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Kosovo citizens holding passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate can now travel visa-free to Schengen Zone countries for short-term stays.
Implemented on October 13, the decision makes the whole Western Balkan subject to the same visa regulations, Schengen.News reports.
On September 18, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and János BÓKA, Minister for European Affairs, on behalf of Hungary, signed the agreement on the matter.
The regulation was published by the Official Gazette of the European Union on the same day.
Proposal to Permit Visa-Free Entry for This Group of Travelers Was Approved in April
Serbia is not a member of the EU. The country applied for EU membership in 2009, while negotiations on the matter are ongoing.
However, since 2009, holders of Serbian passports are permitted to travel visa-free to the Schengen Zone, except for holders of passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate in Belgrade residing in Kosovo.
From January 1, 2024, Kosovo citizens are allowed to travel to EU countries visa-free for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Announcing this decision in April 2023, the European Commission emphasised that the new changes will not include Kosovo citizens holding passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate.
In November 2023, the European Commission proposed to remove visa requirements for this category, following visa liberalisation for Kosovo, after they remained the only one subject to visas in the Western Balkans.
The Commission proposed to change the Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 in order to permit this category to travel visa-free to EU’ Schengen states.
In April this year, the proposal to lift visas for Kosovo citizens holding Serbian passports was approved by the European Parliament, and in July 2023, the EU abolished visa requirements for this category.
On September 18, 2024, the Official Gazette of the EU, publishing the regulation, emphasised that new changes are set to become effective 20 days after its publication.
Source: https://schengen.news/kosovo-citizens-with-serbian-passports-can-now-travel-without-visas-to-eu/
