The Council of the European Union has adopted a regulation ensuring that the entire Western Balkans region is subject to the same visa regime, effectively removing the restrictions previously imposed on Serbian passport holders from Kosovo and Metohija.
This decision concludes the legislative process, and the regulation will take effect 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, applying across all EU member states.
Since December 2009, holders of Serbian biometric passports have been exempt from visa requirements when traveling to the Schengen area. However, one category—Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija with passports issued by the Coordination Directorate of Serbia in Belgrade—was excluded from this exemption.
On 16th November 2023, the European Commission proposed amending EU Regulation 2018/1806 to remove this exclusion, thereby extending the benefits of visa-free travel in the Schengen area to all citizens of the Western Balkans.
This development represents a significant step towards greater regional integration and equal treatment within the European visa framework.