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Similar questions have been asked, but they were from 7 years ago, so I want to see if there has been any diplomatic updates. My goal is to bike from Pristina, Kosovo to Sofia, Bulgaria. Google maps recommends going all the way south to North Macedonia. I have a time limit, so if that is the case I will have to plan a different route altogether. (This is just for vacation, so if the crossing would involve anything to risky, I'll just plan a different route.)

On Google maps I placed Park per fushen e futbollit, Rruga Madenit, Karaçevë e Epërme and Restaurant Oxygen, Te Lisi Karaçevë e Epërme XK, 62000 as the start and end. It appears that both are in Kosovo (although maybe the destination is a Serbian enclave). Google still recommends travelling through North Macedonia. route

Before I give up on this plan, I am wondering if Google is misleading me. What makes me suspicious is that I see that R124 in Kosovo connects the two places (The only article I found about that route was from a Dutch wiki https://www.wegenwiki.nl/Rruga_regjionale ). So supposedly some people cross that border. I am an American citizen, can I cross the border?

Crazydre
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HanMah
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2 Answers2

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Please note: when you are in Kosovo, you already entered Serbia, from the serbian legal perspective.

If you directly enter Kosovo from outside Serbia, from the Serbian perspective you never officially and legally entered Serbia. Therefore, if you manage or try to enter Serbia from Kosovo, it means (from the serbian perspective) you already entered illegally in Serbia. So they will not allow you to stay in Serbia (from their point of view Kosovo is Serbia). Even less to further travel through Serbia.

See the informations provided by the serbian consulate in Lebanon: http://www.beirut.mfa.gov.rs/consularservicestext.php?subaction=showfull&id=1581599779&ucat=17&template=MeniENG&

EarlGrey
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Unless your last entry to Kosovo was from Serbia (Serbia-Kosovo-Serbia), you'll be refused entry to Serbia from Kosovo on a foreign passport as the Serbs don't issue entry stamps at those checkpoints, with a Kosovan entry stamp NOT deemed a valid substitute. An ID card would've done the trick for eligible nationalities, but US passport cards aren't valid for Serbia.

So you indeed have to travel via Macedonia (or Montenegro)

Crazydre
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