- will be given priority treatment. They will take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that the fees for official travel documents and visas are acceptable.
They confirm that the presentation of an application concerning contacts on the basis of family ties will not modify the rights and obligations of the applicant or of members of his family.
(b) Reunification of Families
The participating States will deal in a positive and humanitarian spirit with the applications of persons who wish to be reunited with members of their family, with special attention being given to requests of an urgent character - such as requests submitted by persons who are ill or old.
They will deal with applications in this field as expeditiously as possible. They will lower where necessary the fees charged in connection with these applications to ensure that they are at a moderate level.
Applications for the purpose of family reunification which are not granted may be renewed at the appropriate level and will be reconsidered at reasonably short intervals by the authorities of the country of residence or destination, whichever is concerned; under such circumstances fees will be charged only when applications are granted.
Persons whose applications for family reunification are granted may bring with them or ship their household and personal effects; to this end the partici- pating States will use all possibilities provided by existing regulations.
Until members of the same family are reunited meetings and contacts between them may take place in accordance with the modalities for contacts on the basis of family ties.
The participating States will support the efforts of Red Cross and Red Cres- cent Societies concerned with the problems of family reunification.
They confirm that the presentation of an application concerning family reunification will not modify the rights and obligations of the applicant or of members of his family.
The receiving participating State will take appropriate care with regard to employment for persons from other participating States who take up permanent residence in that State in connection with family reunification with its citizens and see that they are afforded opportunities equal to those enjoyed by its own citizens for education, medical assistance and social security.
(c) Marriage between Citizens of Different States
The participating States will examine favourably and on the basis of humani- tarian considerations requests for exit or entry permits from persons who have decided to marry a citizen from another participating State.
The processing and issuing of the documents required for the above purposes and for the marriage will be in accordance with the provisions accepted for family reunification.
In dealing with requests from couples from different participating States, once married, to enable them and the minor children of their marriage to transfer their permanent residence to a State in which either one is normally a resident,
34