The European Union Council’s decision to approve visa-free entry for holders of Kosovo’s passports from January 1, 2024, would quadruple the power of the passport of this country, according to Besart Bajrami, founder of the VisaGuide.World.
At present, Kosovo is placed in the 195th position in the VisaGuide.World Passport Index which ranks passports of a total of 199 countries, citizens of which are eligible to travel visa-free to other countries.
“In the VisaGuide.Passport Index, Kosovo’s passport is ranked in the 195th position with a Passport Score of 10.39. Below Kosovo are ranked the passports of Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and Afghanistan. In case of visa liberalization by the EU, Kosovo would move by 93 positions, to the 102nd place, and the power of the passport would almost quadruple, reaching 38.93,” Bajrami pointed out in this regard, VisaGuide.World reports.
Still, according to Bajrami, the Balkan country would remain at the bottom of the list compared to other Western Balkan states’ passports, despite the fact that it would jump by 93 positions in the Passport Index of the VisaGuide.World.
This, according to the founder of VisaGuide.World is a result of a large number of countries that have still not recognized the Republic of Kosovo as an independent country.
“Among the countries of the Western Balkans, we would still be last, because in 15 countries of the world (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cuba, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Moldova, Russia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela), due to lack of recognition, we are prohibited from entering with a Kosovo passport,” Bajrami noted.
The Council of the EU adopted its position at first reading related to visa-free travel for Kosovo passport holders.
According to the new changes applied by the EU Council, Kosovo’s passport holders would be eligible to travel to EU countries without visas, for a period of stay of a total of 90 days in a 180-day period.
The Council confirmed that the exemption from visa requirements would apply as of the date when the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) comes into effect, or from January 1, next year, “whichever comes first”, VisaGuide.World reports.
While noting that Kosovo has made significant efforts in order to improve its security and migration management and also align its visa policy with that of the EU, the Council said that the new changes before being signed need to be adopted by the European Parliament.
Authorities in Kosovo have been attempting to allow visa-free travel for their citizens since February 19, 2012, however, the process has not been finished yet, even though in 2018 the European Commission estimated that the country met all the needed requirements for such a process to be completed.
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