UAE waives visa requirements for citizens of Kosovo

PRISTINA – The United Arab Emirates has signed an agreement allowing entry for Kosovo passport holders without the need for a visa.

On Thursday, a major agreement was made to provide relief to the citizens of Kosovo which will enable them to travel to the Muslim country without any hassle.

President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani publicly announced the news and expressed gratitude to President Mohamed Bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates for accepting her proposal to lift visa requirements for citizens of Kosovo.

The Kosovo embassy in the UAE conveyed that Kosovo citizens will soon be exempt from visa requirements for short-term tourist stays in the UAE.

However, a specific date for implementing this change has not been determined.

Moreover, the agreement comes after the highly anticipated European Union visa waiver for Kosovo, which enables citizens of Kosovo to travel to Europe’s borderless Schengen zone without a visa starting January 1.

With a population of 1.8 million, Kosovo was the only country in the Western Balkans where citizens still needed visas to travel to the EU.

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister, Donike Gervalla-Schwarz, stated earlier that Spain has also acknowledged Kosovo’s passport, allowing entry to Spain, despite Spain not formally recognizing Kosovo as a sovereign state.

In 2008, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia and is actively pursuing EU membership. Notably, Spain Cyprus, Greece, Romania, and Slovakia are the five EU countries that do not recognize Kosovo as a state.

Kosovo, with a rich cultural heritage, boasts landmarks like the medieval Gračanica Monastery and the Ottoman-style Kosovo Museum. Its diverse terrain includes the scenic Shar Mountains and vibrant cities like Pristina.