We, Haitham bin Tarik, 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 Government of the Republic of India on Mutual Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic, Special, Service and Official Passports signed in the city of Muscat on 11 February 2018,
and in pursuance of public interest,
have decreed as follows
Article I
The aforementioned agreement is hereby ratified in the form attached.
Article II
This decree shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force on the date of its issuance.
Issued on: 13 Sha’ban 1441
Corresponding to: 7 April 2020
Haitham bin Tarik
Sultan of Oman
Published in Official Gazette 1337 issued on 12 April 2020.
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN AND THE REPUBLIC OF INDIA ON MUTUAL VISA EXEMPTION FOR HOLDERS OF DIPLOMATIC, SPECIAL, SERVICE AND OFFICAL PASSPORTS
The Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of India, hereinafter referred to as the “Parties”,
Desiring to strengthen the friendly relations between both countries, and
Wishing to facilitate the travel of their citizens, holders of valid diplomatic, special, service and official passports into the territory of the other Party,
Have reached the following understanding;
Article 1
The provisions of this Agreement apply to holders of any of the following passports:
1. Valid diplomatic, special and service passports of the Government of the Sultanate of Oman.
2. Valid diplomatic and official passports of the Government of the Republic of India.
Article 2
Citizens of either Party, holders of any of the valid passports mentioned in Article (1), may enter into, transit through, stay in, and exit from the territory of the other Party without the requirement of obtaining a visa for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days, and during a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days from the date of their first entry.
Article 3
Citizens of either Party, holders of any of the valid passports mentioned in Article (1), must not undertake any paid activity that requires a work permit during their stay in the territory of the other Party.
Article 4
Citizens of either Party, holders of any of the valid passports mentioned in Article (1), shall abide by the laws and regulations in force during their stay in the territory of the other Party.
Article 5
The passports mentioned in Article (1), belonging to citizens of either Patty, shall be valid for a period of at least six (6) months on their entry into the territory of the other Party.
Article 6
Citizens of either Party, holders of any of the valid passports mentioned in Article (1), shall enter into, transit through, stay in, and exit from the territory of the other Party through the border-crossing points open to international traffic without any restriction, except for entry restrictions relating to security, immigration, customs, and health, or any other provisions legally applicable to the holders of these passports.
Article 7
1. Citizens of either Party, holders of any of the valid passports mentioned in Article (1), who are appointed to a diplomatic or consular mission or international organization in the territory of the other Party, shall be required to obtain a visa prior to their first entry into the territory of the other Party.
2. The treatment referred to in paragraph (1) of this article shall also extend to members of the families of the aforesaid citizens who live with them in the same household, provided that they are holders of any of the valid passports mentioned in Article (1).
3. The competent authorities of the other Party shall accredit the citizens referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Article within thirty (30) days from their entry into the territory of the other Party, upon which they will be granted their respective visas in accordance with the applicable national regulations of the other Party.
Article 8
1. This Agreement does not affect the right of the competent authorities of either Party to refuse entry of the citizens of the other Party, holders of any of the valid passports mentioned in Article (1), into their respective territories, reduce their period of stay or terminate it, where the citizens in question are considered non grata or where they may present a risk to the national security, public order or public health, or where their presence within the respective territory is illegal.
2. Where a citizen of the other Party has been affected by the provisions of this Article, the Party responsible for the aforementioned action must notify the other Party in writing through diplomatic channels without delay.
Article 9
1. In the case of loss, theft, damage or invalidity of any of the passports mentioned in Article (1) by a citizen of a Party in the territory of the other Party, the diplomatic or consular mission, to which the holder of the passport in question belongs to, shall provide him with the documents that enable him to return to the territory of the Party to which he is citizen of.
2. The aforementioned diplomatic or consular mission shall promptly notify the competent authorities of the other Party of such incidents through diplomatic channels.
Article 10
1. The Parties shall exchange specimens of the passports mentioned in Article (1), through diplomatic channels, within thirty (30) days from the date of signature of this Agreement.
2. In the case of any changes in the passports mentioned in Article (1), the Party, whose passports have been changed, shall provide specimens of the changed passports to the other Party, through diplomatic channels, thirty (30) days prior to the entry of these changes into force.
Article 11
The Parties may amend and revise the provisions of this Agreement by mutual consent in writing through diplomatic channels. Any revision or amendments, which have been agreed by the two Parties, shall come into effect according to Article (16) of this Agreement and shall accordingly form an integral part of it.
Article 12
This Agreement does not prejudice any obligations arising out of any bilateral agreements concluded between both Parties, and nothing in it shall be constructed as affecting the rights and obligations set out in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 18 April, 1961 or the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 24 April, 1963.
Article 13
The Parties shall implement this Agreement in accordance with the laws and regulations in force in both Parties.
Article 14
The Parties shall amicably settle any disputes arising out of the implementation or interpretation of the provisions of this Agreement by consultation through diplomatic channels.
Article 15
1. Either Party may temporarily suspend the application of this Agreement, completely or partially, for reasons relating to national security, public order or public health, or in case of violation of the provisions of this Agreement.
2. The Party, who wishes to suspend the application of this Agreement, shall notify the other Party of the suspension and specify the reasons thereof in writing, through diplomatic channels, at least seven (7) days before the entry of this suspension into force, and shall also inform the other Party of the end of this suspension period in writing through diplomatic channels, at least seven (7) days before the end of this suspension.
3. The suspension of the application of this Agreement does not affect the legal status of the citizens of either Party, holders of any of the valid passports mentioned in Article (1), who have already entered into the territory of the other Party.
Article 16
This Agreement shall enter into force sixty (60) days after receipt of the last written notification through diplomatic channels, by which one Party informs the other Party of the completion of its internal procedures required for that purpose, and shall be valid for an indefinite period of time, unless one of the Parties notifies the other Party in writing through the diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate it at least sixty (60) days before the application of this termination.
This Agreement is signed in Muscat, on Sunday, 11 of February 2018 in two originals, each in the Arabic, Hindi and English languages, all texts being equally authentic. In case of discrepancy in interpretation, the English text shall prevail.
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For the Government of the Sultanate of Oman |
For the Government of the Republic of India |