: In application of the Convention of 11 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.

(**) Denmark: holders of valid identity cards issued by the authorities of the Vatican City State are exempted from the visa requirement.
(***) Germany and Sweden: holders of Vatican passports, irrespective of their nationality are exempted from the visa requirement.

(1) Norway: Albania, only accredited ambassador, his spouse and children are exempted from the visa requirement.
(2) Norway: Russia, only accredited ambassador, his spouse and children are exempted from the visa requirement.

C 68/6

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Official Journal of the European Union

21.3.2003

1.2. Visa exemption for other categories mentioned in Article 4

— Civilian air crew members:

they are in principle exempt
from visa by the Member States when holding licences and
certificates within the meaning of Annexes 1 to 9 of the Convention of Chicago on International
Civil Aviation.

However, the visa requirement is maintained:

— by France for crew members who are nationals of countries who are non-signatories of the

Chicago Convention;

— Civilian sea crew members:

They can, in principle, be exempted from visa by the Member States when holding Seafarer's
Identity Documents, issued according to the International Labour Organisation Convention No
108 of 1958 (Geneva)/the IMO Convention of London of 9 April 1965 (FAL) on the facilitation
of international maritime traffic.

In practice:

— in the case of shore leave: the exemption is applied for crew members, in conformity, with the
above, and with point 6.5.2 of the Common Frontiers Manual, with the exception of Sweden
and Germany,

— in the case of transit: the visa requirement is maintained for crew members by all States with

the exception of Norway and Portugal.

Comment by Norway: exempted from the visa requirement are the holders of a Philippine
‘Seafarer's Identification and Record Book’ and/or a Philippine national passport, see the
shipping agreement of October 1999 between the Philippines and Norway. The holder must
produce written confirmation from the shipowner or the shipowner's representative that the
holder is to take up an engagement on a ship in a Norwegian port.

— Civilian ships crew members (on international internal waterways):

The Rhine:

they may be exempted from the visa requirement by Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and
the Netherlands provided that they are holders of a travel document containing a trilingual stamp
or mention identifying them as a Rhine boatman in accordance with the resolutions of the Central
Commission for the navigation of the Rhine.

The Danube:

they are in principle exempted from the visa requirement by Germany and Austria provided that
they are holders of a document identifying them as a Danube boatman and they figure on the
crew list.

— Laissez-passer issued by international organisations to their officials:

General observation:

Portugal: the holders of such laissez-passer do not benefit from a visa exemption;

Austria: the beneficiaries of privileges and immunities who have been issued with a specific
identity document are exempted from visa.

Observations relating to particular organisations:

United Nations: the holders of the laissez-passer are exempted from the visa requirement except
by France, Italy and Portugal.

Observation by Norway: any judge of the International Court of Justice or any official of the
secretariat of this court.

21.3.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 68/7

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation: the holders of an official identity document or travel order are
exempt from the visa requirement.

Observation by Italy: the holders of a Travel Order issued by NATO Headquarters are exempt
from the visa requirement irrespective of their nationality in accordance with Article 3 of the
Agreement between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the Status of their Forces,
signed at London on 19.6.1951, where they are members of a NATO force.

Observation by Norway: the spouse, cohabitant or any dependent children of the abovementioned
categories are also exempted from the visa requirement.

Other international organisations:

Denmark exempts from visa the holders of Identification Card SHIRBRIG, Planning Element
Official, issued by the Chief of Defence Denmark;

Benelux: exempts from visa holders of a laissez-passer issued by the Secretary General of the
Customs Cooperation Council.

2. Exceptions by virtue of Article 4 to the visa exemption envisaged by Article 1(2)

A visa obligation is applied to the categories of persons originating in the countries in the
column on the left corresponding to the following key:

D = diplomatic passports

ACR = civilian aircrew

S = official duty passports and other official

SCR = civilian sea crew

passports

BNL

DK

D

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

Israel

Mexico

United States of America

DS

DS (3)

DS
ACR (1)
SCR (2)

DS (4)
ACR (1)
SCR (2)

DS

Venezuela

S

(1) France: although the United States and Israel are signatories to the Chicago Convention, the visa requirement is nevertheless maintained for crew members who are

nationals of those two countries.

