Citizens of Kosovo will now be able to travel to the EU without needing a visa, according to a new report from the European Commission.
This new rule will become official on the date when the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) begins to operate, or from 1 January 2024, whichever comes first.
In a statement, the European Parliament revealed that the motion for the agreement to allow visa-free travel for holders of Kosovo passports got 47 votes in favor, 8 against, and 4 abstaining.
“After the law has entered into force, the entire Western Balkans region will have a similar visa framework for the Schengen area,” the statement said.
This is coming after years of deliberations that have now culminated in an agreement between the European Parliament and the European Council to allow passport holders from Kosovo to travel to the EU without a visa, following an earlier proposal by the European Commission.
The proposal to grant EU visa-free travel for the people of Kosovo was first initiated by the European Commission in 2016.
The European Commission in a recent assessment ruled that Kosovo has met all requirements since 2018, and has fulfilled all the benchmarks set in the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap.
Travelers from Kosovo will be allowed to enter the EU visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
The President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, has expressed his support for the new visa-free rule for Kosovo, calling it a “monumental step forward for EU integration”.
“Today, the European Parliament makes history with a positive vote on visa liberalization for Kosovo. This is a monumental step forward for EU integration, fostering unity and expanding opportunities for all,” he wrote in a Twitter post.
The new Visa-free travel rule will bring ample benefits to citizens of both Kosovo and the EU and will aid the strengthening of ties and relations between both sides.
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