Consular services
The Republic of Kosovo has accredited thirteen Consular Missions, which immediately after their consolidation have started to gradually offer consular services to Kosovo citizens living abroad.
In accordance with the Law on Consular Services of Diplomatic and Consular Missions of the Republic of Kosovo and the Consular Regulation, diplomatic/consular missions offer but are not limited to these consular services:
- I. Protecting the interests of Kosovo citizens abroad
During their visits to foreign countries, Kosovo citizens may confront difficulties of various natures.
Citizens can address diplomatic/consular missions to present their problems and ask for advice in dealing with them. Assistance offered by consular/diplomatic officials consists of:
- Offering assistance to Kosovo citizens in emergency situations;
- Offering assistance for prisoners or those with legal difficulties in the receiving state;
- Offering assistance for the return of Kosovo citizens who have died in the receiving state and insuring the protection of their property.
The Director of consular missions can offer assistance to Kosovo citizens only when it is proven that those in difficulties are not also citizens of the receiving state. Offering assistance in emergency situations, such as natural disasters or high risk events, is extended to other family members who enjoy citizenship in the receiving country.
In the event of arrest, detention or opening of investigations by the authorities of the receiving state, Kosovo citizens have the right to inform the diplomatic/consular representative and to seek assistance that includes:
- Informing family of arrest;
- Addressing a defense lawyer or
- Demand for intervention by domestic authorities in case of violations of human rights.
In cases of the death of Kosovo citizens abroad, the diplomatic/consular representative can provide a list of undertakers and approximate prices; to register the death and issue the necessary documents for returning the body of the deceased.
*The representative cannot cover expenses for repatriation of remains. - II. Application for personal documents
a. Application for identification card of the Republic of Kosovo
To be supplied with an identification card of the RKS in all cases the applicant must personally attend the Embassy / Consulate.
1. Necessary documents for issue of identification card for the first time
- Birth certificate
- marriage certificate
- Citizenship certificate
- Residency certificate
2. Necessary documents for changing of UNMIK identification card to Kosovo identification card
- UNMIK identification card
- Police report for loss of UNMIK identification card
- Birth certificate
- marriage certificate
- Citizenship certificate
- Residency certificate (if there has been a change of address)
3. Necessary documents for issue of identification card after loss/damage
- Photocopy of identification card or passport if exists
- Police report of the state where the identification card was lost (not older than three months)
- Damaged identification card
- Two biometric photographs no older than 6 months
- Evidence of payment for identification card after loss / damage
4. Necessary documents for issue of identification card after changing personal data
- identification card
- Birth certificate
- marriage certificate
- Decision for changing of data
- Police report of the state where the identification card was lost (in cases where the applicant changing data has lost the identification card)
- the damaged identification card (in cases where the applicant changing data has damaged the identification card)
- Residency certificate in the Republic of Kosovo (in cases where residence was changed)
- Evidence of payment for the changed identification card
5. Necessary documents for issue of identification card after restoring data
- identification card
- Birth certificate
- marriage certificate
- Decision for changing of data
- Police report of the state where the identification card was lost (in cases where the applicant changing data has lost the identification card)
- the damaged identification card (in cases where the applicant changing data has damaged the identification card)
- Residency certificate in the Republic of Kosovo (in cases where residence was changed)
- Obtaining biometric data
- Evidence of payment for the changed identification card
b. Application for passport of the Republic of Kosovo
To be issued with a passport of the RKS applicants in all cases must be personally present at the Embassy / Consulate.
