Nationals of Kosovo can travel to Israel without a visa starting Monday, following the entry into force of a bilateral visa waiver agreement ratified in February.
Kosovo passport holders will be allowed to enter Israel for short-term tourist visits, provided they obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA-IL) prior to travel, according to the travel information site VisaGuide.World.
Israel’s Ambassador to Kosovo, Tammy Ziv, confirmed the implementation of the agreement, noting that it coincides with the fourth anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“From May 5, citizens of Kosovo can travel to Israel as tourists without the need for a visa,” Ziv said in a statement.
Efforts to facilitate travel between Kosovo and Israel have gained momentum over the past year. In January 2024, Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani announced that discussions on visa-free travel had advanced, following talks with Israeli Ambassador Ziv Nevo Kulman.
“This decision aims to ease the travel process for our citizens,” Osmani said at the time.
The two governments signed the mutual visa waiver agreement in June 2024, with procedures for its formalization initiated shortly afterward by both foreign ministries.
Kosovo’s passport currently ranks 99th on the VisaGuide.World Passport Index, allowing visa-free travel to 47 countries and entry without a passport to four others.
Israel is the latest country to lift entry requirements for Kosovo nationals. Malaysia recently waived visa requirements for Kosovars for stays of up to 30 days, President Osmani confirmed.
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