RIYADH: Saudi citizens have been given the green light to visit three western Balkan countries without the need to obtain a visa.

In tweets, the Saudi Embassy in Albania revealed that Kosovo and Albania would allow visa-free entry for travellers with a valid passport document until Dec. 31, and Montenegro through to Oct. 31.

The same rules also apply in Albania for citizens from Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Thailand.

Under conditions for visiting Montenegro without a visa, Saudis must be part of a tourist group and not be travelling as an individual, they should arrive on a direct flight from the Kingdom, be able to show a return ticket and proof of payment for accommodation and produce a letter of invitation from a tourist office in Montenegro organizing the trip.

For North Macedonia, the embassy said a Macedonian visa was required, or Schengen, American, British, or Australian visa, provided it was multiple-entry, valid, and had previously been used.

The EU was also working to exempt citizens from Gulf states from visa requirements.

EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Patrick Simonnet told Arab News about the plan during Europe Day celebrations last year and noted that it would help boost cooperation in sectors including communications, tourism, education, and business.

Meanwhile, as part of its efforts to attract more tourists, Kazakhstan has already lifted visa requirements for Saudi and Gulf citizens visiting the central Asian country.