A foreign citizen who, on the basis of an international agreement, does not need a visa to enter and stay in the Republic of Serbia, i.e. they do not need a visa D to submit a request for the approval of a temporary residence, if they intend to stay in the Republic of Serbia longer than the period stipulated by the international agreement for a short-term stay, submits a request for a temporary residence permit based on one of the legally prescribed basis.

If the foreign citizen is in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, they submit the request during their legal stay electronically or, if permitted by law, in person to the competent authority, according to the place of residence registration.

A foreign citizen can also submit a request for the approval of temporary residence electronically from abroad.

What is temporary residence?

Temporary residence is a permit issued to a foreign citizen for temporary residence, i.e. temporary residence and work (single permit) in the Republic of Serbia, issued by the competent authority, and after the procedure initiated by the request of a foreign citizen for the approval of temporary residence has been completed.

The request for the approval of temporary residence is universal and is used to initiate the procedure, whereby by selecting the appropriate basis for the approval of temporary residence, i.e. the closer reason for which the request is submitted, it is automatically determined whether the foreign citizen will be issued a permit for temporary residence and work (single permit) or temporary residence permit.

Depending on the basis and closer reason for the approval of temporary residence, the request is submitted by filling out the online request form on the single Portal for foreign citizens or, if permitted by law, the request for the approval of temporary residence can be submitted in person to the competent authority.

The request for the approval of temporary residence, which refers to the issuance of a permit for temporary residence and work (single permit), can be submitted exclusively electronically on this Portal, by selecting the appropriate service. A foreign citizen has the right to stay and work in the Republic of Serbia during the validity period of the issued single permit.

The request for the approval of temporary residence, which refers to the issuance of a temporary residence permit, can be submitted electronically on this Portal or in person to the competent authority. The request for the approval of temporary residence for a minor foreign citizen is submitted by their legal representatives, exclusively in person to the competent authority.

During the validity period of the issued temporary residence permit, depending on the basis on which they obtain the right to temporary residence, in accordance with the law, a foreign citizen has the right to free access to the labour market, i.e. they have the right to work in the Republic of Serbia, without being issued a single permit.

On the temporary residence permit card issued to a foreign citizen, a note records whether the foreign citizen has the right to work or does not have the right to work in the Republic of Serbia, in accordance with the law and the basis for obtaining the approved temporary residence.

According to each individually submitted request, a temporary residence or a single permit can be issued for a period of up to three years, depending on the reason for the stay of foreign citizen.

Basis for issuing a temporary residence and work permit, i.e. a temporary residence permit

The request for the approval of temporary residence is submitted on one of the bases prescribed by law, i.e. by selecting the appropriate basis of residence and a more detailed (closer) basis of residence, in accordance with the reason for the stay of a foreign citizen in the Republic of Serbia and the documentation with which the foreign citizen justifies the purpose of submitting the request.

In accordance with the law and by-laws, a request for the approval of a temporary residence can be submitted on the prescribed bases, i.e. closer reasons, in the following manner.

The request for the approval of temporary residence based on employment, which is submitted exclusively electronically, and when a foreign citizen is issued a permit for temporary residence and work (single permit) after the procedure has been carried out, is submitted for the following closer reasons:

1. Employment:

• Employment on the basis of an employment contract or other contract by which rights in accordance with the Labour Law are exercised;
• Referred person;
• Movement within the company;
• Independent professional;
• Training and development;
• Self-employment.

The request for the approval of temporary residence, which can be submitted electronically or in person to the competent authority, and when a foreign citizen is issued a permit for temporary residence after the procedure has been carried out, with a note on the right to work in the RS in accordance with the basis of the approved temporary residence, is submitted on the following basis and closer reasons:

2. Employment:

• Accredited foreign journalists;
• Realization of the project with state authorities of the RS;
• Volunteering;
• Production of audio-visual work.

3. Education:

• Studying;
• Schooling;
• Learning the Serbian language;
• International student exchange;
• International pupil exchange;
• Scientific research;
• Other scientific and educational activities (training for new occupations or professions, scientific training, etc.).

4. Investor;
5. Serbian origin;
6. Digital nomad;
7. Start-up;
8. Talent;
9. Highly qualified foreign citizen;
10. Real estate owner;
11. Family reunification:

• Marriage / extramarital union with the RS citizen;
• Marriage / extramarital union with a foreign citizen with an approved residence permit;
• Marriage / extramarital union with a foreign citizen with approved permanent residence;
• Kinship with the RS citizen;
• Kinship with a foreign citizen with approved temporary residence;
• Kinship with a foreign citizen with approved permanent residence.

