Moving to Serbia: temporary residence and the single permit

Visa-free stay and registration of your address

Citizens of EU countries and many other countries can stay in Serbia without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Citizens of other countries need a visa. In both cases, a longer stay requires temporary residence.

After you arrive, your stay must be registered with the police. Hotels and other accommodation providers do this automatically. If you stay in a private apartment, the landlord or host must report your stay. Keep the confirmation, because you will need it for the residence application.

Apply for residence while your stay in Serbia is still lawful. Waiting until the visa-free period is about to run out is a common and avoidable problem.

Grounds for temporary residence

Temporary residence is always granted on a specific ground under the Law on Foreigners, and the documents depend on that ground.

Choose the ground that matches what you actually do in Serbia. Residence based on property ownership, for example, does not by itself give you the right to be employed. If you plan to work, the application must cover work as well.

• Employment with a Serbian employer
• Work in your own Serbian company or as a sole trader
• Ownership of real estate in Serbia
• Family reunification with a Serbian citizen or a foreign resident
• Studies
• Other grounds provided by law

The single permit for residence and work

For employment, Serbia issues a single permit that covers both residence and work. The application is submitted online through the government portal for foreigners, and the decision covers both residence and work in one permit.

A similar route is used when a foreigner works in his or her own Serbian company. The company must be active, and the authorities check that the work is real.

The permit is issued as a biometric residence card and is tied to the ground on which it was granted. A change of employer or of the ground of residence may require a new application.

Documents you will need

Documents issued abroad, such as birth or marriage certificates, usually need an apostille and a certified Serbian translation by a court interpreter. Order them early, because obtaining apostilles abroad can take time.

• Valid passport
• Confirmation of your registered address in Serbia
• Proof of the ground, such as an employment contract, company documents, a property title extract or a marriage certificate
• Proof of means of support
• Proof of health insurance
• Apostilled and translated documents from abroad, where required

Step by step, renewals and family

Family members usually apply on the ground of family reunification once the main applicant has residence. Renewals should be filed before the current permit expires, so that your stay remains continuous. Continuous lawful residence matters later if you decide to apply for permanent residence.

Common mistakes are choosing a ground that does not match your real activity, letting the address registration lapse after moving, filing too late, and relying on documents from abroad that are not apostilled or translated.

• Enter Serbia lawfully and register your address
• Choose the ground and collect the documents
• Apostille and translate documents from abroad
• Submit the application
• Provide biometric data and collect the residence card
• Apply for renewal before the permit expires

When to involve a lawyer

Simple employment cases are often handled by the employer. Legal help is useful when the ground is a company you own, when family members are involved, when documents come from several countries, or when an application has been refused. Our office helps you choose the right ground, prepares and translates the documents, files the application and handles renewals and applications for family members.

Frequently asked questions