D-8 Strengthens its cooperation in Visa Procedures for Business Society Benefits

17-18 February 2014, Tehran-Iran
Taking into account the important role of visa towards tremendous contribution of D-8 Countries in enhancing economic relation, the Islamic Republic of Iran hosted the meeting of Consular Authorities of Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures between 17-18 February 2014 in Tehran, Iran.
During the Meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister of Islamic Republic of Iran, Amb. Ghashghaavi, D-8 Secretary-General, Dr. Mousavi, and other high dignitaries from D-8 Countries exchanged their imperative point of views regarding challenges in visa application procedures and conveyed some viable recommendations for further enhancement of the Agreement. 
Their main view was on establishing some efficient mechanism for the visa application procedures in order to have user-friendly, transparent, prioritized, accountable and timely tools on the proceeding and facilitating visa procedures for business society among D-8 Countries. It was expected that through these mechanisms the private sectors, as the main vehicle of economic activities, would have easier and simplifier procedures for obtaining visa.
After deliberations, the Meeting made several imperative outcomes such as establishment of the working group on visa procedures (business ID Card, Visa on arrival, travel/visa sticker, etc.), the idea on having a workshop on technical aspects of electronic visa (e-Visa), and the need for having lesson-learnt from APEC and SAARC on their experiences in visa facilitation for businessmen.  
In addition, the Meeting encouraged D-8 Member States, who have not acceded to the Visa Agreement, to ratify it as soon as possible as well as for facilitating the issuance of visa for businessmen using the Agreement on voluntary basis. the Meeting also proposed to have the Meeting on annual basis and, at the same time, encouraged Member States to optimize Visa Agreement in concrete and efficient ways in order to strengthen trade and investment relations among themselves. 
It was hoped that with the collaborative coordination amongst relevant institutions on visa and immigration issues in D-8 Member States, a set of viable recommendations based on the common understanding for further enhancement of the simplification of Visa Agreement would be achieved in the near future.
Photos of this Meeting can be viewed from the below link:

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