Type of Residence

General Information

Residence permit is an authorization issued by the Republic of Kosovo allowing a foreigner to stay within its territory.

Residence permits are issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Department for Citizenship, Asylum and Migration.   

Residence permits are not required:

  • if a foreigner has a valid visa for the period of stay, or
  • if the foreigner has a permit issued while the application for a permit residence or asylum is being assessed by the relevant authorities
  • for foreigners serving or working for any diplomatic, consular missions or for the international military institutions in Kosovo.

Pursuant to the applicable law, there are three types of residence in Kosovo:

Short-term residence

Short term residence means the residence of a foreigner for a period of up to three (3) months within the period of six (6) months without visa or with visa(if required). If a foreigner stays for a period of three (3) months, he or she may enter Kosovo again after six (6) months of the first entry date. Short term residence may be shorter than three (3) months when this is indicated in the visa (if required).

Temporary residence

Temporary residence permit is typically issued for a period of one (1) year. This type of residence is granted to a foreigner for the purpose of:

  • Employment
  • Family reunification
  • Secondary and higher education
  • Scientific research
  • Humanitarian grounds
  • Employment of a posted employee. A posted employee for the purpose of the law on foreigner means a foreign employer in the framework of cross-border provisions of services, working in Kosovo only for a limited period of time.

A temporary residence permit is issued if the foreigner:

  • Proves the purpose of temporary residence;
  • Is in possession of a valid travel document;
  • Is in possession of sufficient means of subsistence;
  • Is in possession of medical insurance;
  • Has no entry and residence ban in Kosovo;
  • Constitutes no threat to state security, public order or public health.

Extending a temporary residence permit requires for the foreigner to submit an application for extension thirty days prior to the expiration of a temporary residence.

Permanent residence

A permanent residence permit may be granted for a foreigner who has had a residence permit continuously for a period of five (5) years in Kosovo. If the foreigner is absent for six to ten month that does not terminate the five year required period to obtain the permanent residence permit. 

To obtain permanent residence permit, a foreigner must:

  • have in possession a foreign valid travel document;
  • have in possession sufficient subsistence means;
  • have in possession a medical insurance;
  • have basic knowledge of one of the official languages of the Republic of Kosovo in writing and reading, knowledge on the culture and social establishment;
  • not constitute a threat to public order, sate security and public health.