Serbia Business Guide

Do You Need a Visa for Serbia?

• The first step in any immigration process is to check Serbia’s visa regime for the foreign national’s country of citizenship. This depends on the applicable international arrangements between Serbia and that country, as well as the practical visa regime in force for entry and stay. Because of that, the answer is never exactly the same for everyone and should always be assessed based on the person’s citizenship, travel document, intended length of stay, and reason for coming to Serbia.

• If a foreign national is allowed to enter Serbia without a visa and stay for up to 90 days within the permitted period, they may generally proceed directly with an application for temporary residence or, where the purpose is work, for a Unified Permit. Serbia’s official foreigner portal confirms that temporary residence applications can be submitted electronically, and that applications for a Unified Permit are submitted exclusively electronically.

• If the person comes from a country subject to a visa regime and plans to stay in Serbia for a longer period, Visa D is usually the first step. Visa D is a long-stay visa that allows stay in Serbia for a minimum of 90 days and a maximum of 180 days, with multiple entries. It is commonly used by foreign nationals who intend to regulate their longer stay in Serbia on the basis of work, family reunification, studies, or another legally recognized ground.

• It is also important to note that a foreign national staying in Serbia on the basis of Visa D may apply for temporary residence only on the same ground on which the Visa D was issued. This is particularly relevant in employment-related cases, because the correct immigration basis should be determined from the outset in order to avoid delays or inconsistencies later in the process.

• For work-related cases, the next step after entry may be a Unified Permit, which combines temporary residence and work authorization in a single procedure. According to Serbia’s official guidance, the Unified Permit may be issued for employment based on an employment contract or another labor-law-based contract, posted worker status, movement within the same company, independent professional work, training or professional development, and self-employment.

• The type of passport matters as well. In the case of nationals of the People’s Republic of China, different rules may apply depending on whether the person holds a national passport or a service or business passport, including the so-called blue business passport, depending on the applicable bilateral regime. Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that holders of ordinary Chinese passports do not need a visa for stays of up to 30 days, while different visa-free rules also exist for certain official and business passport categories.
• For that reason, before making travel or relocation plans, it is important to verify not only the foreign national’s citizenship, but also the exact travel document they will use, the expected duration of stay, and the legal basis of stay in Serbia. Only after that assessment can it be determined whether the person may enter visa-free, whether Visa D is required, and whether they can move directly to a temporary residence or Unified Permit application.

• Our team assists foreign nationals and companies with visa regime assessment, Visa D applications, temporary residence applications, and Unified Permit procedures in Serbia.