12. Independent stay;
13. Religious service;
14. Medical treatment/care;

Each prescribed basis on which a temporary residence in the Republic of Serbia can be approved is presented below as one card. If you follow the link provided, you can learn more about each individual closer reason (sub-basis) for which a request for the approval of a temporary residence can be submitted, as well as about the necessary documentation that is to be provided in the attachment to the request, including other useful information.

If the law allows that the request can be submitted in person, the request is submitted in person to the competent authority, i.e. to the organizational unit of the Ministry of the Interior that performs tasks related to the residence and movement of foreign citizens, according to the place of the foreign citizen’s registered address of residence or stay.

You can schedule an appointment for submitting a request by sending an e-mail to the e-mail address of the competent authority that acts upon the submitted requests, and the address book of regional police departments responsible for the affairs of foreign citizens with contact information can be found at the following link: here.

A foreign citizen who has been granted temporary residence on one of the basis prescribed by law, and who still intends to reside in the Republic of Serbia on the basis of the approved temporary residence, should submit a request for the extension of temporary residence no sooner than three months prior to the expiration of the validity period of the temporary residence, and no later than the expiration of the validity period of the temporary residence.

If a foreign citizen submits a request for the approval/extension of temporary residence in a timely manner, within the time period prescribed by law, they can stay in the Republic of Serbia until the administrative procedure is completed.

The request for the approval/extension of temporary residence consists of the prescribed form with which the prescribed documentation is submitted, i.e. the prescribed documentation is attached, depending on the basis and closer reason for which the request for the approval of temporary residence is submitted.

The personal document (personal/official passport, identity card) that you attach to the request for temporary residence approval must be valid for at least three months longer than the period for which the temporary residence permit is requested.

If you have multiple citizenships (citizenship of two or more countries), you are considered to be a citizen of the country that issued you the travel document with which you entered the Republic of Serbia. During your stay and when leaving the Republic of Serbia, you are obliged to use the travel document of the country with which you entered the Republic of Serbia.

Issuance of a temporary residence permit, i.e. a temporary residence and work permit

Temporary residence is granted for a period of time that is calculated starting from the date of submission of the request and for a maximum period of up to three years.

The extension of temporary residence is approved with a validity period calculated from the first day following the expiration date of the previously approved temporary residence.

If the conditions for issuing a temporary residence permit are met, the foreign citizen is obliged to personally visit the address of the competent authority - the police department/sector/office for foreign citizens at the time of scheduled appointment for the purpose of collecting biometric data.

The foreign citizen is issued a certificate of the initiated procedure for issuing a temporary residence permit, i.e. a permit for temporary residence and work (single permit) on which the foreign citizen’s registration number is indicated, which is necessary for the foreign citizen or their employer to exercise the rights and obligations in the RS.

Rejection of the request for temporary residence

A request for a temporary residence, i.e. a request for an extension of a temporary residence, is rejected when:

• the validity period of the personal or official passport is shorter than three months from the period for which temporary residence is granted;
• one or more general conditions prescribed by the Law on Foreign Citizens are not met;
• the foreign citizen is subject to a protective measure of removal, a security measure of expulsion or has been banned from entering;
• this is required by the reasons for protecting the security of the Republic of Serbia and its citizens;
• there is a justified suspicion that the foreign citizen will not use the temporary residence for the intended purpose;
• the foreign citizen submits a falsified travel document;
• it is determined that the evidence attached to the request for temporary residence was falsified or obtained illegally;
• there are reasons to believe that the foreign citizen will not act in accordance with the legal order of the Republic of Serbia;
• the organization responsible for employment submits to the competent authority a reasoned assessment that the conditions for employment, special cases of employment and self-employment of a foreign citizen in the Republic of Serbia are not met;
• there is a justified suspicion that the foreign citizen will not use the single permit in accordance with the basis on which they submitted the request;
• the competent authority, in the procedure for the extension of the single permit, determines that the foreign citizen did not use the previously issued single permit in accordance with the basis for which it was issued.

In the event of loss of temporary residence permit and single permit

If your temporary residence permit, i.e. single permit, disappears, you are obliged to notify the competent authority without delay, which declares the temporary residence permit, i.e. single permit invalid, and the same is announced on the official website of the Ministry of the Interior, after which you contact the competent authority for the issuance of a new permit for temporary residence, i.e. a single permit.

Last updated: 02.11.2024.