Visa deal set: PM

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says a visa-on-arrival arrangement has been made with African Caribbean and Pacific nations for short or 30-day stays.
A similar arrangement is applicable to Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation countries.
Visitors from these nations who want to stay longer to work or conduct business in Papua New Guinea must go through their embassies to get appropriate visas.
O’Neill revealed in Parliament in response to a question from West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel on visas for people who wanted to come to the country to visit relatives during an emergency.
O’Neill said:  “Those who are coming here for very short stay, that is to visit relatives or for tourism, will have a visa on arrival for 30 days.
“If they want to work and do business in Papua New Guinea, they must go through the embassy, get a business or working visa that will allow them to stay longer.
“Again that is also extended to most of all our APEC members because they are offering similar arrangements for our citizens who want to go and visit APEC member countries like Indonesia. Once a country offers this, it is only fair that we do so too.
“We are also expanding the arrangements through the European Union.
“One last point that the governor raised about medical checks including HIV and other diseases that we don’t want to get into our country.
“That is a normal requirement for those who are visiting on a long-term arrangement.
“If they want to get a work permit or do business in Papua New Guinea, they must go through the medical checks.”