Residence Care: yearly legal support for foreigners living in Serbia
A temporary residence permit has an expiry date, and the application for extension has to be filed while the permit is still valid. Residence Care is the name we give to a yearly engagement in which our office keeps the client's dates, prepares and files the extension and every change in between, and answers the police, the bank or the landlord in writing when they ask for something. It is for foreigners living in Serbia on any basis: company, employment, family, property, studies.
What the engagement covers
One attorney of the office is responsible for the client's file for twelve months and is the person the client writes to. The scope below is the standard one; it is adjusted in the written agreement to the basis of residence and to family members.
- Residence calendarExpiry of the permit and the passport, the window for the extension, the address registration, with written reminders in advance.
- Extension of residencePreparation and filing of the application for extension of temporary residence when it falls due, and follow-up until the decision.
- Changes in betweenReporting of a new passport, a new address or a change of employer or company, and the address registration after a move.
- Tax residence certificateRequest for a certificate of tax residence from the Tax Administration, once a year, where the client needs it abroad.
- CorrespondenceA written answer to any request from the police, a bank or a landlord, within one business day.
- Written adviceLegal advice on living in Serbia: lease, employment, driving licence, family reunification.
- Family membersExtensions and filings for family members under the same engagement.
- Review of the fileA review of the client's documents at the start, so the next extension is prepared in time.
What it does not cover
The first application for temporary residence and Visa D, which are agreed separately; permanent residence and citizenship, which are separate matters; representation before courts; and state fees, translation and notary costs, which are paid at cost against receipts.
How the fee is agreed
The fee is agreed in writing before the engagement starts, as a fixed annual amount under the Attorney Tariff of the Serbian Bar Association, and is paid in advance to the attorney's business account. The engagement runs for twelve months and is renewed by a new written agreement.
How we handle it
- Review of the documentsWe read the residence permit, the passport, the lease or ownership and the basis of the permit.
- Written agreementScope, fee and the twelve-month term are set out in writing. Nothing starts before it is signed and the fee is paid.
- CalendarWithin five working days the client receives the residence calendar for the year.
- The yearWe file the extension and every change, answer the letters and remind the client before every date.
- RenewalThirty days before the end we send the agreement for the next year.
What to send us
- Residence permit (both sides)
- Passport data page
- Lease or proof of ownership of the flat
- Document showing the basis of residence (company, employment, marriage, enrolment)
- Residence permits of family members, if any
- Any open request from the police
Frequently asked questions
Does it matter on what basis I hold the permit?
No. We handle extensions on every basis. The documents differ, and we say at the start what the next extension will need.
Can the office guarantee the extension?
No. The police decide. Our work is a complete application filed within the deadline, and a written warning in advance if something in the file makes a refusal likely.
What about Visa D for my family?
Visa D is a one-off matter, agreed separately. Once the family members are in Serbia, their extensions are covered under the engagement.
I have a three-year permit. What happens in the years in between?
The filings in between: a new passport, a new address, the address registration, the tax residence certificate, and the answers to anyone who asks you for a document.
How are your fees set?
Fees follow the Serbian Attorney Tariff. You receive a written offer before work starts, and state fees are paid separately.
Author: advokat Srđan Bogićević · Updated: November 2026
Talk to a lawyer
Describe your case in a few sentences. We reply within 24 hours on working days and tell you whether and how we can help.
- We read your description and any documents you sent.
- Within 24 hours on working days we reply with an assessment and the next step.
- If you want us to proceed, we send a written offer.
- srdjan@bogiceviclaw.com
- +381 65 678 4991
- Viber
- +381 63 104 9891