EU and all Western Balkans Countries sign visa deal

Visa facilitation and readmission agreements were signed between the EU and the Western Balkan countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The agreements aim at making it easier for citizens of Western Balkan countries, in particular those who travel most, to acquire short stay visas for the EU, whilst simultaneously putting in place clear rules for combating illegal immigration.

The Visa Facilitation agreements make it possible to maintain the visa handling fee of EUR35 instead of EUR60 for all Western Balkan citizens and provide a total exemption from the visa fee for certain categories of applicants. Furthermore, for certain categories of persons, e.g. businessmen, students and journalists, the necessary support documents for a visa application are simplified. For certain categories of frequent travellers it is possible to issue multi-entry visas with long periods of validity. Finally, holders of diplomatic passports are exempted from the visa obligation.

The agreements on Readmission set out clear obligations and procedures for the authorities of both the Western Balkan countries and of EU Member States as to when and how to take back people who are illegally residing on the territories covered by the agreements. In this respect, the agreements cover not only the illegally staying nationals of both parties but also third country nationals and stateless persons being in an irregular situation provided they have a clear link with the requested Party (e.g. visa or resident permit). Full respect of Human Rights as provided by the European Convention of Human Rights is guaranteed during the application of the Readmission agreements.

EU citizens are already exempt from the visa obligation by the Western Balkan countries.