1. Necessary documents for issuing passports to persons over 16 years
- Copy of identification card of Republic of Kosovo with validity date
- Previous expired passport if the party had one
- Evidence of payment for passport
2. Necessary documents for issuing passports to persons under 16 years
- Birth certificate
- Citizenship certificate
- Proof of identity of parents (identification card, RKS passport, drivers license)
- Death certificate of parent if deceased
- Court order for custody of children if parents are divorced
- Legal authorization verified by notary in the event of absence of one parent
- Certificate of residency in RKS
- Evidence of payment for passport
3. Necessary documents for issuing passports after loss/damage to persons over 16 years
- Copy of identification card of Republic of Kosovo with validity date
- Damaged passport (if applying because of damaged passport)
- Evidence of payment for passport
- Police report of the state where the passport was lost (in cases where the applicant has lost the passport, within three months of the date of loss)
- The final decision of the competent court in case of seizure of passport
- Evidence of payment for passport
4. Necessary documents for issuing passports after loss/damage to persons under 16 years
- Damaged passport (if applying because of damaged passport)
- Police report of the state where the passport was lost (in cases where the applicant has lost the passport, within three months of the date of loss)
- Proof of identity of parents (identification card, RKS passport, drivers license)
- Court order for custody of children if parents are divorced
- Legal authorization verified by notary in the event of absence of one parent
- Evidence of payment for passport
- The final decision of the competent court in case of seizure of passport
- Evidence of payment for passport
5. Necessary documents for changing/restoring data for persons over 16 years
- Copy of changed/restored identification card
- Old passport
- Evidence of payment for passport
6. Necessary documents for changing/restoring data for persons over 16 years
- Old passport
- Decision for changing data (in cases of changing data)
- Electronic photograph (in case of restoring data)
- Residency certificate
- Evidence of payment for passport
c. Application for travel document (one way document for return)
Consular missions are authorized to release Travel Documents for Return (travel document) for citizens of the Republic of Kosovo if they have lost their passport, it has expired or for other urgent or humanitarian cases.
To receive a Travel Document for Return at the Consular Mission, applicants must submit these documents:
- Completed application
- Police report confirming that travel document was lost or stolen and that this was reported in time to the legal authorities;
- Copy of travel document, and if possessed, another identification document or birth certificate;
- A document confirming the applicant's residence;
- Travel document if damaged;
- Two photographs;
- Evidence of payment for this service
A Travel Document for Return can be issued only after verification of citizenship and is valid for 30 days. Applications at diplomatic/consular missions can be done directly at the mission or by post, with the costs covered by the consular client.
A Travel Document for Return is issued within 48 hours.
Normally, a travel document is used from the country of origin to a desired destination, however in cases where the party wants to travel by land route and to pass over more than one state border, and then the party is obliged to get a visa for those states through which they wish to travel.
- III. Registration of civil status
a. Registering birth
When a child is born outside Kosovo by parents who are not Kosovo citizens;
- Copies of citizenship documents of the two parents (passports, identification card, birth certificate)
- International birth certificate
When a child is born outside Kosovo by parents of which one is a Kosovo citizen and the other not;
- Copies of Kosovar citizenship documents of the parent;
- Documents that indicate the citizenship of the parent without citizenship of the Republic of Kosovo;
- Approval in writing of the parent without citizenship of the Republic of Kosovo for registration of the child verified by the responsible authority;
- International birth certificate of the child
When a child is born outside Kosovo by parents of which one is a Kosovo citizen and the other is unknown:
- Copies of Kosovar citizenship documents of the parent;
- International birth certificate of the child including the citizenship of one parent as Kosovar and the other as unknown;
b. Registering marriage
Necessary documents for registering marriages at consular missions are:
- Copies of identification documents with expiry date;
- Copies of citizenship documents (passport, identification card, birth certificate)
- Evidence of citizenship of foreign citizens;
- Original international certificate of marriage relating to receiving country
c. Registering death
Necessary documents for registering deaths at consular missions are:
- Original international certificate of death of citizen;
- Copies of identification documents of deceased person as proof of citizenship; and
- Personal identification document of person present; - IV. Application for citizenship/or release from citizenship
Applicants living outside the Republic of Kosovo can present a request for citizenship/release from citizenship to the diplomatic/consular representative of the Republic of Kosovo with jurisdiction over the residential area of the applicant.
The analysis and decision regarding the request will be subject to procedures defined by the Law on Citizenship in Kosovo and the Administrative Order to implementing this law.
PROCEDURE FOR ACQUIRING OF KOSOVO CITIZENSHIP
Procedure of acquiring citizenship at birth according to origin of the two parents when they are citizens of the Republic of Kosovo;
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of child’s birth
- Certificate of registration from the Civil Register or other proof of the citizenship of parents in Kosovo.
Procedure of acquiring citizenship at birth in Kosovo when one parent is a Kosovo citizen;
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of child’s birth
- Certificate of registration from the Civil Register or other proof of the citizenship of parents in Kosovo.
