AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC REGARDING WORKING HOLIDAY VISAS

AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN AND
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC
REGARDING WORKING HOLIDAY VISAS

The Government of Japan and the Government of the Czech Republic (hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Contracting Parties” and individually as the “Contracting Party”),

In a spirit of promoting closer co-operative relationship between the two States, and

Desirous of providing wider opportunities for nationals of their States, particularly the youth, to appreciate the culture and general way of life of the other State for the purpose of promoting mutual understanding between the two States,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

1. Each Contracting Party shall issue, free of charge, to a national of the State of the other Contracting Party (hereinafter referred to as the “sending State”) residing in the territory of that State a working holiday visa if such national meets all of the following requirements:

(a) intending to enter the territory of the State of the other Contracting Party (hereinafter referred to as the “receiving State”) primarily for the purpose of spending holidays;

(b) being between eighteen (18) and thirty (30) years of age, both inclusive, at the time of application for the working holiday visa;

(c) not being accompanied by dependants; for the purposes of this sub-paragraph, a person in possession of a valid visa of his or her own shall not be considered as a dependant;

(d) possessing a valid passport with validity exceeding the intended length of stay in the receiving State by at least three (3) months, and a return travel ticket or sufficient funds to purchase such ticket;

(e) possessing reasonable funds, at the discretion of the relevant authorities of the receiving State, for the maintenance of his or her stay in the receiving State during the initial one (1) month of the stay;

(f) not having previously been issued the working holiday visa by the receiving State;

(g) having sufficient medical insurance as required by laws and regulations in force in the receiving State;

(h) complying with all health requirements necessary for entry into the territory of the receiving State; and

(i) having no criminal record.

2. By applying for working holiday visa, the applicant confirms all of the following intentions:

(a) to leave the receiving State at the end of his or her stay and not alter his or her status of residence during the stay; and

(b) to comply with the laws and regulations in force in the receiving State during his or her stay in the receiving State.

3. Working holiday visa issued by the receiving State to nationals of the sending State shall be:

(a) multiple entry visa valid for up to one (1) year from the date of issuance where the receiving State is the Czech Republic.

(b) single entry visa valid for three (3) months from the date of issuance where the receiving State is Japan.

4. Notwithstanding paragraph 1 above, each Contracting Party reserves the right not to approve any particular visa application it receives.

Article 2

Each Contracting Party shall permit nationals of the sending State to apply for the working holiday visas at the Embassy of the receiving State located in the sending State.  When necessary, the applicant will be interviewed by the representatives of the Embassy to determine his or her eligibility.

Article 3

1. The Government of the Czech Republic shall permit the nationals of Japan who possess a valid working holiday visa to stay in the Czech Republic for the period of the validity of the visa.  The validity of the working holiday visas issued by the Government of the Czech Republic may not be extended.

2. The Government of Japan shall permit the nationals of the Czech Republic who possess a valid working holiday visa and enter the territory of Japan within the period of its validity to stay in Japan for a period of up to one (1) year from the date of entry.  The nationals of the Czech Republic shall, if they depart from Japan having expressed to an immigration inspector the intention of re-entering Japan in accordance with the laws and regulations in force in Japan, be deemed to have been granted the re-entry permission during the permitted period of stay.

3. Each Contracting Party shall allow the nationals of the sending State as referred to in paragraph 1 or 2 above to engage in employment without work permit as an incidental activity of their holidays for the purpose of supplementing their travel funds in accordance with the laws and regulations in force in the respective States.

4. Notwithstanding paragraphs 1 and 2 above, each Contracting Party reserves the right to refuse entry into the territory of its State to any person who has been issued a visa under this Agreement and whom it may consider undesirable, or remove any person who has obtained entry under this Agreement and whom it may consider undesirable.

Article 4

The Contracting Parties shall notify each other, in writing, through diplomatic channels, within ninety (90) days from the entry into force of this Agreement about the maximum number of visas to be issued under Article 1 on the basis of reciprocity in a calendar year.  The Contracting Parties may change the number annually through an exchange of diplomatic notes.

Article 5

Nationals of the State of either Contracting Party who have entered the territory of the receiving State with the working holiday visas shall comply with the laws and regulations in force in the receiving State during their stay in the receiving State.

Article 6

Unless otherwise provided for in this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall be implemented in accordance with the laws and regulations in force in the respective States.

Article 7

1. The Contracting Parties shall notify each other in writing, through diplomatic channels, of completion of their respective internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement.  This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the second month after the date of receipt of the latter of these notifications.

2. Any dispute regarding the interpretation of this Agreement shall be resolved by the Contracting Parties through diplomatic channels.

3. Amendments to this Agreement may be negotiated between the Contracting Parties at any time.  These amendments shall be concluded in written form.

4. The provisions of this Agreement may, at any time, be subject to consultations between the Contracting Parties through diplomatic channels.

5. Either Contracting Party may suspend the implementation of the foregoing provisions, in whole or in part, temporarily for reasons of public order.  Any such suspension or lifting thereof shall be notified immediately to the other Contracting Party through diplomatic channels.

6. Either Contracting Party may terminate this Agreement by giving three (3) months written notice to the other Contracting Party.

7. Notwithstanding termination of this Agreement or suspension of the implementation of any provisions of this Agreement, unless otherwise decided by the Contracting Parties through diplomatic channels, each Contracting Party shall afford favourable consideration to the request for entry or stay of any national of the sending State who, at the date of such termination or suspension, has been issued a valid working holiday visa or is permitted to stay in the receiving State in accordance with Article 3.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.

DONE at Tokyo on 27 June 2017, in duplicate, each in the Japanese, Czech and English languages, all texts being equally authentic.  In case of any divergence of interpretation, the English text shall prevail.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN 

嶋﨑郁    

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Václav Kolaja