Temporary Residence Permit Services

• a valid personal or official passport
• proof of means of subsistence during the planned temporary residence
• registration of either short-term or residential address in Serbia
• proof of health insurance during the planned residence
• proof of prescribed administrative fee payment
• two photos (35x45mm, color, full face)
• filled out application form
• Proof of administrative fee payment

Next to the foregoing mandatory documentation, an applicant must submit to the authorities separate documentation. Depending on the specific ground for permit application.

For temporary residence based on employment, an applicant must always submit:

• extract on registration of either a legal entity or entrepreneur in Serbia;
• employment contract, fixed-term temporary contract or other contract proving the employment of a foreign national in Serbia in accordance with labor regulations;
• report by the employment agency on the fulfillment of employment conditions if the employment is established for the first time, i.e., a work permit if a temporary residence is extended.

In addition to this, an applicant must submit a separate set of documents, which depends specifically on the type of employment behind each application (for instance, a business and technical cooperation agreement with a foreign legal entity for a foreign national referred to work in Serbia, a foreign national who works at a company registered abroad for the purpose of his/her temporary posting to a legal entity registered in Serbia, professional engagement in a sports club, volunteering, accredited foreign journalists, experts engaged in the project implementation in cooperation with other government agencies, etc.). 

The same applies for other purposes, such as education, family reunification, medical, religion, real estate or others, where documentation will differ for each specific case.

On the other hand, if you fall within a specific category, such as a start-up, investor, talent, or you have Serbian origins, then even though you are a foreign national, you will generally be eligible to be granted temporary residence.

Yet, you must fulfill certain specific requirements which again differ depending on the type of applicant.

If you, as a foreign national founded a company in Serbia and whose innovative activity has been recognized by a registered Science and Technology Park, in which the state has its stake, you may apply for the so called “start up” residence permit.

Along with your application, you need to submit:

• an official document confirming the innovative activity of an applicant’s company in Serbia.

In such context, the first temporary residence shall be approved for a period of one year, therefore one of the following documents specified below shall be enclosed when submitting a request for an extension of a temporary residence:

• proof of an established employment relationship with one or more citizens of Serbia over the course of validity period of a previously approved temporary residence that exceeds the period of time for which the extension of temporary residence has been requested, or
• proof that the company, which has been established for innovative activity purposes, has attained minimum business income in the amount of RSD 1,000,000.00 (cca €8,500) during the validity period of previously valid temporary residence, or
• a document issued by a Science and Technology Park by which a company’s active engagement in innovative activities is confirmed.

If you intend to invest in an already registered company in Serbia, then you are eligible to apply for temporary residence, providing that along with the application you submit:

• either a certificate of or a statement on the possession of funds on a bank account at a bank registered in Serbia in the amount of at least € 50,000.

The first temporary residence shall be approved for a period of six months, and one of the following documents below shall be enclosed when submitting a request for an extension of a temporary residence: 

• proof of paid cash capital contribution in the amount of at least € 5,000.

If you are a foreign national holding a decision on professional recognition of a tertiary education certificate issued by the competent authority of Serbia, then you are also eligible to apply for temporary residence permit in Serbia.

In such context, you must submit

• decision on professional recognition of a tertiary education certificate issued by the competent authority of Serbia.

The first temporary residence shall be approved for a period of one year, and one of the following documents specified below shall be enclosed when submitting a request for an extension of a temporary residence:

• employment contract, temporary service contract or other contract by which the employment of a foreign national in Serbia is evidenced in compliance with labor regulations
• certificate of a legal entity’s registration in Serbia issued over the course of validity period of previously valid temporary residence, of which a foreign national is one of the founders.

For the purpose of obtaining a temporary residence permit, Serbian origin is considered either a blood or adoptive kinship with an ancestor in a direct line who is either a citizen of Serbia or a citizen of predecessor countries of the Republic of Serbia (a country of which Serbia is a legal successor), or who either declares or has declared as a Serb.

For a successful application in this case, you must prepare and submit:

• either a domestic public document or a foreign public document that has a probative value of a domestic public document in compliance with the law, and by which it can be determined the applicant's Serbian origin
• christening record by the Serbian Orthodox Church issued by either a diocese or parish of the church by which the applicant’s Serbian origin, i.e. his/her ancestor’s Serbian origin can be determined.

The first temporary residence shall be approved for a period of one year, and one of the following documents below shall be enclosed when submitting a request for an extension of a temporary residence:

• employment contract, temporary service contract or other contract by which the employment of a foreign national in Serbia is evidenced in compliance with labor regulations
• certificate of a legal entity’s registration in Serbia issued over the course of validity period of previously valid temporary residence, of which a foreign national is one of its founders
• certificate of real estate acquisition in Serbia
• certificate of foreign income
• certificate on the use of right to a foreign pension.

When we say proof that a foreign national has secured means of subsistence, you should know that Serbian authorities shall interpret this in practice as follows:

• salary certificate (salary slip, etc.);

• employment contract, fixed-term temporary employment contract or other contract proving the employment of a foreign national in Serbia in accordance with labor regulations;

• proof of pension insurance payments;
• proof of entry on the Register of Agricultural Holdings;

• certificate of or extract on bank account funds of a bank registered in Serbia in the amount of the minimum salary in Serbia;

• a guarantee by either an employer or a natural person who is a member of a foreign national’s household, who has submitted an application for permanent residence approval and who shall incur the costs of supporting a foreign national;

On the other hand, proof that a foreign national has health insurance shall be considered as follows:

• European health insurance card, i.e. another document proving that a foreign national is insured in their country of origin, in accordance with the regulations of Serbia on health insurance;

• a foreign national’s health insurance policy agreed with the health insurance company in Serbia;

• proof of funds that can cover the costs of emergency medical care, or treatment of chronic diseases;

• a guarantee from either an employer or a natural person that he/she shall cover the costs of emergency medical care, i.e. treatment of chronic diseases;

• valid health insurance card of Serbia.

Proofs that are not issued by the competent authorities of Serbia must be translated by an authorized court translator.

Statements made by a foreign national, which serve as proof of fulfillment of the appropriate legal conditions for granting temporary residence or permanent residence, must be certified by a notary public.