Learn how to apply for a Kosovo Family Visit Visa
Have you tried to apply for a Kosovo Family Visa to visit your family in Kosovo, and it didn’t work out as you planned? Have you wondered what the real problem is? It could be that you are not eligible for this type of visa. Or probably, you don’t know the right steps to follow? However, you are not alone in this.
Other applicants encounter the same issues. However, with our comprehensive guide on Family visas to Kosovo, you can obtain your visa quickly.
Therefore, expect to get exposed to all the information you need about Kosovo Family Visa. For example, how to apply, the requirements, processing fees and time, validity period, and many more.
Kosovo Family Visa
Kosovo Family Visa allows holders to visit a family member, relative, or friend in Kosovo for up to 90 days. Thus, you can only be with your family for a short period. But depending on the visa type, you can enter Kosovo once or more than once.
If, on the other hand, you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you must apply for a long-term visa. This will allow you to stay in Kosovo for up to six months.
Eligibility for Kosovo Family Visa
Apart from the nationals of Schengen area countries, citizens of most third countries need a visa to visit their family in Kosovo. However, due to bilateral agreements with Kosovo, some countries do not also need a visa to enter Kosovo for a family visit.
Therefore, if you are not from any of these countries, you do not need a visa to Kosovo, especially for a family visit. They include:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Cape Verde
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- The central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Congo
- Cuba
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- North Korea
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lao People’s Democratic Republic
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Peru
- Philippines
- Republic of Moldova
- Russian Federation
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- The Syrian Arab Republic
- Chinese Taipei
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Exemptions for these countries
Even citizens of these countries, on certain occasions, have visa waivers. So, you may not need a Kosovo Family Visa in the following situations.
- Visitors with a valid residence permit from a Schengen nation can come into Kosovo visa-free for up to 15 days.
- Holders of multiple Schengen visas can stay in Kosovo for 15 days without a visa.
- Holders of diplomatic passports from China, Russia, Ukraine, Indonesia, or Egypt have the right to be in Kosovo without a visa for 15 days.
- Suppose you have a travel document from either EU countries, Schengen countries, the USA, Australia, Japan, and Canada. You can stay up to 15 days in Kosovo with your family visa-free.
- Holders of diplomatic passports from Hong Kong and Macao for 15 days without applying for a visa.
- If you have a Laissez-Passer issued by the UN, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe, and EU don’t need a visa in Kosovo.
Documents for Kosovo Family Visa
If you are applying for a visa for a family visit to Kosovo, you will need certain documents. These documents are so important that without them, you cannot get access to the country. Therefore, whenever you have decided to visit your family in Kosovo, you must have these documents. They include:
- Your passport is valid for up to three months after leaving Kosovo. In addition, it must have a blank space.
- Attach your previous visa to Schengen countries and other countries.
- Your Kosovo Family Visa application form with correct information.
- Recent photos
- Travel health insurance.
- Proof of accommodation. This can be a hotel reservation or a letter from your host.
- Invitation letter from your host.
- Cover letter explaining your purpose of travel. In addition, it must explain your return date.
- Flight ticket
- Proof of enough financial means during your stay in Kosovo.
- Receipt of payment for your visa.
All these documents must be in English, Albanian, or Serbian; otherwise, they will be rejected. However, you can translate the originals into these languages.
Steps to apply for Kosovo Family Visa
Once you have decided to apply for a Kosovo Family Visa, you can follow the steps below for an easy process. They include:
Step 1. Find out if you are eligible for a Kosovo Family Visa
As we said earlier, not all applicants need a visa to visit their family in Kosovo. Therefore, you must enquire to know if you need one. If you discover that you need a visa from your inquiry, you can go to the next step. Otherwise, you can freely enter Kosovo for up to 90 days without a visa.
Step 2. Fill out an application form for Kosovo Family Visa
Secondly, you have to fill out an application. You can get the application from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora website. In the form, make sure that you give out the correct information because any false information you provide will lead to visa denial. Therefore, crosscheck your information oftentimes.
Step 3. Gather your documents
The next step is to gather all the supporting documents for your family visa. Do not miss any of these documents because you can’t obtain a visa without them. So, bring out enough time for this. Then, once you have gathered them, make sure that you crosscheck them before submitting them.
Step 4. Pay your Kosovo Family Visa fee
This is the time to pay your visa fee. Once you do this, attach the receipt to your application. This is because you have to submit them together. Moreover, the embassy will not process your visa if the receipt is not there. Besides, they may think that you have not paid your visa fee.
Step 5. Book a date with the Kosovar embassy in your country
You must contact the Kosovar embassy in your country to book an appointment with them. This will be to know when to submit your Kosovo Family Visa application. Of course, you cannot visit the embassy without an appointment, so make it a point of duty to contact them.
Step 6. Submit your application and wait for a response from the embassy
Once you have gathered all your documents and paid your fee, the next thing is to apply with the supporting documents to the embassy. Again, remember to attach the receipt of payment to your application.
The embassy will contact you when they have decided on your application. And if you are successful, you will collect your visa and visit your family in Kosovo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the processing cost of a Kosovo Family Visa?
The cost of applying for a visa to Kosovo is €40. However, children under six years do not pay a visa fee to Kosovo. This also implies to diplomats on official visits to Kosovo.
Where can I apply for a Kosovo Family Visa?
For your application, you can visit the nearest Kosovar embassy to you. You can as well visit a consulate or a third-party agent. But, all decisions depend on the embassy. Meanwhile, if there is no embassy or consulate in your country, you can look for a consular mission with the right to issue a Kosovo visa.
What is the validity period of the Kosovo Family Visa?
Your Kosovo Family Visa allows you to visit your family for up to 90 days within six months. However, you have the right to enter Kosovo multiple times if you have a multiple-entry visa. Otherwise, you can enter only once with a single-entry visa or twice with a double-entry visa.
What is the processing time for a family visa in Kosovo?
The processing time for short-term visas in Kosovo is 15 days. However, in certain situations, it can exceed up to 30 days. This is precisely when you have a personal problem or when there is a shortage of staff.
What is the best time to apply for a Kosovo Family Visa?
The earliest you can submit your application for a Kosovo visa is three months from the day of your departure. But if you are a holder of a multiple-entry Schengen visa, you must apply six months before your visa expires.
What should I do if my Kosovo Family Visa application is rejected?
In case of visa rejection, all applicants have eight days to report. Then, explain why you think that your refusal is false. After that, the embassy will look at your petition. Then, you will get a reply after some days.
Conclusion
In summary, your success in getting a Kosovo Family Visa depends on you. If you follow the proper steps and have all your documents ready, it will be easy to get a visa. However, the final decision lies with the Kosovar embassy in your country.
