Евразийское экономическое сообщество

TREATY

on the legal status of citizens

of one state permanently residing

in the territory of another state

28 April 1998¹

The Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation, hereinafter referred to as the Parties,

to further promote friendly relationships,

endeavoring, to the benefit of their citizens, to ensure equal standards of living in the territories of each of the Parties, and, in this context, willing to grant citizens of a Party who constantly reside in the territory of the other Party legal status which is as close as possible to the legal status of the citizens of this other Party,

have agreed as follows:

Article 1

1. For the purpose of this Treaty:

a) “permanent resident” means a citizen of a Party who constantly resides in the territory of the other Party, under a permit issued by the other Party;

b)  “Party of citizenship” means a Party whose citizen is a permanent resident;

c) “Party of residence” means a Party in whose territory a permanent resident resides.

Article 2

1. A permit certifying permanent resident status recognized by the Parties hereunder shell be a document issued by the competent bodies of the Party of residence, or a mark by the competent bodies of the Party of residence in identification and citizenship documents issued in accordance with the laws of the Party of citizenship.

2. The Parties shall exchange samples of documents specified in Paragraph 1 hereof through diplomatic channels.

3. Departure of a permanent resident from the territory of the Party of residence for study, work, medical treatment, a business trip, military service or in any other similar cases shall not affect his or her legal status defined herein.

Article 3

A permanent resident shall maintain a legal bond with the Party of citizenship and enjoy its protection.

The permanent resident shall undertake to comply with the laws or any other regulations, and also respect traditions and customs of the Party of residence.

Article 4

The permanent resident shall enjoy the same rights and freedoms, and shall assume the same obligations as the citizens of the Party of residence with exemptions laid down herein and in the Constitutions of the Parties.

No restrictions of rights or additional obligations which may be imposed on foreigners in the Party of residence shall apply to a citizen of a Party who constantly resides in the territory of the other Party, after the Treaty comes into force.

The permanent resident shall not perform military duty in the Party of residence and may be deprived, by the laws of the Party of residence, of the following rights:

a) electing for or being elected to senior public positions and elected governmental bodies of

the Party of residence;

b) participating in referenda (a popular vote) conducted by the Party of residence;

c) holding positions in the bodies of representative, legislative, executive and judicial branches in the Party of residence, as well as any other positions, appointment to which implies citizenship of the Party of residence.

Article 5

No limitations which are imposed or may be imposed on the foreigners in the Party of residence and relate to the terms and conditions and procedures of entry, residence and departure shall apply to the permanent resident.

Article 6

1. State-recognized degree and (or) qualification documents issued to a permanent resident by an educational establishment of the Party of citizenship shall be recognized in the territory of the Party of residence irregardless of the date of issue.

2. The documents specified in clause 1 hereof shall grant a permanent resident the right to enter colleges located in the territory of any Party and shall be valid for employment in accordance with the qualification stated therein.

Article 7

A permanent resident shall participate in privatization of public property on the territory of the Party of residence, subject to the terms and conditions established in compliance with the laws of the Party of residence, unless otherwise defined by another treaty between the Parties.

Article 8

1. Documents granting the right to cross state borders of the Parties with the states which are not parties hereto shall be issued by diplomatic and consular offices of the Party of citizenship in the territory of the Party of residence, as agreed by respective bodies of the Party of residence.

2. Limitations on departure stipulated by the laws of the Party of citizenship and the Party of residence shall apply to a permanent resident. The Parties shall take measures to forbid departure to the states which are not parties hereto of permanent residents, in whose respect there are limitations on departure established in accordance with the laws of the Party of citizenship and the Party of residence.

Article 9

1. The capacity of a permanent resident shall be determined in compliance with the laws of the Party of citizenship.

2. The capacity of a permanent resident in respect of civil transactions shall be determined in compliance with the laws of the Party of residence.

3. Competent bodies of the Party of residence shall inform diplomatic or consular offices of the Party of citizenship of any cases of incapacity or recovery of capacity of a permanent resident, as well as in the case of declaring a permanent resident missing or dead, and in the case of finding a permanent resident dead.

Article 10

1. Adoption or its revocation, guardianship or tuition, or its revocation, in the event if a permanent resident is an adopter, a guardian or a tutor, and a person in whose respect adoption or its revocation, guardianship or tuition, or its revocation, shall be carried out, is a citizen of the Party of residence, shall be governed by the laws of this Party.

2. In the event if adoption or its revocation, guardianship or tuition, or its revocation, shall be carried out in respect of a permanent resident, laws of the Party of citizenship shall apply.

Article 11

The Treaty shall not infringe any provisions of laws of the Parties or international treaties which are formed or may be formed between them and set up a more favorable regime than the one envisaged hereunder.

Article 12

Any disputes and discrepancies arising out of or in connection with application or construction of the Treaty shall be settled through consultations or negotiations between the Parties.

Article 13

1. This Treaty is subject to ratification. Instruments of ratification shall be deposited at the Integration Committee, which is appointed a depositary hereunder.

2. Any Member State of the Commonwealth of Independent States that did not sign this Treaty may accede hereto by depositing an instrument of ratification on accession to the Treaty.

Article 14

1. This Treaty shall become operative on the 13th day from the date of deposit of the 4th instrument of ratification.

2. For each state which ratifies this Treaty or accedes hereto after its coming into force the Treaty shall become operative on the 13th day from the date of deposit of the respective instrument of ratification by the state.

Article 15

Any Party hereto shall be entitled to withdraw from the Treaty by giving notice in writing to the depositary. The Treaty shall terminate in respect of such Party upon expiry of 12 months from the date of receipt of the respective notice by the depositary.

Done at Moscow on 28 April 1998, in a single original copy in the Russian language.

The original copy shall be deposited with the integration Committee of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation, which shall transmit certified copy hereof to each state which concluded the Treaty.

For the Republic of Belarus                               A. Lukashenko

For the Republic of Kazakhstan                         N. Nazarbayev

For the Kyrgyz Republic                                     K. Zhumaliyev

For the Russian Federation                                B. Yeltsin