Kosovo

Carry your passport with you for identification and keep a copy separately in a safe place.

Illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties. You should expect a long jail sentence and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling illegal drugs, including when transiting through the airport.

Airports in Kosovo have excellent technology and security for detecting illegal items. This is also used to scan the baggage of transiting passengers.

Taking photographs of military or police installations, personnel or vehicles may lead to difficulties with the authorities.

There are no laws against same-sex relations in Kosovo. However, Kosovo is still a conservative society and the LGBT+ scene is more tolerated than accepted.

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.

Wildfires are possible in Kosovo, particularly during dry hot periods from April to October. Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. To avoid starting wildfires:

• take care when visiting or driving through countryside
• make sure cigarette ends are properly extinguished
• do not light fires or barbecues except in designated and marked areas
• do not leave any rubbish

If you see a wildfire, call the emergency services on 112. Follow any advice from the police or local authorities.

Kosovo lies in a seismically active zone, and earth tremors are common. The last significant earthquake, of magnitude 4.5, happened in 2010 around 90km north of Pristina.

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.

Flooding and poor road conditions can be a problem after wet weather. There is a risk of landslides, particularly in hilly and mountainous regions.

Check local news reports as flooding or landslides may cause road blockages.