Serbia’s population is decreasing every year as many Serbians emigrate to other countries. To reverse the tendency, the Government of Serbia is simplifying the legalization requirements for foreigners wishing to relocate to the country.
According to the National Employment Service, the number of work permits issued to foreigners has been steadily growing since 2021. Around 50,000 foreigners settled down in Serbia in 2023. thepressedge Against this background, the Parliament of Serbia passed some amendments in August 2023 that simplify legalization in the country for foreigners. Some amendments went into force on August 4, 2023 while some others went into force on February 1, 2024. Below we discuss the new regulations pertaining to acquiring legal residence in Serbia.
A single residence/ work permit
Foreign nationals who have jobs in Serbia are now going to be issued a single document instead of two documents. The document will serve simultaneously as a residence permit and a work permit.
A single residence/ work permit can be issued in the following cases:
- The applicant is employed by a Serbian company.
- The applicant works for a Serbian subsidiary of a foreign company.
- The applicant is undergoing an internship or training.
- The applicant is an independent professional employed by a foreign company but working on a project in Serbia. For instance, the applicant is an architect that has been invited to Serbia as a consultant.
- The applicant is self-employed in Serbia.
How to apply for a single permit
A foreign national can file an application for a single residence/ work permit via an electronic portal called ‘Welcome to Serbia’. He or she can also authorize an agent to do it on his/ her behalf. This Serbian employer is also entitled to file an application on behalf of the foreign worker. Electronic applications can be filed from other countries (if there is a visa-free agreement between Serbia and the foreign country).
Officially, the immigration authorities have 15 days to process the application. In reality, they may take longer. The foreign applicant has to be handed the permit on a personal visit. The maximum term of the permit validity is 3 years.
A single permit can be extended. An application for permit extension can be filed between 3 months prior to the expiration date (the earliest) and the expiration date (the latest). This can also be done online via the Welcome to Serbia portal.
Plastic card to serve as a single permit
Previously, a temporary residence permit came in the form of a sticker in the passport. Therefore, it was critically important to have enough blank pages in the passport. Now a single permit comes in the form of a plastic card with an electronic chip. You can find a guide to Serbian residence permits if you follow the link.
Conditions for obtaining and extending temporary residence permits have been changed
Residence permits for family members. If a foreigner holds a single permit, his/ her family members are eligible for residence permits that are going to be valid for as long as the single permit is valid. previously, the maximum validity term of the permit issued to a family member was 1 year.
Additional groups of foreigners eligible for residence permits. Some groups of foreigners have been added to the list of foreigners who can qualify for residence permits in Serbia. In particular, foreign investors and talented artists have been added. The Government of the country is working on further extending the list.
Simplified conditions for family reunification. It is not necessary any longer to confirm solvency and buy medical insurance policies to obtain residence permits for family members.
Extended residence permit validity terms. The following categories of foreigners are now eligible for 3-year temporary residence permits in Serbia:
- Foreigners with timeless job contracts with Serbian companies;
- Property owners;
- Foreign spouses of Serbian citizens;
- Foreign scientists and scholars;
- Foreign students in Serbia (previously, a student permit could be valid only for 1 year);
- Underage foreigners if their parent or guardian holds a permanent residence permit.
New conditions for extending residence permits. Now a foreigner can apply for a residence permit extension on any day before the expiration date, even on the last one. Previously, foreigners had to apply for permit extensions no later than 30 days prior to the expiration date.
Please note that the foreigner’s national ID has to remain valid for at least 3 more months after the date of the intended departure from Serbia.
A residence permit can be annulled (or an extension application rejected) in case the holder has misused the document. For example, if a foreigner has obtained a residence permit as a sole proprietor in Serbia while engaging in no business operations in the country.
Acquisition of a permanent residence permit in Serbia: procedures simplified
A foreign national has to live only for 3 years in Serbia to qualify for a permanent residence permit (the term was 5 years before). Over this period, the foreigner can be absent from Serbia for not more than 10 months in total and for not more than 6 months in a row. The expiration date of the temporary residence permit becomes irrelevant when the foreigner obtains a permanent residence permit.
In the future, applications for permanent residence permits can be filed electronically, but the website is not ready at the moment.
Since January 5, 2025, foreigners have been able to file applications for permanent residence permits 60 prior to the expiration dates of their temporary residence permits. This means that if a foreigner holds a 3-year temporary residence permit in Serbia, he or she does not have to extend it. Instead, he/ she can exchange it for a permanent residence permit, as two months is enough to process the application.
The procedures of acquiring permanent residence permits have also been simplified for the following categories of foreigners in Serbia:
- Underage children of permanent residence permit holders;
- Underage children with one of the parents being a Serbian citizen or a permanent residence permit holder;
- Foreigner of Serbian descent;
- Other foreigners of interest to the Republic;
- Refugees who have spent 3 years or more in Serbia.
Plastic card to serve as a permanent residence permit
Instead of a sticker into the passport, a permanent residence permit is now a plastic card that serves as an identification document.
This document can be produced anywhere – at the bank, a post office, or a government agency. Besides, the card holder does not have to supply any proof of residence address in Serbia: the card has an electronic chip that contains this information. Overall, the authorities of Serbia have made life easier for foreigners residing in the country.
