A standing invitation is an open invitation extended by a Government to all thematic special procedures.
By extending a standing invitation States announce that they will always accept requests to visit from all special procedures.
As of April 2008, the following 60 countries have extended a standing invitation to thematic procedures.
Countries having extended a standing invitation to Special Procedures
County
Dates in which the invitation was extended
Argentina
Austria
Armenia
Belgium
March 2001
Brazil
Bulgaria
March 2001
Canada
April 1999
Colombia
(17 March 2003)
Costa Rica
Croatia
(13 March 2003)
Cyprus
March 2001
Czech Republic
September 2000
Denmark
March 2001
Ecuador
(9 January 2003)
Estonia
March 2001
Finland
April 2001
France
Germany
Greece
2001
Ghana
Guatemala
April 2001
Hungary
March 2001
Iceland
September 2000
Ireland
Islamic Republic of Iran
Italy
Latvia
March 2001
Jordan
Liechtenstein
(21 January 2003)
Lithuania
March 2001
Luxembourg
Maldives
April 2006
Malta
March 2001
Mexico
March 2001
Mongolia
(9 April 2004)
Montenegro
(11 October 2005)
Netherlands
April 2001
New Zealand
(3 February 2004)
Nicaragua
Norway
March 1999
Paraguay
(17 March 2003)
Peru
Poland
March 2001
Portugal
Republic of Korea
March 2008
Romania
March 2001
San Marino
(3 April 2003)
Serbia
(11 October 2005)
Sierra Leone
(7 April 2003)
Slovakia
March 2001
Slovenia
March 2001
South Africa
(17 July 2003)
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
(13 October 2004)
Turkey
March 2001
Ukraine
June 2006
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland