Family in Kosovo

The Law on Family of Kosovo, amended by Law 06/L-077, regulates engagement, marriage, parent-child relationships, adoption, custody, guardianship, children without parental care, family property and family-court disputes. Marriage is normally registered at the Zyrat e Gjendjes Civile, the civil status offices. A stable unmarried partnership, called Bashkësia faktike or Bashkësia jashtëmartesore, can receive effects similar to marriage for care, mutual financial support and property when no legal marriage impediment exists. Births are registered through the civil status system. Paternity can be recognized through the civil registrar, the Organi i Kujdestarisë or the Gjykata, depending on the circumstances. Children born outside marriage have the same family-law rights and duties as other children. Parents remain responsible for a child until adulthood. Their duties include personal care, education and financial contribution. A child has the right to family life and regular contact with a parent who does not live in the same household, unless restricting contact serves the child’s welfare. In custody matters, the child’s views receive weight according to age and capacity. Removing parental care does not end a parent’s maintenance duty. Child protection follows Law 06/L-084. Municipal child-rights authorities and multidisciplinary case-management tables handle reports and referrals involving neglect, abuse, exploitation, street situations or a child without adequate care. Child Protection Houses can provide a coordinated response. The Qendra për Punë Sociale, usually abbreviated QPS, is the municipal social-work centre and a central access point for assessment, referrals, placements and family support. Kosovo has QPS offices in all 38 municipalities, additional units in Prishtina and five sub-offices. Services may be available to people with residence, temporary residence or presence in Kosovo, subject to the applicable law and assessment. Law 08/L-255 on social and family services, which replaced earlier legislation, provides for home, community, day, residential, family-placement, psychosocial, protection and reintegration services. The responsible ministry sets standards, manages funding and registries and supervises the system, while municipalities usually arrange local delivery. Public institutions, private providers and NGOs can all participate when properly licensed. Local capacity differs, so the available service, waiting time and provider may vary by municipality. The QPS also administers the Skema e Ndihmës Sociale, or SNS, a needs-based family safety-net scheme. The reformed system provides for digital applications and broader access, including removal of the former child-under-five condition and the immediate post-employment penalty. Exact eligibility and payment depend on the household, current rules and the assessment. The Child Allowance supports resident children aged 0 to 16. The amount is generally €20 per month for each child in a family with one or two children and €30 per month for each child in a family with three or more children. Applications are generally made by the mother through eKosova, with exceptions for situations such as death, non-citizenship, court decisions or QPS custody. The Maternity Allowance instruction of June 2025 provides €325.9 per month for six months for eligible unemployed mothers and three months for eligible employed mothers, with electronic application through eKosova and employment-history conditions. When a child cannot remain safely with a parent, the municipal Organi i Kujdestarisë, the guardianship authority, can arrange foster or family placement after professional assessment. The authority uses a written agreement, normally maintains contact with the parents and can restrict that contact when the child’s welfare requires it. Foster families may receive compensation. Residential placement follows Law 08/L-255 and the relevant 2024 and 2025 panels and instructions. Adoption is decided formally by the Gjykata after evidence and consultation involving the Organi i Kujdestarisë, social services and the Adoption Panel. Adoption concerns a minor child, and the default minimum age for a prospective adopter is 21. Family services also cover older people without family care, people with disabilities and adults who need home, community or residential support. Family assistance remains relevant where capable relatives exist, while public or community services provide a fallback when family care is unavailable or insufficient. The exact service depends on the person’s needs and the capacity of the municipality. Divorce is decided only by the Gjykata. Either spouse may file alone, or both may file jointly, when the relationship has seriously and continuously broken down or its continuation has become irreversibly disrupted. A joint petition involving children includes a written plan for care, education, maintenance and contact. The Organi i Kujdestarisë and the court become involved in child-related arrangements. Custody and contact decisions can change when circumstances change. Maintenance duties can concern children, parents, spouses or former spouses and certain relatives. Unmarried parents can also owe child support, and enforcement is handled through court procedures. People who meet the legal conditions can obtain free legal aid under Law 04/L-017, amended by Law 08/L-035. The Agjencia për Ndihmë Juridike Falas, or ANJF, provides legal information, advice, document preparation and representation in eligible civil, criminal, administrative and minor-offence matters through regional and mobile offices, lawyers and partner NGOs. A victim of family violence may support an application with a written statement from a victim advocate. The service is free for eligible applicants, but the law does not create one universal processing time for every case. Family violence is addressed under Law 08/L-185 of 2023 through coordinated work by the Police, Prosecution, Gjykata, QPS, victim advocates, shelters, correctional and probation services and ANJF. Shelters can provide emergency accommodation, protection, rehabilitation, reintegration and psychosocial, health and legal support. During a police stay, the 2025 Emergency Fund can provide immediate support through the relevant QPS after professional assessment for the victim and dependants, including food, infant formula or equipment, clothing, hygiene items, medicines and psychosocial assistance. Court fees, case duration and service availability vary by case and municipality; no single national cost or time estimate applies to every family matter.