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Because it unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, Kosovo has been the topic of a lot worldwide dispute. Serbia, together with various different United Nations member states, doesn’t acknowledge Kosovo as an unbiased nation, whereas over 100 different international locations do. So, whether or not Kosovo is the youngest nation in Europe or not even a rustic in any respect relies upon fully in your perspective.
Both approach, no matter the place you stand politically, the foundations that decide learn how to enter Kosovo legally are the identical for everybody. On this publish, we’ll define clearly how one can enter and go away Kosovo legally. We’ll additionally level out a few journey circumstances that may trigger points.
In brief, nonetheless, getting into Kosovo legally will not be that sophisticated. When you get a deeper understanding of the geography and border state of affairs of Kosovo, Serbia, and the opposite surrounding Balkan international locations, you’ll clearly see what your choices are.
How To Enter And Leave Kosovo Legally From Serbia Or Different Nations
You basically have two simple choices to enter and go away Kosovo legally.
The primary one is getting into Kosovo and leaving Kosovo with out crossing another borders within the meantime. Choice quantity two is getting into Kosovo by way of Serbia and leaving Kosovo by way of the Kosovo-Serbian border.
An important factor to know right here is that Serbia doesn’t acknowledge their border with Kosovo as any border in any respect. They contemplate Kosovo to be a Serbian area.
Nevertheless, as a result of the border between Kosovo and its neighboring international locations will not be managed by the Serbian authorities, they received’t have a report of anybody getting into Kosovo (and, of their eyes, Serbia) that approach. This will trigger issues if you wish to journey from Kosovo to Serbia in a while because you received’t have a Serbian entry stamp in your passport.
To keep away from this immigration downside, you’ll be able to select between the next two choices to enter and go away Kosovo legally.
Choice 1: Enter Kosovo And Leave Kosovo By way of Non-Serbian Borders
Most suitable choice for: individuals who solely need to go to Kosovo and never go to Serbia in a while.
That is positively your only option in case you simply need to go to Kosovo and never proceed to Serbia. You possibly can enter Kosovo with none issues by way of its border with Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia, or by way of the airport in Pristina, the nation’s capital.
Once you do this, you’ll get a Kosovo entry stamp in your passport (so, not a Serbian one). Since, to Serbian authorities, there received’t be report of your legally getting into Serbia this manner, you might need bother crossing the Kosovo-Serbia border.
There’s a simple solution to circumvent this potential downside, although. Once you enter Kosovo by way of considered one of its neighboring international locations, you’ll be able to merely go away by way of a kind of three borders, too. This manner, you’ll have each an entry and exit stamp of Kosovo in your passport.
Steps To Enter And Leave Kosovo Legally By way of A Non-Serbian Border
- Enter Kosovo legally by way of the Pristina Airport or a border with Montenegro, Albania or North Macedonia. You’ll get a Kosovo entry stamp in your passport.
- Journey round Kosovo with out visiting Serbia.
- Leave Kosovo legally by way of the Pristina Airport or a border with Montenegro, Albania or North Macedonia. You’ll get a Kosovo exit stamp in your passport.
NOTE: Crossing the border from Kosovo into Serbia does appear to be much less of an issue than it was these days. We advocate not risking it, although.
There’s nonetheless an actual likelihood you’ll be turned away on the Kosovo-Serbia border and not using a Serbia entry stamp in your passport. In the event you’re touring with a passport and have entered Kosovo first, we advocate leaving Kosovo by way of considered one of its three different borders and touring to Serbia by way of a 3rd nation.
Moreover, it’s essential to notice that EU residents with an EU ID card received’t have any points with any of Kosovo’s borders—each Serbian and worldwide. That is just because these ID playing cards usually are not stamped upon entry or exit. With an EU ID card, you’ll be able to cross all Kosovo borders freely and unrestrictedly.
Choice 2: Enter Kosovo From Serbia And Leave By way of Serbian Border
Most suitable choice for: vacationers who need to go to each Serbia and Kosovo.
Your second choice to enter and go away Kosovo legally is by way of Serbia, which considers Kosovo to be considered one of its personal areas. Once you enter Serbia legally and get a Serbia entry stamp, you’ll be able to freely journey forwards and backwards to Kosovo throughout the (unofficial) Kosovo-Serbia border.
When you’re in Serbia—by way of the airport in Belgrade or considered one of its many borders with Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia or Bosnia-Herzegovina—you’ll be able to go to Kosovo and again as typically as you’d like. (You received’t get a Serbia exit stamp while you journey from Serbia to Kosovo.)
In case you’d like to go to Serbia once more in a while, we advocate leaving Serbia by way of considered one of its official border checkpoints. This may both be the Belgrade Airport or a border crossing with a kind of quite a few neighboring international locations.
The rationale for that is that, while you go away from Kosovo (and never Serbia), you’ll have a Kosovo exit stamp (and never a Serbian one). This manner, there’s no report of your leaving Serbia, which might make it look like you overstayed your go to in Serbia.
This second possibility is arguably your greatest one, since there won’t be any report of your ever having entered Kosovo in any respect in your passport. You received’t have Kosovo passport stamps, which can keep away from potential issues in case you’d like to go to Serbia once more in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later.
Steps To Enter And Leave Kosovo Legally By way of Serbia
- Enter Serbia legally by way of the Belgrade Airport or from considered one of its neighboring international locations. You’ll get a Serbia entry stamp in your passport.
- Enter Kosovo by way of the (unofficial) Kosovo-Serbia border
- Exit Kosovo by way of the identical (unofficial) Kosovo-Serbia border
- Leave Serbia legally by way of the Belgrade Airport or a border crossing with one of many neighboring international locations. You’ll get a Serbia exit stamp in your passport.
NOTE: Once more, EU residents with an EU ID card can cross all Serbian and Kosovar borders freely and received’t expertise any bother on the way in which as a result of they received’t have any immigration stamps.
Getting into And Leaving Kosovo: The Backside Line
Merely put, most worldwide vacationers will at all times have the ability to enter Kosovo legally. Whether or not it’s by way of a global border with Montenegro, Albania or North Macedonia, or by way of the Kosovo-Serbia border, entering into Kosovo will not be a difficulty.
It’s leaving Kosovo that might trigger an issue, however solely in a single case. In the event you’d prefer to journey from Kosovo to Serbia after having entered Kosovo first, you could be turned away since you’ll have a Kosovo entry stamp and never a Serbian one.
You possibly can keep away from this situation by leaving Kosovo the identical approach you entered, both by way of a global border or by way of Serbia. So, to summarize, you might have two choices:
- Enter Kosovo and exit Kosovo legally by way of the Pristina Airport or a border with Montenegro, Albania or North Macedonia, with out visiting Serbia.
- Enter Kosovo and exit Kosovo by way of the Kosovo-Serbia border in Serbia (and arrive and go away Serbia by way of the Belgrade Airport or a border with considered one of its neighboring international locations).
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