We, Qaboos bin Said, the Sultan of Oman
after perusal of the Basic Statute of the State promulgated by Royal Decree 101/96,
and the Agreement between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and the Swiss Federal Council on Mutual Exemption of Holders of Diplomatic, Special or Service Passports signed in Bern on 6 August 2010,
and in pursuance of public interest,
have decreed as follows
Article I
The aforementioned agreement is hereby ratified.
Article II
This decree must be published in the Official Gazette, and comes into force on the date of its issuance.
Issued on: 18 Shawwal 1431
Corresponding to: 27 September 2010
Qaboos bin Said
Sultan of Oman
Published in Official Gazette 920 issued on 2 October 2010.
AGREEMENT
Between
the Government of the Sultanate of Oman
and the Swiss Federal Council on Mutual Visa Exemption for
Holders of Diplomatic, Special or Service Passports
The Government of the Sultanate of Oman and the Swiss Federal Council (hereinafter referred to as the “Contracting Parties”);
Wishing to enhance bilateral relations between them;
Desiring to facilitate travel of their nationals, holders of diplomatic, special or service passports;
In the interest of strengthening their mutual cooperation;
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1
ACCREDITED DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR STAFF
1. Nationals of the States of Either Contracting Party holding a valid national diplomatic, special or service passport, and who are members of a diplomatic mission, a consular post or a permanent mission of their respective State to an organisation, with which a Headquarters Agreement has been concluded, may enter the territory of the State of the other Contracting Party and stay there for the duration of their assignment without a visa. The sending Contracting Party shall notify the receiving Contracting Party in advance through diplomatic channels on the posting and function of the aforementioned persons.
2. Family members of the persons specified in paragraph 1 of this Article who are nationals of the State of the sending Contracting Party and hold a valid national diplomatic, special or service passport shall benefit from the same facilities insofar as the sending Contracting Party confirmed them as family members entitled to stay with the persons specified in paragraph 1 of this Article.
Article 2
OTHER REASONS FOR TRAVELLING
1. Nationals of the States of either Contracting Party holding a valid national diplomatic, special or service passport, who are not referred to in Article 1 paragraph 1, may enter, stay for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days per period of one hundred and eighty (180) days or leave the territory of the State of the other Contracting Party without a visa, providing they do not undertake any gainful activity in the other State.
2. When entering the territory of Switzerland after having transited through the territory of one or more States to which the provisions of the Schengen Acquis are fully applicable, the ninety (90) days shall become effective as of the date of crossing the external border of the Schengen Area.
Article 3
COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL LEGISLATION
Nationals of the States of either Contracting Party shall comply with the entry and stay regulations and national legislation in force in the State of the other Contracting Party throughout the duration of their stay.
Article 4
REFUSAL OF ENTRY
The competent authorities of either Contracting Party reserve the right to deny entry into or stay in the territory of its State to nationals of the State of the other Contracting Party as specified in Articles 1 and 2 of this Agreement for reasons of national security, public order or public health.
Article 5
NOTIFICATION OF RELEVANT DOCUMENTS
1. The competent authorities of either Contracting Party shall complete, through diplomatic channels, the exchange of specimen of their passports referred to in Article 1 of this Agreement within thirty (30) days from the date of the signing of this Agreement.
2. In the event of changes to their respective passports, the competent authority of the Contracting Party concerned shall send the competent authority of the other Contracting Party the new specimen, together with the information on their applicability, at least thirty (30) days before their introduction date.
Article 6
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall consult each other on any difficulties arising from the application of interpretation of this Agreement. Any dispute which arises shall be resolved through diplomatic channels.
Article 7
AMENDMENTS
Any amendment which has been agreed upon between the Contracting Parties shall be notified through diplomatic channels. They shall come into effect on the date of the second notification by which the Contracting Parties inform each other of the fulfillment of their relevant internal procedures.
Article 8
OTHER OBLIGATIONS
This Agreement shall not affect other obligations of the Contracting Parties arising under international agreements, in particular obligations arising from the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 18 April 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 24 April 1963.
Article 9
ENTRY INTO FORCE
This agreement shall enter into force thirty (30) days after the receipt of the last written notification, through diplomatic channels, by which the Contracting Parties inform each other on the fulfillment of the other relevant internal procedures.
Article 10
SUSPENSION
Either Contracting Party may suspend this Agreement partially or wholly, on the grounds of national security, public order or public health. However, it shall notify the other Contracting Party, in writing in advance, of its intention to suspend the Agreement. Such suspension shall enter into force from the date of the receipt of the notification by the other Contracting Party. The Contracting Party which has suspended the application of this Agreement shall immediately inform the other Contracting Party, through diplomatic channels, once the reasons for suspension no longer exist and that this Agreement is again applicable.
Article 11
TERMINATION
This Agreement is concluded for an indefinite period of time. If either Contracting Party wishes to terminate this Agreement, it shall notify the other Contracting Party in writing through diplomatic channels, any this Agreement shall cease to be effective on the thirtieth (30th) day following the date of notification.
This Agreement was signed in Berne on this Friday 6th of August 2010 in two original copies in the Arabic, French and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of divergence of interpretation, the English text shall be used.
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