NATO and Defense Department contractors and their personnel that are performing contracting work in Afghanistan will need to comply with all the provisions of the Bilateral Security Agreement starting Tuesday, the Army website reported Thursday.“The BSA is similar to status of forces agreements and covers military members serving overseas and applies to personnel working in the country as part of the U.S. military forces,†said Capt. Alexis Carter, civil affairs legal adviser at the U.S. Forces Afghanistan.
“It includes not only entry and exit requirements, but also procedures for obtaining business licenses, permits for personnel authorized to be armed in performance of official duties, boarding and use of aircraft for travel.”
Vanessa Villarreal and Kevin Walston write the agreement took effect in January but its implementation was extended twice through grace periods to give companies and their staff enough time to secure corporate licenses and visas.
“There will be no more exemptions or exceptions to policy for contractors,†Carter said.
Afghanistan’s interior ministry will impose fines for failure to comply, he added.
