A new stage in the development of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Benelux countries took place last Thursday with the signing of a Protocol amending the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Governments of the Benelux countries on the exemption of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports.
The Protocol extends the scope of the Agreement of March 2, 2015, on visa-free requirements for holders of diplomatic passports by providing holders of official/service passports with the possibility of visa-free entry, which greatly simplifies the work of civil servants of Kazakhstan and the Benelux countries, allowing them to move freely to perform official duties without the need to obtain a visa and stay for a period not exceeding 90 days.
Together with the Director General for Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Joris Salden, the Ambassador of Luxembourg to Belgium, Jean-Louis Thill, and the Deputy Head of Mission of the Netherlands to Belgium, Max Valstar, we signed the extension at the General Secretariat of Benelux in Brussels on 7 November.
This measure will exempt holders of official/service passports from visa requirements, which will help reduce bureaucratic barriers and create favorable conditions for operational interaction between departments and government agencies.
The Protocol will enter into force 30 calendar days after the date of receipt of the last written notification through diplomatic channels that the parties have completed the necessary domestic procedures.
As you know, there are more than 200 foreign diplomatic missions in Brussels, as well as 130 international organizations, including the governing bodies of the EU, the World Customs Organization and other international structures, which often receive official delegations from Kazakhstan.
To date, Kazakhstan has agreements on visa-free regime for citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan with 96 countries for holders of diplomatic passports, with 77 countries for citizens with official/service passports and with 43 countries for those with national passports.
This Protocol extension is another step in enabling officials form Kazakhstan to swiftly carry their duties in the countries they are posted to, and it paves the way for the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles for holders of national passports eager to explore the world but who are deterred by visa restrictions.
