Moving to Kosovo: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

Population

1,932,774

Urban Population

0.000000

Age Structure

25.390000

Median Age

27.400000

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.080000

Ethnic Groups

Albanians 88%, Serbs 7%, other 5% (Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Turk, Ashkali, Egyptian)

Nationality Noun

Kosovar (Albanian), Kosovac (Serbian)

5 facts — expand for details.

Literacy - total population

91.9%

Literacy - male

96.6%

Literacy - female

87.5%

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

4.3%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

0.000000

Life Expectancy at Birth

0.000000

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

0.000000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

0.000000

4 facts — expand for details.

Economic Overview

Kosovo's economy has shown progress in transitioning to a market-based system and maintaining macroeconomic stability, but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance.

Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany, Switzerland, and the Nordic countries - are estimated to account for about 17% of GDP and international donor assistance accounts for approximately 10% of GDP.

With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize a majority of its state-owned enterprises.

Kosovo's citizens are the second poorest in Europe, after Moldova, with a per capita GDP (PPP) of $10,400 in 2017.

An unemployment rate of 33%, and a youth unemployment rate near 60%, in a country where the average age is 26, encourages emigration and fuels a significant informal, unreported economy.

Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina.

Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots, limited mechanization, and a lack of technical expertise.

Kosovo enjoys lower labor costs than the rest of the region.

However, high levels of corruption, little contract enforcement, and unreliable electricity supply have discouraged potential investors.

The official currency of Kosovo is the euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used illegally in Serb majority communities.

Kosovo's tie to the euro has helped keep core inflation low.

Minerals and metals production - including lignite, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of construction materials - once the backbone of industry, has declined because of aging equipment and insufficient investment, problems exacerbated by competing and unresolved ownership claims of Kosovo’s largest mines.

A limited and unreliable electricity supply is a major impediment to economic development.

The US Government is cooperating with the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) and the World Bank to conclude a commercial tender for the construction of Kosovo C, a new lignite-fired power plant that would leverage Kosovo’s large lignite reserves.

MED also has plans for the rehabilitation of an older bituminous-fired power plant, Kosovo B, and the development of a coal mine that could supply both plants.

In June 2009, Kosovo joined the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, the Central Europe Free Trade Area (CEFTA) in 2006, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 2012, and the Council of Europe Development Bank in 2013.

In 2016, Kosovo implemented the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) negotiations with the EU, focused on trade liberalization.

In 2014, nearly 60% of customs duty-eligible imports into Kosovo were EU goods.

In August 2015, as part of its EU-facilitated normalization process with Serbia, Kosovo signed agreements on telecommunications and energy distribution, but disagreements over who owns economic assets, such as the Trepca mining conglomerate, within Kosovo continue.

Kosovo experienced its first federal budget deficit in 2012, when government expenditures climbed sharply.

In May 2014, the government introduced a 25% salary increase for public sector employees and an equal increase in certain social benefits.

Central revenues could not sustain these increases, and the government was forced to reduce its planned capital investments.

The government, led by Prime Minister MUSTAFA - a trained economist - recently made several changes to its fiscal policy, expanding the list of duty-free imports, decreasing the Value Added Tax (VAT) for basic food items and public utilities, and increasing the VAT for all other goods.

While Kosovo’s economy continued to make progress, unemployment has not been reduced, nor living standards raised, due to lack of economic reforms and investment.

Industries

mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather, machinery, appliances

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$0.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.2%

8 facts — expand for details.

GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$19,130,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$0.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.2%

GDP - official exchange rate

$6,309,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 90.5% government
• consumption: 16% investment in fixed
• capital: 28.2% investment in
• inventories: 3% exports of goods and
• services: 5.8% imports of goods and
• services: -43.5%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

12.9%

GDP by Sector- Industry

22.6%

GDP by Sector- services

64.5%

4 facts — expand for details.

Inflation Rate

3.5%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

euros (EUR)

Currency Name and Code

Euro (EUR)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

13.7%

5 facts — expand for details.

Labor Force

310,000

Unemployment Rate

45%

Unemployment - note

Kosovo has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data

Major Industries

mineral mining, construction materials, base metals, leather, machinery, appliances

Population Below Poverty Line

30%

1 facts — expand for details.

Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

23.6%

Annual Budget

$1,458,000,000 (USD)

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-1.8%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

26.8%

8 facts — expand for details.

