How to Get Kosovo CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 5 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- Accepted
- Civic test
- Required, no test specified
- Criminal record
- No criminal record condition in the law
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Accepted in both directionsNew citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Europe
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
Residence in Kosovo is the basis of this route, together with the other conditions below. An application is required, and citizenship must be granted once the legal conditions are met.
- Residence
- 5 years
Person has been resident in Kosovo for 5 consecutive years after receiving permanent residence permit.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Elementary knowledge of one of the official languages of Kosovo (Albanian or Serbian) required.
- Civic knowledge
- Required, no test specified
Respect for constitutional and legal order of Kosovo, integration into society and elementary knowledge of culture and social order required.
- Criminal record
- No criminal record condition in the law
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Sufficient means of living without resorting to social assistance schemes, fulfilment of all the financial obligations owed to the state required.
Marriage or civil partnership
Marriage to a citizen of Kosovo is the basis of this route, together with the conditions below. An application is required, and citizenship must be granted once the legal conditions are met.
Person is the spouse of a citizen, has been married for at least 3 years, and has been resident (on the basis of any type of residence) in Kosovo for 1 year. The spouse of a citizen shall not acquire citizenship if the marriage has been established against the Law on Family.
Descent (citizen parent)
For a person with a parent who is a citizen of Kosovo, the rules below set out how this route works.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Kosovo to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to two citizens.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a parent who is a citizen and one parent who is stateless or of unknown citizenship.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to only one citizen, and both parents give their consent to acquisition before the child reaches the age of 14. In the case where the child would be stateless, he/she can acquire citizenship even without the parents' consent.
Birth in the country
This route concerns people born in Kosovo, and only in the situations described below. An application is required, and citizenship must be granted once the legal conditions are met.
Person is born to parents of another country who have a permanent residence permit in Kosovo and they give their consent to acquisition of citizenship.
Child of a new citizen
This route covers children of a person who becomes a citizen of Kosovo, subject to the conditions below. An application is required, and citizenship must be granted once the legal conditions are met.
Person is a minor who is included in the parent's application for naturalisation. If a person is between 14 and 18 years of age, his/her consent is required.
Adoption
For people adopted by citizens of Kosovo, the rules below set out what applies. The law of Kosovo confers citizenship automatically, independent of any administrative decision.
Person is a minor who is adopted by a citizen.
Other family members of citizens
This route covers certain family members not covered by the marriage or descent routes in Kosovo. An application is required, and citizenship must be granted once the legal conditions are met.
Transfer from former citizen
Person is a descendant within one generation of a person in Kosovo ('member of Kosovo diaspora') and maintains family links in Kosovo. No residency requirement.
Spousal coacquisition
Person is the spouse of a citizen, has been married for at least 3 years, and has been resident (on the basis of any type of residence) in Kosovo for 2 years. The spouse of a naturalised citizen shall not acquire citizenship if the marriage has been established against the Law on Family.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
This route covers people who previously held citizenship of Kosovo, subject to the conditions below. An application is required, and citizenship must be granted once the legal conditions are met.
Person is a former citizen who was previously released from citizenship. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except age (i.e. person does not need to be an adult), residence and elementary knowledge of one of the official languages, culture and social order of Kosovo).
Refugees
This route covers people recognised as refugees in Kosovo, subject to the conditions below. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
Person is a refugee and has been resident in Kosovo for 5 years from the day of the recognition of the refugee status. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except requirements regarding sufficient means of living without resorting to social assistance schemes and the fulfilment of all the financial obligations owed to the state).
Stateless persons
Statelessness, or the risk of it, is the basis of this route in Kosovo.
Foundlings
Person is found in Kosovo of unknown parentage.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born in Kosovo to stateless parents or the child would otherwise be stateless.
Stateless persons
Person is stateless and has been resident in Kosovo for 5 years from the day of the recognition of the refugee status. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except requirements regarding sufficient means of living without resorting to social assistance schemes and the fulfilment of all the financial obligations owed to the state).
Special achievements
For people whose achievements or contributions are recognised by Kosovo, the rules below set out what applies. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
Person is someone whose acquisition of citizenship would be in special (economic, social, sports, cultural, scientific or political) interest of Kosovo.
Investment
A qualifying investment or financial contribution is the basis of this route in Kosovo. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
Person is someone whose acquisition of citizenship would be in the special economic interest of Kosovo.
Not available in Kosovo: Citizens of specific countries, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Public or military service. Coded by GLOBALCIT for 1 January 2024 and updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Both groups can hold a second citizenship under the law of Kosovo: new citizens, and citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens do not have to give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
See how Kosovo compares with every country in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Albania | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Greece | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Malta | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 North Macedonia | 7 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Portugal | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 10(1).
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Kosovo Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/kosovo/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/kosovo/">How to Get Kosovo Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Kosovar citizen?
The residence period for ordinary naturalisation in Kosovo is 5 years. Other legal conditions also apply.
Does Kosovo allow dual citizenship?
Yes, in both directions: new citizens and citizens who naturalise abroad can hold another citizenship.
Do I need a language test for Kosovar citizenship?
Language ability is required for Kosovar citizenship, though no test or certificate is specified.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Kosovar citizenship?
Civic knowledge is required for Kosovar citizenship, though no specific test is defined.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Kosovar citizenship?
There is no obligation to renounce your current citizenship to get Kosovar citizenship. The law of your current country may have its own rules on this.
Can I get Kosovo citizenship by marriage?
Yes, Kosovo provides a marriage route. Procedure: entitlement.
Can I get Kosovo citizenship by descent?
Yes, the law of Kosovo provides citizenship by descent from a citizen parent. Procedure: automatic, entitlement.
Can I get Kosovo citizenship by investment?
Yes. Kosovo has an investment route in the data. Amounts and terms should be confirmed with the official authority.
Related pages
Also see: Kosovo passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.