Moving to Serbia

The application is submitted exclusively electronically on the Foreign Nationals' Portal, welcometoserbia.gov.rs, either by the foreign national from their own registered account or by the employer on their behalf. The employment grounds include an employment contract or another contract exercising workplace rights, self-employment, assigned or delegated persons, intra-corporate transfer, an independent professional, and professional training and development. For an employment contract, the employer starts a labour market test and its procedure number is entered in the application. A renewal is filed no earlier than three months before, and no later than, the permit's expiry, and the passport must stay valid at least three months beyond the period requested.

Ownership is proved by an excerpt from the real estate folio in the land register; exceptionally, another document proving ownership is accepted, such as a certified purchase agreement, deed of gift, probate decision, property tax decision or court verdict. The Ministry's page states no minimum value. Also required: the application form, a valid passport or identity card, two photos, the administrative fee, proof of subsistence and proof of health insurance. The application goes to the police directorate for the applicant's address or through welcometoserbia.gov.rs. Whether a temporary residence permit allows work is stated on the permit itself.

A certificate or statement showing at least EUR 50,000 (or the equivalent in dinars or another currency) held on an account at a bank registered in Serbia, with the application form, a valid passport or identity card, two photos, the administrative fee and the landlord's statement for the registered address. The first permit is granted for six months; to extend it, the investor proves a paid cash capital contribution of at least EUR 5,000 into the share capital of the already registered company. The Ministry lists this as one of four categories granted irrespective of the ordinary grounds, with startup founders, talent and applicants of Serbian origin.

A document from a registered Science and Technology Park - one of whose founders is the Republic of Serbia, an autonomous province, the City of Belgrade or a local self-government unit - confirming that the company's activity is recognised as innovative, with the application form, a valid passport or identity card, two photos, the administrative fee and the landlord's statement for the registered address. The first permit is granted for one year. To extend it, one of: an employment relationship with one or more Serbian citizens during the previous permit, business income of at least RSD 1,000,000 over that period, or a document from the Science and Technology Park confirming the company's active engagement in innovative activities. Self-employment is a separate ground, under the single permit to reside and work.

The Ministry defines Serbian origin as blood or adoptive kinship with an ancestor in the direct line who is a citizen of the Republic of Serbia or of a predecessor state whose legal successor Serbia is, or who declares or has declared as a Serb. It is proved by a domestic public document, or a foreign one with the probative value of a domestic public document, or by a Serbian Orthodox Church baptism record issued by a diocese or parish. With it: the application form, a valid passport or identity card, two photos, the administrative fee and the landlord's statement for the registered address. The first permit is granted for one year; to extend it, one of: an employment contract, registration of a company the applicant co-founded, acquisition of real estate in Serbia, a certificate of income, or a right to a foreign pension.