EU Parliament Extends Visa-Free Travel to Kosovo Serbs – VisaGuide.News

Kosovo Serbs holding passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate will also be eligible to travel visa-free to the Schengen Zone.

The new decision comes after the European Parliament voted to endorse visa-free travel for them, following a visa liberalization agreement with Kosovo that became effective on January 1, 2024, VisaGuide.World reports.

Emphasizing that the new changes ensure that the entire Western Balkans region has the same visa regime for travel to the EU, the European Parliament confirmed the decision through a statement.

On Wednesday, MEPs voted with 406 votes in favour, 97 against, and 94 abstentions to support visa-free travel to the EU of up to 90 days for holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (“Koordinaciona uprava”), which issues passports to Kosovo Serbs.

Rapporteur Matjaž Nemec considered the decision important to prevent discrimination against these citizens, who remain the only category in the Western Balkans who are obliged to obtain a visa to travel to the EU’s passport-free travel zone.

This technical decision is not an attempt to resolve the dispute between Serbia and Kosovo, but a pragmatic solution to ensure equal treatment. Now that the proposal has been adopted by Parliament, I hope that the law can be quickly finalized before the EU elections of 6-9 June.

Urging for Visa Waiver for Kosovo Residents Holding Serbian Passports

The European Commission proposed to abolish visa requirements for citizens of Kosovo holding passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate in November last year. It came after the EU’s decision to lift visa requirements for short-term stays from the beginning of this year.

The Commission proposed to change Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 to exempt citizens of Kosovo holding passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate from visa requirements.

Besides, back then the Commission argued that there is no longer any reason for which holders of passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate residing in Kosovo are ineligible to travel without visas to Schengen Zone.

Earlier this year, the European Parliament Home Affairs Committee appointed Matjaž Nemec as a rapporteur for visa abolition for Kosovo Serbs holding passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate.

From the beginning of this year, Kosovars are eligible to travel visa-free for short-term stays in EU’s Schengen Zone countries. The EU adopted visa-free travel for Kosovo’s passport holders in April 2023, stressing that they would be permitted to travel without visas from January 1, 2024.