(2) France: although the United States and Israel are signatories to the 1965 London Convention, the visa requirement is nevertheless maintained for crew members who

are nationals of those two countries.

(3) Spain: for the United States of America, holders of diplomatic or official duty passports on official missions or official visits are subject to the visa requirement. The visa

is not necessary when the entrance is in application of the Hispanic-North American Convention of 1 May 1988.

(4) France: only when the holders of diplomatic or official duty passports are on mission.

3. Measures of exception by virtue of Article 4(3) to the exemption from visa provided for in

Article 1(2)

Persons originating in the countries figuring in the column on the left are subject to the visa
requirement when carrying out a paid activity during their stay

ECO = paid activity

Andorra

Argentina

Australia

Bolivia

BNL

DK

D (a)

GR

E

F

I (b)

AU (c)

P

FIN (d)

S

ISL

NOR (e)

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO ECO (*)

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

C 68/8

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Official Journal of the European Union

21.3.2003

BNL

DK

D (a)

GR

E

F

I (b)

AU (c)

P

FIN (d)

S

ISL

NOR (e)

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Ecuador

Estonia

Guatemala

Holy See — Vatican City
State

Honduras

Hungary

Israel

Japan

Latvia

Lithuania

Malaysia

Malta

Mexico

Monaco

Nicaragua

New Zealand

Panama

Paraguay

Poland

Romania

Salvador

San Marino

Singapour

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Korea

United States of America

Uruguay

Venezuela

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO ECO (**)

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 68/9

SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

BNL

DK

D (a)

GR

E

F

I (b)

AU (c)

P

FIN (d)

S

ISL

NOR (e)

Hong Kong SAR

Macao SAR

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

ECO

(a) Comments by Germany: the following groups of employees are regarded as not exercising a paid activity and are exempt from the visa requirement, subject to the

conditions laid down in individual cases:
— seafarers who possess a German seaman's registration book and a national passport issued by the authorities of one of the States listed in Annex II, provided that

they are staying on-board or on federal territory solely as members of the crew of a ship entitled to fly the federal flag,

— pilots in maritime and coastal shipping, for the purposes of exercising their profession,
— nationals of non-EU countries employed on foreign-registered ships navigating on the Rhine and the Danube, including the Main-Danube canal, who hold a
recognised passport or substitute passport in which their profession is given as Rhine boatmen, or hold a specially recognised document in lieu of a passport (e.g.
Danube boatmen's certificate, seaman's registration book) and are included on the crew list, where entering the territory for the purposes of the cross-border
transport of persons or goods. Their stay may only serve purposes directly connected with their nautical activities.

Self-employment is generally regarded as a paid activity. However, certain activities are not regarded as paid activities (Section 12(2) to 6 DVAuslG (BGBl. I 1990 p.
2983, as last amended by the Regulation of 21 May 1999, BGBl. I p. 1038), e.g. certain drivers). Persons employed in such capacities may enter without a visa subject
to the conditions laid down in individual cases.

(b) Comment by Italy: similar arrangements apply to students and lorry drivers, save where otherwise provided for in specific bi-lateral agreements.
(c) Comment by Austria: nationals from third countries serving on foreign registered ships are exempt from visa requirements for the transit voyage, where they are in

possession of a document identifying them as a Danube boatman, are entered on the crew list, and do leave the ship or harbour.

(d) Comment by Finland: a residence permit and a work permit are required in order to work.
(e) Comment by Norway: pursuant to the Norwegian Immigration legislation the main rule is that a working permit is obligatory for carrying out paid activity in
Norway. Permission to work is not connected with the visa régime. This means that a foreigner staying in Norway is not allowed to work until the work permit is
issued to the person concerned.

(*) Comment by Spain: Andorran nationals are exempt from the visa requirement when carrying out an economic activity during their stay, except where they exercise

an independent profession.

