The Council of the European Union has lifted visa restrictions for Serbian passport holders from Kosovo and Metohija, ensuring the entire Western Balkans follows the same visa regime.
This regulation, effective 20 days post-publication in the EU Official Journal, standardizes travel rules across all EU member states.
Previously, since December 2009, holders of Serbian biometric passports enjoyed visa-free travel to the Schengen area, excluding Serbs from Kosovo with passports issued by Serbia’s Coordination Directorate.
The European Commission’s proposal on 16 November 2023, to amend EU Regulation 2018/1806, now includes this group, extending visa-free travel benefits to all Western Balkan citizens.
