Spain allows Kosovo nationals to enter without visa, despite not recognizing independence

Despite not recognizing Kosovo as an independent country, Spain currently accepts entry passports issued by Kosovar authorities, allowing Kosovars to visit the country without a visa.

This decision was confirmed through a statement by Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi. “Good news” For Kosovars and the entire Kosovo province, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

According to Bislimi, the EU Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs announced that Spain has approved the passport of the Republic of Kosovo.

DG Home announced that Spain has approved the passport of the Republic of Kosovo. Therefore, we can travel to this country without a visa. Visa-free travel began on January 1st, and liberalization added Spain to the Schengen area countries you can travel to, but previously there was a hurdle in the form of passports not being approved.

However, Spanish authorities have not yet given any official confirmation in this regard.

From January 1, 2024, Kosovo nationals will be able to travel visa-free to Schengen countries for short-term stays. The visa liberalization agreement between the European Union and Kosovo was signed in April 2023. At the time, the EU had adopted visa-free travel for Kosovo passport holders, stressing that they would be able to travel without a visa from 2024.

Shortly thereafter, however, Spain announced that it would not apply visa liberalization to Kosovo, despite the EU agreement. In April 2023, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Álvarez stated that Kosovo nationals would continue to not be allowed visa-free travel to Spain. Spain does not recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent country, as Spain does not recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent country. A passport issued by the authorities.

“Spain has a traditional policy of non-recognition of Kosovo, and that traditional policy leads to the non-recognition of Kosovo passports. ing.” alvarez

Recent changes announced by the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo mean that Kosovars will not face additional requirements, such as visas, when planning a trip to Spain.

The abolition of visas for Kosovo nationals also strengthened the power of the passport. This month’s VisaGuide.World passport index update showed that Kosovar’s passport has risen from 188th place last month to 98th place now.

Besart Bajrami, founder of VisaGuide.World, considered the Kosovo passport to have risen 90 places in the index, which ranks passports from 199 countries by passport strength. “Historical feat.”

This is a historic achievement for Kosovo and a historic increase in the strength index of passports, and that only the EU has the exclusive power to increase the strength of passports to this extent overnight. It shows.

However, Kosovars need a traditional visa if they plan to travel to a total of 97 countries around the world, a visa on arrival to visit 32 countries, and an e-visa to visit a further 33 countries. is.