Full Country Name

Republic of Kosovo

Country Name

Kosovo

Local - Long

Republika e Kosoves (Albanian)/ Republika Kosovo (Serbian)

Local - Short

Kosove (Albanian)/ Kosovo (Serbian)

Former Name

Kosovo and Metohija Autonomous Province

Etymology- history of name

name derives from the Serbian "kos" meaning "blackbird," an ellipsis (linguistic omission) for "kosove polje" or "field of the blackbirds"

Independence

17 February 2008 (from Serbia)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 17 February (2008)

10 facts — expand for details.

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Constitution

• history: previous 1974, 1990; latest (postindependence) draft finalized 2 April 2008, signed 7 April 2008, ratified 9 April 2008, entered into force 15 June 2008; note - amendment 24, passed by the Assembly in August 2015, established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Institution, referred to as the Kosovo Specialist Chamber or "Specialist Court," to try war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other crimes under Kosovo law committed during and immediately after the Kosovo War (1998-2000)
• amendments: proposed by the government, by the president of the republic, or by one fourth of Assembly deputies; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, including two-thirds majority vote of deputies representing non-majority communities, followed by a favorable Constitutional Court assessment; amended several times, last in 2020

Legal System:

civil law system; note - the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) retained limited executive powers within the Kosovo judiciary for complex cases from 2008 to 2018

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: President Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (since 4 April 2021)
• head of government: Acting Prime Minister Albin KURTI (since 15 April 2025)
• cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Assembly election/appointment
• process: president indirectly elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; if a candidate does not reach this threshold in the first two ballots, the candidate winning a simple majority vote in the third ballot is elected; prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly most recent election
• date: 3-4 April 2021
• election results: 2021: Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (Guxo!) 71 votes; Albin KURTI (LVV) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 67 for, 30 against 2017: Ramush HARADINAJ (AAK) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 61 for, 1 abstention, 0 against (opposition boycott) 2016: Hashim THACI elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Hashim THACI (PDK) 71 votes expected date of next
• election: 2026
• note: Prime Minister Albin KURTI resigned on 15 April 2025; a replacement has not yet been selected

Legislative Branch:

• Description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi i Kosoves/Skupstina Kosova (120 seats; 100 members directly elected by open-list proportional representation vote with 20 seats reserved for ethnic minorities - 10 for Serbs and 10 for other ethnic minorities; members serve 4-year terms)
• Elections: last held on 14 February 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
• Election Results: percent of vote by party - LVV 50%, PDK 16.9%, LDK 12.7%, AAK 7.1%, Serb List 5.1%, other 8.2%; seats by party - LVV 58, PDK 19, LDK 15, Serb List 10, AAK 8, other 10; composition as of December 2021 - men 79, women 41, percent of women 34.2%

Judicial Branch:

• office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Judicial Council, a 13-member independent body staffed by judges and lay members, and also responsible for overall administration of Kosovo's judicial system; judges appointed by the president of the Republic of Kosovo; judges appointed until mandatory retirement age; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Assembly and appointed by the president of the republic to serve single, 9-year terms
• subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (organized into 4
• departments: General, Serious Crime, Commercial Matters, and Administrative Matters); Basic Court (located in 7 municipalities, each with several branches)
• note: in August 2015, the Kosovo Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution, also referred to as the Kosovo Specialist Chambers or "Special Court"; the court, located at the Hague in the Netherlands, began operating in late 2016 and has jurisdiction to try crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other crimes under Kosovo law that occurred in the 1998-2000 period

Regions or States:

38 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna (Albanian); opstine, singular - opstina (Serbian)); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas), Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Gllogovc (Glogovac), Gracanice (Gracanica), Hani i Elezit (Deneral Jankovic), Istog (Istok), Junik, Kacanik, Kamenice (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Kllokot (Klokot), Leposaviq (Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mamushe (Mamusa), Mitrovice e Jugut (Juzna Mitrovica) [South Mitrovica], Mitrovice e Veriut (Severna Mitrovica) [North Mitrovica], Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Partesh (Partes), Peje (Pec), Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec (Orahovac), Ranillug (Ranilug), Shterpce (Strpce), Shtime (Stimlje), Skenderaj (Srbica), Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin Potok, Zvecan

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ]
• Ashkali Party for Integration or PAI [Bekim ARIFI]
• Civic Initiative for Freedom, Justice, and Survival [Milan DABIC]
• Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Lumir ABDIXHIKU]
• Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Memli KRASNIQI]
• New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Elbert KRASNIQI]
• New Democratic Party or NDS [Emilja REDZEPI]
• Progressive Movement of Kosovar Roma or LPRK [Erxhan GALJUSI]
• Romani Initiative [Gazmend SALIJEVCI]
• Self-Determination Movement (Lëvizja Vetevendosje or Vetevendosie) or LVV or VV [Albin KURTI]
• Serb List or SL [Goran RAKIC]
• Social Democratic Union or SDU [Duda BALJE]
• Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP [Fikrim DAMKA]
• Unique Gorani Party or JGP [Adem HODZA]
• Vakat Coalition or VAKAT [Bahrim SABANI]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: no citizenship by descent
• only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kosovo dual citizenship
• recognized: yes residency requirement for
• naturalization: 5 years

4 facts — expand for details.