- Agreement of the child older than 14 and up to 18 years.
- Verified agreement in writing of the parent with another citizenship, and in this case, the MIA Commission on Citizenship will guarantee that the child does not remain without citizenship if the parent in question does not give its agreement
Procedure of acquiring citizenship when the child is born outside Kosovo and the other parent has unknown citizenship or is without citizenship;
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of child’s birth
- Certificate of registration from the Civil Register or other proof of the citizenship of parents in Kosovo.
- Agreement of the child older than 14 and up to 18 years.
- Verified agreement in writing of the parent without another citizenship, and in this case, the MIA Commission on Citizenship will guarantee that the child does not remain without citizenship if the parent in question does not give its agreement
Procedure of acquiring citizenship if the child is born outside Kosovo and the other parent has another citizenship but the two parents agree in writing that the child acquires Kosovo citizenship;
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of child’s birth
- Certificate of registration from the Civil Register or other proof of the citizenship of parents.
- Verified agreement in writing of the parents, and in this case, the MIA Commission on Citizenship will guarantee that the child does not remain without citizenship if the parent in question does not give its agreement
Acquiring citizenship on birth in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo;
In cases where the child is found or is born in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo and the parents are unknown, then it acquires citizenship in the Republic of Kosovo when the birth is registered in the Register of Births and ex officio entered in the Register of Citizenship.
Procedure of acquiring citizenship when the child is born in Kosovo but the parents have another citizenship but have resident permits valid in Kosovo
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of child’s birth
- Copies of identification documents and valid proof of the stay in the Republic of Kosovo of the two parents.
- Verified agreement in writing of the two parents, in this case the MIA Commission on Citizenship, the MIA Commission on Citizenship will guarantee that the child does not remain without citizenship if the parent in question does not give its agreement
- Administrative fee
- Fee for issuing of positive decision
Procedure of applying for acquiring Kosovo citizenship by naturalization;
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of birth and marriage for married persons
- Proof of valid residence permit for five years in the Republic of Kosovo
- Proof that all financial duties have been fulfilled (proof from the Kosovo Tax Administration and from the Municipal Property Tax Office regarding fulfillment of tax obligations).
- Proof of adequate housing for the applicant and dependents
- Document that proves elementary knowledge of the official language
- Proof of not being under criminal investigation and not being sentenced for criminal acts issued by the competent court of the Republic of Kosovo and the competent body of the foreign state from which the applicant comes or the state in which he/she had last residence not older than 6 months.
- Proof of sufficient material funds to secure existence and that of persons for whom they are responsible without using social assistance
- Valid identification document with a verified copy with a clear photograph of the owner.
- Declaration of oath in writing accepting the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Kosovo
- Administrative fee
- Fee for issuing of positive decision
Procedure of applying for acquiring Kosovo citizenship by naturalization i/e spouse;
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of birth and marriage which proves at least 3 years of valid married with a Kosovo citizen.
- Proof of legal residence in the Republic of Kosovo for at least one year before application.
- Proof that all financial duties have been fulfilled (proof from the Kosovo Tax Administration and from the Municipal Property Tax Office regarding fulfillment of tax obligations).
- Proof of not being under criminal investigation and not being sentenced for criminal acts issued by the competent court of the Republic of Kosovo and the competent body of the foreign state from which the applicant comes or the state in which he/she had last residence, not older than 6 months.
- Proof of sufficient material funds to secure existence and that of persons for whom they are responsible without using social assistance.
- Valid identification document.
- Declaration of oath in writing accepting the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Kosovo
- Administrative fee
- Fee for issuing of positive decision
Procedure of applying for acquiring Kosovo citizenship by naturalization of minors of naturalized persons;
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of child’s birth
- Valid official document of parents proving their identity
- Verified agreement in writing of parents
- Agreement of child older than 14 and up to 18
- Administrative fee
- Fee for issuing of positive decision
* This procedure is valid also for adopted minors.
Procedure of applying for acquiring Kosovo citizenship by naturalization of persons who have lost Kosovo citizenship;
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of birth
- Certificate of parents from the Civil Register
- Copies of identification documents of both parents
- Proof that all financial duties have been fulfilled (proof from the Kosovo Tax Administration and from the Municipal Property Tax Office regarding fulfillment of tax obligations).
