Cusco, Dec. 7, 2004. Starting on January 1st, 2005, Venezuela will eliminate visa requirements at its international airports for Andean Community citizens who enter the country as tourists.

So stipulates Decision 603 approved by the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers during the Special Summit of the Andean Presidential Council being held today in Cusco.

Andean Community Secretary General Allan Wagner pointed out that this decision reflects Venezuela’s political will to move ahead with the consolidation and deepening of the mechanisms that will guarantee the free circulation of people within the Community area.

"This is a very important effort on the part of the Venezuelan government, which we all value, coming as it does from a country that has traditionally attracted a large flow of people, for it will allow Andean citizens who are tourists to move about freely in that country."

According to Decision 603, nationals of other Andean Community countries may remain in Venezuelan territory as tourists for up to ninety days, non-extendable.

In order to enjoy these benefits, Andean tourists must: present a passport that is valid for over six more months; hold a round-trip air ticket; and have a confirmation of their hotel reservation or a notarized letter of invitation containing information about the person issuing the invitation, address and telephone number.

That Community Decision further stipulates that the Andean Identification and Civil Status Committee shall issue a recommendation to the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers, by January 1, 2006 at the latest, in regard to the possible amendment of the list of national identification documents included in Decision 503, in order to give their holders a larger measure of legal certainty.

A temporary stipulation of that Decision establishes that the Andean countries must make an analysis, with the assistance of the Andean Committee of Immigration Authorities, to enable them to set down the conditions for eliminating visa requirements for Andean tourists who enter Venezuela by land.