I have researched a lot the Kosovo India relationships and I’ve come up with zero information. I was interested into this as I met lots of people coming from all different countries and cultures while living in the US during my studies. My network extended to China, India, Brazil, Colombia, and where not (Chicago is a very international city and so was my university). I did become good friends with many other students in Chicago through studies and also extracurricular activities that I attended. I keep in touch with most of them via social media. Sometimes, with a smaller group of friends, we video call so we can catch up on each other’s lives.
Lastly, one of my friends, an Indian, shared the news of his marriage and invited me to his wedding celebration. I got really excited about the news and for the chance given to experience an Indian wedding. They seem to be happy, ceremonious, lively festivities. However, my excitement didn’t last long as I remembered that my trip to India is impossible at the moment. India doesn’t recognize Kosovo, nor Kosovo passport; thus, I won’t be able to travel to India.
I was talking to another good Indian friend of mine and shared this info with her about the wedding invitation. She said she also wanted me to be at her wedding, which is probably happening early next year. So now two friends are getting married and I can’t attend their weddings. All this because I was BORN in KOSOVO and I hold a Kosovo passport. But we don’t get to choose our birthplace. However, we should be able to go around the world if we wish and can afford it.
When I looked at the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website, it said I could obtain an Indian visa at the Indian Embassy in Belgrade. I got excited about it and called the Indian Embassy in Belgrade to get more information. The Embassy employee said that if I only have a Kosovo passport, there is no way I could get a visa.
I was pleading with her to consider issuing a visa on paper for Kosovo citizens. Greek Liaison Office in Prishtina used to issue a visa on paper some years ago (prior to allowing us to travel on a Schengen visa). I tried that in vain, as she was firm about her position that there’s no way to get a visa with a Kosovo passport.
So here I am, unable to visit a country of such diverse cultures, traditions, beliefs, foods, and festivities. Unable to visit the Taj Mahal, one of the new seven wonders of the world, or Kolkata (Calcutta), where Saint Teresa of Calcutta (of Albanian origin, born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu) spent most of her life.
What are your CAN’T TRAVEL places (if you have any)?
PIN IT!
Dear Kosovo Girl,
I just came to know about Kosovo from a YouTube video and started searching on it. Such a beautiful place in Europe and i have no idea about it. I finally found your website and this story 🙂 While the world is fighting with Corona virus these days, hoping it will subside sooner and things get ok between two regions, I would be happy to welcome you to my place in India at National capital region.
I always wished to visit Europe someday. Though my passport expired without a single stamp lol. And I hoped to find a warm loving European girl to be with, that didn’t happen either 🙂 I would be happy to get connected with you know each other and maybe we can date someday lol.
Thank you for going through such long and clumsy message.
Sunny
Hello Sunny,
Thanks for your interest in my country. I hope you manage to visit it one day.
Kosovo is not a country it’s just a province of Serbia. If anyone belonging to Serbia or it’s province Kosovo which you claimed to come from, want to travel to India should come with proper documentation released by Government of Serbia. How could India had granted visa to you if you do not possess the right documents?
Dear Anurag Sinha,
In addition to my previous comment, I do possess the right documents. Kosovo issued documents to Kosovo citizens are the right documents. Government of Serbia cannot issue me documentation as I don’t live in the territory it manages.
Only on thing marry me…i am Indian guy you will get permanent pr…lol just kidding…but you can consider if you want to..
Such a great proposal LOL. Thank you. That could be my last resort for sure haha.
Tani e gjeta blogu tende rreth udhe time e te tua si nje vajze nga Kosova dhe mund te them se me pelqen shum dhe duhet te behet me shum e lexuar nga te gjith rinia kosovars dhe ajo e huaj. Te lumt per punen e shkelqyre.
Falemnderit shume, Eron!
Mund ta shperndash ne rrjetet tua sociale ose me shoqerine. Mund t’me gjesh edhe ne FB, IG, dhe Twitter me kete emer.
It is so sad to read that Kosovo citizens can’t travel to India. It’s a pity 😦 I hope things will improve in the near future and you can travel to India on your passport.
