Visiting Forces Act is a title often given to laws governing the status of military personnel while they are visiting areas under the jurisdiction of another country and/or while forces of one country are attached to or serving with forces of another country.
The law may also apply to some foreign non-military persons who are associated with visiting military forces (e.g., dependents, civilian employees, etc.). Such laws commonly address such issues as criminal jurisdiction, treatment of apprehended individuals found to be foreign military personnel who are absent without leave or military deserters, double jeopardy situations, etc. Individual laws enacted by individual governments may address such issues directly, or may act as enabling legislation so that separate visiting forces agreements between a host country and other countries may attain the force of law. Depending on the legislative climate in the host country, such enabling legislation may or may not be necessary.