Kosovo Citizens with Serbian Coordination Direc.torate Passports Can Now Travel Visa-Free to Schengen Zone
Citizens of Kosovo who hold passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate can now travel without a visa to countries in the Schengen Zone for short stays. This new regulation was implemented on October 13 and aligns the visa rules for the entire Western Balkans region, as reported by Schengen.News.
On September 18, the agreement was signed by Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, and János Bóka, Hungary’s Minister for European Affairs. The regulation was published in the Official Gazette of the European Union on the same day.
The new regulation, known as Regulation (EU) 2024/2495, amends the existing Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 concerning holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate.
Visa-Free Travel Proposal Approved Earlier This Year
Serbia is not a member of the European Union (EU). The country applied for EU membership in 2009, and negotiations are ongoing. However, since that time, holders of Serbian passports have been able to travel visa-free to the Schengen Zone, except for those with passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate in Belgrade who reside in Kosovo.
Starting January 1, 2024, Kosovo citizens will also be allowed to travel visa-free to EU countries for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. When the European Commission announced this decision in April 2023, they clarified that the changes would not initially include Kosovo citizens with Serbian Coordination Directorate passports.
In November 2023, the European Commission proposed removing the visa requirement for this group after Kosovo achieved visa liberalization, making it the only remaining subject to visa restrictions in the Western Balkans.
With the new visa exemption for Kosovo passport holders in effect, the Commission concluded that there were no longer valid reasons for excluding holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate. Consequently, all citizens of the Western Balkans are now eligible for visa-free travel to the Schengen area.
Official Steps Taken for Visa-Free Travel
The European Commission proposed changes to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 to allow this category of travelers to enter EU Schengen states without a visa. In April 2023, the European Parliament approved the proposal to lift visa requirements for Kosovo citizens holding Serbian passports. By July 2023, the EU had officially abolished the visa requirement for this group.
On September 18, 2024, the Official Gazette of the EU noted that the new regulation would take effect 20 days after its publication.
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