Thanks, Sapna. Yes, it’s unfortunate that our country of birth determines where we can and where we cannot travel. I hope this changes soon so I can visit India 🙂
You can visit India if you get a Serbian Passport issued by Serbian Coordination Directorate. It issues a special type of Serbian passport for inhabitants of Kosovo.
Dear James,
Thanks for your comment. I’m a Kosovo Albanian and since my people fought for a long time not to be under Serbia, I wouldn’t even think of getting a passport where it shows I’m a Serbian citizen. I’d rather wait for things to change between Kosovo and India than be counted as a Serb. Additionally, that Coordination Directorate issues passports for Serbs living in Kosovo. For Albanians it’s all a different matter. Even those Albanians who are from Serbia get checked regularly to see if they still live in Serbia or not. I’m not going to entertain Serbian authorities even if that means I’ll never get to visit India.
Well, you are so determined against the Serbs and Serbia. India has an amazing relationship with Serbia and Indians get visas on arrival in Serbia. For determined Kosovars of Albanian ethnicity like you, India cannot jeopardize its diplomatic relationship with Serbia. You will have to wait for eons then. All the best!!
Dear Bharat,
Thanks for reading my post and commenting on it.
I’m not determined against Serbs and I do have reservations against Serbia’s government/regime due to all that I and Albanians before me have gone through under their occupation.
I, at no point, called for any jeopardy of India-Serbia diplomatic relationships. Instead, I call for having some sort of Kosovo-India diplomatic relationship which should, in no way, affect the ones with Serbia (in a normal world).
For your information, Indians actually can visit visa-free Serbia up to 30 days.
I will wait. There are plenty of other countries I can go to meantime 🙂
She could had travelled to India if only she had produced her original serbian passport to indian embassy. Kosovo is not a country it’s just a province of serbia; How can it have a separate passport which even serbia don’t recognize!?
Dear Anurag Sinha,
I can’t produce something I never possessed. Even if I wanted to get a Serbian passport, which I don’t, I wouldn’t be able to as I was born and raised in Kosovo and Serbia only issues passports to its residents. It’s all political propaganda what they claim Kosovo to be Serbia. If they really think Kosovo is Serbia then there shouldn’t be double standards in terms of treatment of “its own citizens”. Kosovo is an independent country as of 2008, recognized by more than half of the UN member states. Just because Serbia doesn’t recognize my passport, it doesn’t mean it’s not valid. I’ve been using it to travel in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America so far. You think countries in these continents are stupid?
Hey, don’t be offended. Actually, I’d love to visit Kosovo and I was wondering if a Serbian visa allows me to enter Kosovo. I am also a bit worried about tourists’ safety in Kosovo. I’ve gone to Bosnia and I was told that Kosovo is a lot similar to Bosnia. Can you DM me at [email protected], if you wish to, about a trip-plan in Kosovo?
Dear Bharat,
I’m not offended. It’s just that it takes more than to read an article to understand the Kosovo-Serbia relations and to come to certain conclusions as you did.
A Serbian visa won’t allow you to enter Kosovo; however, if you possess a Schengen visa you can enter our country. As for tourists’ safety, I invite you to read this article https://www.mywanderlust.pl/is-kosovo-safe/ where women travel bloggers (including me as a local) give their views on the topic. More info about Kosovo can be found on my articles http://18.192.104.35/category/kosovo/
Not sure what you mean by saying you’ve been in Bosnia and you were told Kosovo is the same. Are you talking in terms of safety and security or attractions to visit? I have visited Bosnia last year in May (Sarajevo & Mostar) and I felt completely safe even when walking alone.
I had the same issue, twice, when trying to visit India. I emailed the Indian Embassy in Belgrade and I got the same reply that you got. This was back in 2015. I tried again, in 2018, and I emailed the Indian Embassy in the Netherlands (since I’m living here now), I got no reply from them. It’s a pity that we have to suffer because of political reasons, even though we have nothing to do with politics whatsoever.
Yes, it’s definitely a pity that we suffer for something we didn’t even have a say on. Let’s hope things will get better.