- Proof of not being under criminal investigation and not being sentenced for criminal acts issued by the competent court of the Republic of Kosovo and the competent body of the foreign state from which the applicant comes or the state in which he/she had last residence, not older than 6 months.
- Proof of sufficient material funds to secure existence and that of persons for whom they are responsible without using social assistance.
- Declaration of oath in writing accepting the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Kosovo
- Agreement of child older than 14 and up to 18
- Administrative fee
- Fee for issuing of positive decision
PROCEDURE OF LOSS OF KOSOVO CITIZENSHIP BY RELEASE
Procedure of applying for loss of Kosovo citizenship by release from citizenship for adults;
The application must include this evidence:
- Proof of possession of citizenship in another state or guarantee (evidence) that this citizenship will be given
- Certificate of birth
- Copy of identification documents
- Proof of residence in foreign state where resident
- Proof of last residence in the Republic of Kosovo
- Proof that all financial duties have been fulfilled (proof from the Kosovo Tax Administration and from the Municipal Property Tax Office regarding fulfillment of tax obligations).
- Proof from the municipal centre for social work of fulfillment of all financial duties toward persons for food and maintenance for which they are responsible according to the law
- Proof of not being under criminal investigation and not being sentenced for criminal acts issued by the competent court of the Republic of Kosovo and the competent body of the foreign state from which the applicant comes or the state in which he/she had last residence, not older than 6 months.
- Proof under oath that the citizen seeking release from citizenship is not a civil servant, judge, public prosecutor, member of the Kosovo police, member of the Kosovo Security force, or member of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency.
- Administrative fee
- Fee for issuing of positive decision
Procedure of applying for loss of citizenship of the Republic of Kosovo by release from citizenship for minors;
The application must include this evidence:
- Proof of possession of citizenship in another state or guarantee (evidence) that this citizenship will be given
- Certificate of birth of the minor
- Certificate of parents from the Civil Register
- Proof of residence in foreign state where resident
- Proof of last residence of parents in the Republic of Kosovo
- Copies of identification documents of minor if possessed
- Copies of identification documents of parents
- Verified declaration of agreement in writing of the two parents
- Agreement of child older than 14 and up to 18
- If custody of the minor is held by one parent evidence must be completed by just one parent with custody of the minor. In this case, the application must include evidence that verifies that the parent in question has been entrusted with the care of the minor
- In cases where the commission decides to release the minor from citizenship of the Republic of Kosovo, the parents or parent of the child are obliged to present evidence of payment of fees to an amount of 50 Euros.
- All documents offered as evidence must be translated in one of Kosovo’s official languages.
- Administrative fee
- Fee for issuing of positive decision
* This procedure is valid also for adopted children
Procedure for applying for loss of citizenship of the Republic of Kosovo by release for children, according to Article 7.2 of the Law on Citizenship in Kosovo;
Applications for the loss of citizenship in the Republic of Kosovo by release for a child according to Article 7.2 of the Law on Citizenship in Kosovo (in cases where at least one parent of the child is identified before the child has reached the age of 7, and the parent in question is not a citizen of the Republic of Kosovo, by request of the parent the child loses citizenship in the Republic of Kosovo on condition that by losing this citizenship the child does not remain without citizenship) are made by parents or a parent at the respective Consular Mission according to the residence of the child in the Republic of Kosovo.
The application must include this evidence:
- Certificate of child’s birth
- Evidence of proof of paternity / maternity
- Proof of possession of citizenship, of the state where the parents or parent are citizens
- Guarantee (evidence) that the child will be given citizenship of the parents or parent
- Copies of identification documents of two parents or one parent
- Copies of travel document of child if possessed
- All documents offered as evidence must be translated in one of Kosovo’s official languages Administrative fee
- Fee for issuing of positive decision - V. Issuing of certification
Consular officials may issue, according to written requests, certification of all sorts according to the laws and regulations in force.
Certification of all sorts includes, but is not limited to: certification for return of remains of deceased citizens of Kosovo; certification of the authenticity of documents; certification of citizenship etc.
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