Category: Latvia

Visas, Immigration & Nationality

EU to Gradually Implement Biometric Border Checks

The European Commission has proposed a gradual rollout of the EU’s long-delayed biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) starting in 2025. Initially set to launch on November 10, 2024, the system was postponed after France, Germany, and the Netherlands cited technological readiness issues. Under the new plan, EES operations will begin progressively over six months, with member…
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EU To Reevaluate Visa-Free Travel for Georgia

The European Union’s foreign ministers are set to deliberate on Georgia’s visa-free travel agreement during the Council of Foreign Affairs meeting on December 16, according to EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski.  Discussions will explore all possible options, including the suspension of the visa-free regime. Since March 28, 2017, Georgian citizens with biometric passports have…
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France to Reinstate Schengen Border Checks Amid Security Concerns

Starting from November 1, 2024, France will reintroduce border checks at its Schengen zone borders, impacting six countries: Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy. This measure will be in place until April 1st, 2025, with the French government citing concerns over terrorism and irregular migration as the driving forces behind the decision. Travellers from…
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EU Lifts Visa Requirements for Kosovo Citizens with Serbian Passports

Kosovo citizens who hold Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (Koordinaciona uprava) can now enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen Zone for short-term stays. This long-awaited change, implemented on October 13, 2024, aligns the visa regulations for all citizens of the Western Balkans, granting them similar travel rights. The new regulation was signed…
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EU Pushes Back November Launch of Electronic Border Checks

Once again, the launch of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), designed to streamline border checks for non-EU travellers, has been delayed. It was previously set to launch on November 10, 2024 but the rollout has been pushed back due to continued technical challenges in numerous member countries At a recent meeting of EU interior ministers,…
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