(**) Comment by France: for Canada, the visa requirement applies only to professional trainees who come over for a traineeship under the agreement between France and

Canada of 4 October 1956.

4. Measures by virtue of Article 3, second indent of the regulation

Recognised refugees and stateless persons are exempt from the visa requirement provided that
they are legally resident in one of the countries or entities in the left-hand column and are in
possession of a travel document issued by the competent authorities of that country or entity.

R = refugees

A = stateless

Andorra

Argentina

Australia

Bolivia

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic (*)

Ecuador

Estonia

BNL

DK

D (**)

GR

E

F

I

AU

P

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

(RA)
(***)

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

(RA)
(***)

RA

R

A

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

C 68/10

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Official Journal of the European Union

21.3.2003

GR

—

E

—

F

—

I

—

AU

—

P

—

FIN

—

S

—

ISL

—

NOR

—

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

R

Guatemala

Holy See

Honduras

Hungary

Israel

Japan

Latvia

Lithuania

Malaysia

Malta (*)

Mexico

Monaco

Nicaragua

New Zealand

Panama

Paraguay

Poland

Romania

Salvador

San Marino

Singapour

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Korea

United States of America

Uruguay

Venezuela

BNL

—

DK

—

(1)

R

R

R

R

D (**)

—

RA

RA

RA

RA

(RA)
(***)

(RA)
(***)

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

RA

SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Hong Kong SAR

Macao SAR

(*) Data supplied as further information.

Exemption from the visa requirement is not based on the second indent of Article 3 of the Regulation but on the European Agreement on the abolition of visas for
refugees, signed at Strasbourg on 20 April 1959. Member States applying the Regulation are parties to the Agreement with the exception of Austria and Greece.
France, which is a contracting party, suspended its application in 1986.

(**) It is a general requirement that the person hold a valid travel document issued in accordance with the rules of the Agreement of 15 October 1946 regarding the issue
of travel documents to refugees, the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951 or the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons of 28
September 1954. The travel document must contain an authorisation to return which has a sufficiently long period of validity.

(***) For D: applies in each case from the date of entry into force of the agreements and conventions referred to in footnote(**) on the issue of travel documents to refugees

and stateless persons.

(1) Denmark: exemption applies to holders of Latvian aliens passports.

21.3.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 68/11

Data whose publication is not required by Article 5 of Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 but
published for information purposes only

(Status of additional information communicated to the Commission)

Situation specific to persons deriving their nationality status by virtue of a connection with
British Overseas Territories who are subject to a visa requirement by one or more States (1)

Territories

BNL

DK

Anguilla

Bermuda

British
Territory

Indian

Ocean

British Virgin Islands

Cayman Islands

Falkland Islands

Montserrat

Pitcairn, Ducie Henderson
and Oeno

Saint Helena and
dependancies

Turks and Caicos Islands

V d)

V a)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

D

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

EL

E

F

I

V

V

V

V b)

V b)

V b)

V b)

V c)

V a)

V c)

V c)

V b)

V c)

V b)

V b)

V b)

V b)

V b)

V b)

V b)

V b)

V b)

V c)

V b)

V b)

V c)

V b)

A

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

P

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

FIN

S

ISL

NOR

V a)

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

V d)

V a)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V a)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

V d)

a) Denmark, France, Iceland, Norway and Sweden: except for holders of British Dependant Territories Citizens passports.
b) Spain and Italy: except for holders of British Dependant Territories Citizens passports.
c) France: except for holders of passports bearing the mention ‘the holder has the right of abode in the United Kingdom’.
d) Denmark, Iceland and Sweden: except for holders of passports bearing the mention ‘the holder has the right of re-admission’, the holder is entitled to re-admission to
the United Kingdom', or ‘the holder has the right of abode in the United Kingdom’ and on condition that the holder has not been absent from the United Kingdom for a
period exceeding two years.

(1) the British Overseas Territories Act 2002, which entered into force on 21 May 2002, has introduced major changes
to the status of the Overseas Territories and the rules governing the nationality under the law of persons who are
dependent on that status in the United Kingdom.