Is Kosovo in the EU, and what does that mean for your trip?

“Is Kosovo in the EU?” gets searched hundreds of times a month in the UK, and I can see why. You pay in euros, the EU has run a mission there since 2008 and has had an agreement with Kosovo in force since 2016, and yet Kosovo isn’t a member of the Union or of Schengen. Here’s where things stand, and what it actually changes for a British visitor.

Where Kosovo stands with the EU

The European Commission classes Kosovo as a potential candidate, one step below the official candidates. Its list of milestones includes the Council acknowledging the declaration of independence in February 2008 and calling Kosovo a sui generis case, the EULEX rule-of-law mission becoming operational that December, and the Stabilisation and Association Agreement taking effect in April 2016. In EU documents the name carries an asterisk.

Member states don’t all agree. According to the Spanish foreign ministry’s Serbia profile, five do not recognise Kosovo, namely Spain, Romania, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia. What each institution says, without taking sides, is in is Kosovo a country.

The euro, as an exception

The currency is what confuses people most. The Commission explains that Kosovo and Montenegro treat the euro as their everyday currency, with no agreement with the EU, carrying on their earlier use of the German mark. Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, by contrast, do have monetary agreements. For you it simply means changing pounds into euros, as you would for a holiday in Spain or Greece, and paying in the same notes and coins throughout the trip. More in Kosovo currency.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Pristina before prices climb.

What changes for a British traveller

Being outside the EU has three practical effects.

First, the border. Kosovo isn’t in Schengen, so you go through a full passport check. Gov.uk says your passport must be valid for the whole stay and that you can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. The detail is in Kosovo entry requirements.

Second, healthcare. The NHS lists where a UK GHIC works, which is the EEA, Switzerland in some cases, Montenegro, Australia and a handful of territories. Kosovo isn’t one of them, so travel insurance is your only safety net. What gov.uk says about hospitals is in healthcare in Kosovo.

Third, your phone. Whatever deal your UK network gives you for Europe, check whether Kosovo is included, because it sits outside the EU and many tariffs treat it differently. It is worth five minutes on your provider’s website before you fly, not after the first bill. Options are in mobile and roaming in Kosovo.

Arriving from elsewhere in the region

Montenegro is in a similar position with the euro, and Serbia uses the dinar, according to the Spanish foreign ministry. On a Balkans trip you’ll cross several borders with passport checks, and the order matters when Serbia is involved, as I explain in crossing from Serbia to Kosovo.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Pristina and choose by the reviews.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Pristina before prices climb.