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December 17, 1998


MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM ON VISA EXEMPTION FOR HOLDERS OF OFFICIAL PASSPORTS AND VISA FACILITATION FOR HOLDERS OF ORDINARY PASSPORTS

The Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, hereinafter referred to as the Parties;

Desiring to further expand their bilateral relations;

In addition to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic passports, signed on 20 January 1997 in Hanoi:

Have agreed on the following with respect to holders of official and ordinary passports:

ARTICLE 1

Citizens of one Party, who are holders of valid official passports, shall be exempt from visa requirement for entry into, exit from and transit through the territory of the other Party at the border-checking points designated for international travel.

The citizens referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be permitted to stay in the territory of the other Party for a maximum period of 30 days. Upon the request in writing of the Diplomatic Mission or Consular Post of the Party whose citizens are holders of such passports, the other Party may extend the temporary stay of those citizens.

ARTICLE 2

Citizens of one Party and members of their families holding valid official passports, accredited to work in the Diplomatic Mission, Consular Post or International Organizations located in the other Party, shall be permitted to enter this country without visa and allowed to stay for a maximum of 30 days, during which time they should obtain the necessary authorization from the competent authorities of the receiving Party.

ARTICLE 3

Pursuant to existing ASEAN Guidelines, citizens of one Party working in the ASEAN Secretariat and holding valid ordinary passports, shall be exempt from visa requirements for a visit of 15 days or less to the other Party in connection with ASEAN activities.

The same privilege shall be accorded to citizens of one Party holding valid ordinary passports, who are attending ASEAN activities organized in the other Party by the ASEAN Secretariat or the other Party's Government Agencies or Organizations.

ARTICLE 4

Citizens of one Party holding valid ordinary passports, who propose to enter and stay in the territory of the other Party for a period not exceeding 15 days for social visits, attending seminars, undertaking market surveys, investment, trade, or for tourism in a group of five persons or more organized by one Party's travel agencies, shall obtain appropriate visas within a period of 2 or 3 working days from the competent authorities of the other Party. The Parties shall inform each other of the requirements for obtaining the appropriate visas through diplomatic channels.

ARTICLE 5

The competent authorities of the two Parties shall, as soon as possible, inform each other through diplomatic channels of any change in their respective laws and regulations concerning the entry, exit and stay applicable to foreigners.

ARTICLE 6

This Memorandum of Understanding shall not exempt the holders of the said passports from the obligation of respecting the laws and regulations in force in the territory of the host country.

Each Party shall reserve the right to refuse the entry or shorten or terminate the duration of stay of citizens of the other Party if such citizens are considered unacceptable or have become undesirable.

ARTICLE 7

This Memorandum of Understanding shall remain in full force and effect unless one Party officially notifies the other Party, through diplomatic channels, of its desire to suspend or terminate this Memorandum of Understanding. In such a case, the Memorandum of Understanding shall remain valid until thirty (30) days after the date on which one Party receives an official notification from the other Party expressing the desire of the latter to suspend or terminate the validity of this Memorandum of Understanding.

ARTICLE 8

The Parties shall exchange their respective valid passport specimens through diplomatic channels within 30 days after the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding. One Party, when modifying its passport, shall present the specimens of the new passport to the other Party within 30 days prior to its use.

ARTICLE 9

This Memorandum of Understanding shall enter into force sixty (60) days after its signing.

This Memorandum of Understanding may be amended or supplemented by mutual consent of the Parties.

Done at Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, this 17th Jay of December 1998, in two original texts in the English language.

For the Government of the
Republic of the Philippines

(Sgd.) DOMlNGO L. SIAZON, JR.
Secretary of Foreign Affairs

For the Government of the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam

(Sgd.) NGUYEN MANH CAM
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs

Entry into Force: August 31, 1999



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