P.S. In case you have a residency permit, I think you might be eligible for a visa. I know of two people who have already got their visas because they live in an EU country.
Dear kosovogirl,
Nice to see your post and all your comments about India. I am an Indian and I am dating a guy from Kosovo. We plan to get married and obviously we are facing many challenges esp from his parents side. But we are determined to make this through. We live in one of the peaceful and small GCC countries and we both work here and that’s how we met.
I was checking on the net the legal process of getting married and what is the best option. I understand that Indiaand Kosovo don’t have any diplomatic relations and hence it would be difficult getting married in either of the places. Is it possible to get married it albania instead? or any other third country?we don’t plan to settle either in India or Kosovo for now.
We both hold passports of our own countries.
Appreciate any feedback or information on this.
Thank you
Dear friend,
It makes me happy to see two people fighting for their love despite the differences other people have made us believe there are. It is true there is no diplomatic relations between the two countries; however, Indian citizens can enter Kosovo any time. I’d advise you to reach out to the Ministry of Interior Affairs in Kosovo and ask there if you can legally get married.
Why aren’t you getting married in your country of residence? Isn’t that allowed?
I don’t think it’s possible to get married in other countries where you’re not a resident, but don’t take my word for granted as I haven’t tried it (yet or ever haha).
Good luck! I’d love to hear how your story goes😀
Many thanks for replying! Truly appreciate it. We are yet to find out if we can legally get married in our place of residence. I do not think this place has a kosovo embassy but we do have an indian embassy and am yet to find out if we can get registered here or not. I would love to get married in a church back in my country – India, but I dont think that is allowed.
I will now check the possibility of your advice of reaching the Ministry of Interior Affairs in Kosovo and will find out the process.
Will keep you updated. Many thanks again for replying!
Hi friend,
I was just checking the comments to see if I’ve missed any and wanted to ask if you managed to find a way to marry your significant other?
Hey so did you get married to your Kosovo boyfriend if yes how did you do it please tell me as I’m an Indian & I’m dating a Kosovo girl & I’m facing the same issue I really wanna get married to her would really appreciate you if you can provide me some solution, please email me on the below email address.
[email protected]
ThankYou
Hey so did you get married to your Kosovo boyfriend if yes how did you do it please tell me as I’m an Indian & I’m dating a Kosovo girl & I’m facing the same issue I really wanna get married to her would really appreciate you if you can provide me some solution, please email me on the below email address. [email protected] ThankYou
Oh dear, I can absolutely feel you. I find myself in every part of this article. I hope one day we will make it, to go there. Love, Blerina❤️
Thanks, Blerina. Hopefully it will change one day 🙂
Hi, I realize that you try for Indian Visa. Even I tried to seek Indian visa for business but I know its not possible coz there is no diplomacy between India and Kosovo. If you think to solve this problem as a wider issue then you should lobby with MFA Kosovo. All the best…
Hey Valdet,
Thank you for your comment. There have been many people who have tried to get an Indian visa, but unsuccessfully. I do understand that there is no diplomatic relation between the two countries. However, there is an Indo-Kosovo Chamber of Commerce operating both in India and Kosovo that MFA should use to establish diplomatic channels and they are not doing it. Although MFA is aware of its existence (I know this as I work with IKCOC), it seems like MFA has no interest in establishing any relation whatsoever.
Don’t you have Serbian passport? That would solve the problem, who cares for politics.
Hey, Rabinant,
No, I don’t have a Serbian passport. Although I understand your point, that wouldn’t solve the problem. I am looking forward to a solution for all Kosovo citizens and not for certain individuals (myself in this case). After all, nonrecognition is a product of politics 🙁
Hi Kosovo girl. I have travelled all around the world on a British passport and believe there is not a country in the world where I am not allowed entry ( some are very difficult ).
Really feel for you, as you say it should be the right of every world citizen to visit the whole world in peace and friendship.
Also enjoyed my brief travels in Kosovo.
Hope you find a way to India.
Hi Stephen,
Thanks for visiting my blog and sharing your opinion. I’d love to hear more about your brief travels in Kosovo. 🙂