Short Stay Visa Waiver Agreement between the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Principality of Liechtenstein

The Bahamas Mission to the European Union, based in London, is pleased to announce that on Friday, 9 September 2011, in Brussels, Belgium, H.E. Mr. Paul H. Farquharson, QPM, Ambassador of The Bahamas to the European Union, signed the “Short Stay Visa Waiver Agreement” between The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Principality of Liechtenstein. Signing on behalf of the latter was H.E. Mr. Kurt Jaeger, Ambassador of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the European Union

The Agreement, which will enter into force on the first day of the first month following the date on which the contracting parties have notified each other of the completion of their internal procedures, shall be applied provisionally as from the date of signature, i.e., 9 September 2011.

For the purposes of this agreement, short stays, which are for a maximum of three (3) months, are considered as visits for the following purposes:

• Tourism
• Business travel, e.g. conferences, meetings etc. [but not paid employment]
• Ad hoc sports activities, artists’ activities
• Journalism [media professionals sent by media organizations in The Bahamas]
• Intra-corporate training

The agreement does not cover students or persons seeking employment. These persons must continue to secure the necessary visas and permits for educational or employment purposes.

With the signature of the agreement with Liechtenstein, the only “Schengen-Visa State” for which Bahamians continue to need visas for short-stays is Iceland.