Passports of European Union candidate states

Characteristics

Overall format

• Paper size B7
• 32 pages
• Colour of cover: burgundy red or blue

Cover

• Name of the issuing state
• Emblem of the state
• The word "PASSPORT"
• The biometric passport symbol:

First page

• Name of the issuing state
• The word "PASSPORT"
• Serial number

Identification page

Following page

Remaining pages

• The following page is reserved for:
• * Details concerning the spouse of the holder of the passport
• * Details concerning children accompanying the holder
• * Photographs of the faces of spouse and children
• The following page is reserved for use by the issuing authorities
• The remaining pages are reserved for visa
• The inside back cover is reserved for additional information or recommendations by the issuing state in its own official language

Visa requirements for the nationals of EU candidate states for travel to the EEA, United Kingdom and Ireland

State	Current candidate status	Schengen Area Annex II	Common Travel Area UK and Ireland	USA – ESTA	Canada
	Negotiating
	Negotiating
yes|90 days per 180 daysno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDMDAyes|90 days per 180 daysno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDMNEyes|90 days per 180 daysno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDNMKyes|90 days per 180 daysno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDSRByes|90 days per 180 daysno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDTURno|road map countryno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|road map countryno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDUKRyes|90 days per 180 daysno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDefn|Ireland lifted visa requirements for citizens of Ukraine in early 2022.no|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIREDno|PRE-ARRIVAL VISA REQUIRED Current EU enlargement agenda The enlargement of the European Union involves the accession of new member states. This process began with the Inner Six, who founded the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952. Since then, the EU's membership has grown to twenty-seven with the most recent expansion to Croatia in 2013 and the departure of UK in 2020. Currently, accession negotiations are under way with several states. The process of enlargement is sometimes referred to as European integration. This term is also used to refer to the intensification of co-operation between EU member states as national governments allow for the gradual harmonisation of national laws. To join the European Union, a state needs to fulfil economic and political conditions called the Copenhagen criteria, which require a stable democratic government that respects the rule of law, and its corresponding freedoms and institutions. According to the Maastricht Treaty, each current member state and the European Parliament must agree to any enlargement. The present enlargement agenda of the European Union regards Ukraine, the Western Balkans and potentially Turkey, which has a long-standing application with the EU. As for the Western Balkan states, the EU had pledged to include them after their civil wars: in fact, two states have entered, three are candidates, one applied and the others have pre-accession agreements. There are however other states in Europe which either seek membership or could potentially apply if their present foreign policy changes, or the EU gives a signal that they might now be included on the enlargement agenda. However, these are not formally part of the current agenda, which is already delayed due to bilateral disputes in the Balkans and difficulty in fully implementing the acquis communautaire. Today the accession process follows a series of formal steps, from a pre-accession agreement to the ratification of the final accession treaty. These steps are primarily presided over by the European Commission, but the actual negotiations are technically conducted between the Union's Member States and the candidate country. Before a country applies for membership it typically signs an association agreement to help prepare the country for candidacy and eventual membership. Most countries do not meet the criteria to even begin negotiations before they apply, so they need many years to prepare for the process. An association agreement helps prepare for this first step. In the case of the Western Balkans, a special process, the Stabilisation and Association Process exists to deal with the special circumstances there. When a country formally applies for membership, the Council asks the commission to prepare an opinion on the country's readiness to begin negotiations. The council can then either accept or reject the commission's opinion. If the council agrees to open negotiations the screening process then begins. The commission and candidate country examine its laws and those of the EU and determine what differences exist. The Council then recommends opening negotiations on "chapters" of law that it feels there is sufficient common ground to have constructive negotiations. Negotiations are typically a matter of the candidate country convincing the EU that its laws and administrative capacity are sufficient to execute European law, which can be implemented as seen fit by the member states. Often this will involve time-lines before the Acquis Communautaire has to be fully implemented. State Status Association Agreement Applied for Membership Candidate status Start of negotiations Screening completed Acquis Chapters open/closed Albaniasort|2|Negotiating