Kosovo
Country Specific Information
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March 12, 2012

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Kosovo declared independence in February 2008. While Kosovo’s government and institutions have sole responsibility for administration of the state, the international presence remains active, including police and NATO military forces. The UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) transferred rule of law functions to the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) on December 9, 2008. Civilian institutions, including the criminal justice system, are not yet fully functioning at a level consistent with Western standards. Kosovo is a cash economy. The currency used throughout Kosovo is the Euro. Tourist facilities are very limited. Read the Department of State’s Background Notes on Kosovo for additional information.

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TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM(STEP) / EMBASSY LOCATION: If you are going to live in or visit Kosovo, please take the time to tell our Embassy in Skopje, Macedonia about your trip. If you enroll, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements. It will also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency. Here’s the link to the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

Local embassy information is available below and at the Department of State’s list of embassies and consulates.

U.S. Embassy Pristina
30 Nazim Hikmet Street (Dragodan area)
Pristina, Kosovo
Telephone: (381) 38-5959-3000 
Facsimile: (381) 38-548-614 or (381) 38-549-890
Email address: consularpristina@state.gov

At this time U.S. Embassy Pristina provides only emergency services to U.S. citizens. U.S. Embassy Skopje, Macedonia, provides all routine consular services such as passport and visa processing.

U.S. Embassy Skopje
Samoilova 21, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia
Telephone: (389) (2) 310-2000
Emergency after-hours telephone: (389) (2) 310-2000
Facsimile: (389) (2) 310-2299
Email address:    SkopjeACSMailbox@state.gov

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ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS: Contact the Embassy of Kosovo for additional information about visa types. Visit the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for updates on general visa information.

U.S. citizens need a passport to enter Kosovo. No visa is required, but visitors might need documentation stating the purpose of their visit. Generally, visitors entering Kosovo are permitted to stay for up to 90 days. Persons who wish to stay beyond 90 days will need to register with the Directorate for Migration and Foreigners located in the Main Police Headquarters in Pristina. If you intend to work, study, or remain longer than 90 days in Kosovo, you should contact the Directorate for Migration and Foreigners prior to your arrival in Kosovo to obtain information about requirements for visitors in these categories. The telephone numbers are (381) 38-5080-1224; (381) 38-5080-1422; (381) 38-5080-1296; Fax is (381) 38-5080-1419 and by email. The Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs website includes contact information for the Embassy of Kosovo in the United States, which can help you with additional information on how to apply for a residency permit.

Kosovo is an independent, sovereign country, but Serbia still considers Kosovo to be part of Serbia. As a consequence, Serbian border officials will prevent U.S. citizens from entering Serbia from Kosovo without first having entered Serbia and obtained a Serbian entry stamp from a border crossing point that is not a border crossing point between Kosovo and Serbia. For example, if travelers enter Serbia from Belgrade airport or neighboring Macedonia or Montenegro, and receive a Serbian entry stamp upon entry, they may travel through Serbia to Kosovo, and then back into Serbia from Kosovo without a problem. If they first enter Kosovo from a country other than Serbia, and then try to cross into Serbia from Kosovo, the Serbian authorities will not allow the traveler to enter Serbia. Serbia does not recognize entry stamps by Kosovo border authorities at Kosovo ports of entry, including Pristina Airport.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Kosovo.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.

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THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY: The NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), along with local police and assisted by EULEX police, are responsible for security and stability in Kosovo. Although the overall security situation has improved, inter-ethnic tensions and sporadic incidents of violence continue to occur.

Per standing security instructions, U.S. Government officials assigned to Kosovo may only travel to Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecanfor official business; these restrictions will remain in place for the foreseeable future. U.S. citizens should be especially cognizant of security conditions at borders between northern Kosovo and Serbia—specifically Gates 1 and 31 at Jarinje
and Brnjak—where political violence has occurred on many occasions U.S. citizens should avoid demonstrations and other sites, such as roadblocks, where large crowds are gathered. U.S. citizens should particularly try to avoid events involving political/ethnic causes, and should be cognizant of important political/ethnic holidays and observances, when the likelihood of political/ethnic violence increases. Even demonstrations that are meant to be peaceful can become violent and unpredictable.

While de-mining programs have proven effective, unexploded ordnance and mines remain in some areas. Telecommunications, electricity, and water systems remain unpredictable.

Stay up to date:

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CRIME: High unemployment and other economic factors encourage criminal activity. Street crimes, in particular thefts and purse snatchings, are serious problems in Kosovo, especially in Pristina. Criminals often commit crimes while armed, often with handguns. Foreigners can be targets of crime, as criminals assume that they carry cash. Likewise, foreigners’ homes and vehicles, and international non-governmental organization (NGO) offices can be targeted for burglaries.