Capital Name

Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina)

Capital - geographic coordinate

42 40 N, 21 10 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight Savings Time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

4 facts — expand for details.

International Organization Participation:

• IBRD
• IDA
• IFC
• IMF
• ITUC (NGOs)
• MIGA
• OIF (observer)

International Law Organization Participation:

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Jeffrey M. HOVENIER (since 10 January 2022)
• Embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Rr. 4 KORRIKU Nr. 25, Pristina
• Mailing Address: 9520 Pristina Place, Washington DC 20521-9520
• Telephone: [383] 38-59-59-3000
• FAX: [383] 38-604-890
• Email: PristinaACS@state.gov
• Website: https://xk.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Ilir DUGOLLI (since 13 January 2022)
• Chancery: 3612 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20007
• Telephone: [1] (202) 450-2130
• FAX: [1] (202) 735-0609
• Email: embassy.usa@rks-gov.net
• Consulate(s) General: New York consulate(s): Des Moines (IA)

5 facts — expand for details.

Geographic Location

Europe

Geographic Coordinates

42 35 N, 21 00 E

Total Area

4,203 Square Miles 10,887 Square Kilometers

Land Area

4,203 Square Miles 10,887 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

436 Miles 702 Kilometers

Lowest Point

297 Meters

Time Zone

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Location

Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia

Total Area

4,203 Square Miles 10,887 Square Kilometers

4 facts — expand for details.

Exports

$527,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$2,600,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

mining and processed metal products, scrap metals, leather products, machinery, appliances

Major Imports

foodstuffs, wood, petroleum, chemicals, machinery and electrical equipment

2 facts — expand for details.

Country Description

Kosovo has been an independent nation since 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) in 2008.

Civilian institutions, including the criminal justice system, are not yet fully functioning at a level consistent with Western standards.

Kosovo’s is a cash economy, with the Euro used nationwide.

Tourist facilities are very limited.

Safety & 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 Zvecan for 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 aware 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.

2 facts — expand for details.

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; they also have a limited policing role on certain issues.

The judicial system is still developing with international oversight.

Take some time before travel to learn how to improve your personal security—things are not the same everywhere as they are in the United States.

Here are some useful tips for personal security.

Do not buy counterfeit or pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

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, and criminal penalties vary from country to country.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States; for instance, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.

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 won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

If Arrested: 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 in the event that you are arrested or detained overseas.

Civilian institutions, including the criminal justice system, are not presently functioning at a level consistent with Western standards.

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.

2 facts — expand for details.

Medical Facilities

Medical facilities in Kosovo consist of private medical clinics and the government sponsored University Clinical Center.

Quality controls are lacking in many medical facilities.

Medical care is below Western European or U.S. standards.

Supplies are often in short supply, and sufficient hygiene and nursing care is lacking.

The KFOR Medical Division does not provide care or medical evacuation for non-military personnel.

You can find information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Routine vaccinations are recommended for travel to Kosovo, and include Hepatitis A vaccination, Hepatitis B vaccination, and up to date Tetanus, Measles Mumps and Rubella.

Traffic Safety

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 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 to drive 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 traveling between Serbia and Kosovo are subject to insurance, license plate, and other regulations.

6 facts — expand for details.

Airports - total

6

Airports with Paved Runways

3

Heliports

2

Railways

267 Miles 430 Kilometers

Roadways- total

4,322 Miles 6,955 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

1,145 Miles 1,843 Kilometers

Telephones

106,300

Cell Phones

562,000

Internet Country Code

.kv

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

5,388,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

4,777,000,000

Anthem History

Kosovo's parliament has chosen a national anthem during a special session in Pristina.

The new anthem is called Europe.

It has no lyrics and was written by the Kosovo composer Mendi Mengjiqi.

MPs voted on a shortlist of three songs chosen in a competition.

The rules stated that the song should not imply loyalty to any particular ethnic group.

Anthem Lyrics

The anthem is called Europe. It has no lyrics and was written by the Kosovo composer Mendi Mengjiqi