Rafaela Prifti/
The Federal Council of Switzerland announced the lifting of the visa requirements for Kosova citizens. The move follows the decisions by the European Parliament and the European Council on the liberalization of visas for Kosovars.
Beginning on January 1, 2024, Kosovars do not need a visa for short-term stays in Switzerland, states the press release. The statement continues “Kosovo has met all the conditions for visas related to security, border controls and migration. For this reason, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU have approved the regulation on April 19, 2023 that exempts Kosovars from the requirement to obtain a visa for a short stay of a maximum of 90 days.”
While a biometric passport is required for entry, Kosova citizens will no longer need a visa to go to Switzerland for a short term stay, as part of the EU Council passing regulation on Kosova on April 19.
The amendment to the Ordinance on Entry and Visa Issuance goes into effect on January 1, 2024. It clarifies that Kosova citizens that qualify for employment will have to meet certain requirements provided that “no equivalent workers can be found in the Swiss labor market or in the EU/EFTA countries.”
According to data published by Schengen Visa Info, it is estimated that around 200,000 Kosovars live in Switzerland representing one of the largest group of foreigners in the country at the present time.
Once the visa liberalization takes effect the Kosova passport will be positively affected in terms of a higher ranking in the Visa Guide Passport Index. Currently, Kosovar passport holders can travel without a visa to nine countries and with no passport to five, while a visa is required for entry to 152 countries, according to the agency.