The Kosovo Police (KP)_ carry out normal police functions. EULEX personnel mentor, advise and monitor both the police and other local authorities and institutions; EULEX police also have a limited policing role on certain issues. The judicial system is still developing with international oversight.

Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods. Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, by purchasing them you may also be breaking local law. 

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VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. We can:

  • Replace a stolen passport.
  • Help you find appropriate medical care if you are the victim of violent crimes such as assault or rape.
  • Put you in contact with the appropriate police authorities, and if you want us to, we cancontact family members or friend.
  • Help you understand the local criminal justice process and direct you to local attorneys, although it is important to remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting the crime.

The local equivalents to the “911” emergency line in Kosovo are: Police: 92 from a landline; 192 from VALA (044) cellular carrier, 922 from IPKO (049) cellular carrier; Fire Department: 93 from a landline, 193 from VALA, 933 from IPKO; and Ambulance: 94 from a landline, 194 from VALA, and 944 from IPKO.

Please see our information on victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.

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CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Kosovo, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. In Kosovo you may be taken in for questioning if you do not have your passport with you. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings. Driving under the influence of alchol is illegal and you may be immediately taken to jail.  

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but are still illegal in the United States; for instance, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods while abroad. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Kosovo, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not wherever you go. 

Persons violating Kosovo’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Kosovo are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Banking services are available in Pristina and other major towns, although they are not fully developed. There are now a number of banks with international ties that offer limited banking services, including Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), in Pristina and other major towns. If you need emergency funds from abroad, Western Union and MoneyGram have offices throughout Kosovo. While credit cards are accepted in larger stores and in some restaurants, we recommend having cash in local currency for purchases in small establishments.

Travelers entering Kosovo by air or land with more than 10,000 Euros in cash must declare all currency upon entry. Travelers must also obtain and complete a declaration form from the customs officials at the port of entry. This declaration form must be presented upon departure from Kosovo. Failure to comply may result in the confiscation of all funds.

Accessibility: While in Kosovo, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. The Kosovar Constitution and legislation prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities in employment, education, access to health care, and in the provision of other state services; however, the situation for persons with disabilities remains difficult. Although the relevant law mandates access to official buildings, it is not enforced and such access is rarely available in practice.

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MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Health facilities in Kosovo are limited, and medications are in short supply. KFOR cannot provide basic health care to non-military personnel, nor can they provide medical evacuation out of Kosovo.

You can find information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the CDC website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

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MEDICAL INSURANCE: You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel. It’s very important to find out BEFORE you leave whether or not your medical insurance will cover you overseas. You need to ask your insurance company two questions:

  • Does my policy apply when I’m out of the United States?
  • Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or a medical evacuation?

In many places, doctors and hospitals still expect payment in cash at the time of service. Your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover doctor and hospital visits in other countries. If your policy doesn’t go with you when you travel, it’s a very good idea to take out another one for your trip. For more information, please see our medical insurance overseas page.

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TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in Kosovo, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. In Kosovo, road conditions can be extremely hazardous because roads are narrow, crowded, and used by a variety of vehicles, from KFOR armored personnel carriers to horse-drawn carts. Many vehicles are old and lack standard front or rear lights. Mountain roads can be narrow and poorly marked, and lack guardrails, quickly becoming dangerous in inclement weather. During winter months, fog can obscure visibility while driving.

Driving safely in Kosovo requires excellent defensive driving skills. Many drivers routinely ignore speed limits and other traffic regulations, such as stopping for red lights and stop signs. Drivers also routinely make illegal left turns from the far right lane, or drive into oncoming lanes of traffic. The combination of speeding, unsafe driving practices, poor vehicle maintenance, the mixture of new and old vehicles on the roads, and poor lighting contributes to unsafe driving conditions. Pedestrians should exercise extreme caution when crossing the street, even when using crosswalks, as local drivers sometimes do not slow down or stop for pedestrians.

A valid U.S. driver’s license is required for U.S. citizens driving in Kosovo. The use of seat belts and headlights is mandatory, at all times. A driver with a blood alcohol level higher than 0.05 is considered intoxicated. Travelers entering Kosovo by road must purchase local third-party insurance. In Kosovo, it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving unless you are using a hands-free device. The penalty for illegal cell phone usage is 35 Euros. Drivers travelling between Serbia and Kosovo are subject to insurance, license plate and other regulations.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. We also suggest that you visit Kosovo’s website on tourism.

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AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Kosovo, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Kosovo’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

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CHILDREN’S ISSUES: Please see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.

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This replaces the Country Specific Information for Kosovo dated January 21, 2011.

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