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, 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
