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Visitors to Serbia must obtain a visa from one of the Serbian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.
Contents
- Visa free access
- Substitute visas
- Reciprocity
- Diplomatic and official passports
- General entry requirements for Serbia
- Requirements for tourist business Visa
- Requirements for temporary residence visa work visa
- Requirements for permanent residence
- Obligatory registration
- Kosovo
- Visitor statistics
- References
The Government of Serbia, based on bilateral agreements or unilateral decisions, allows citizens of certain countries and territories to visit Serbia for tourism or business purposes without having to obtain a visa. Citizens of other countries have to obtain a visa from the Embassy or Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in the country of their principal residence.
Visa policy of Serbia is similar to the Visa policy of the Schengen Area. Serbia grants visa-free entry for 90 days in a 180-day period to all Schengen Annex II nationalities, except for Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Brunei, Colombia, Dominica, El Salvador, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Kiribati, Mauritius, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Samoa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Taiwan, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Venezuela. It additionally grants a visa-free entry to other countries for 90 days in a 180-day period - Bahrain, Bolivia, Cuba, Kuwait, Mongolia, Oman, Qatar, Tunisia and Turkey; 30 days – China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia; 30 days in a 60-day period - Ukraine, and 14 days - Hong Kong.
In June 2014, a plan was announced to sign further bilateral agreements on visa liberalization with important trading partners. In May 2015 the list of countries for visa liberalisation was announced — Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Venezuela, Panama, Jamaica, Colombia, Paraguay and Guatemala. Second phase should include Armenia, Azerbaijan and Malaysia. In December 2016 it was announced that Serbia plans to remove visa requirements for ordinary passport holders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Visa-free access
Citizens and holders of ordinary passports of the following 74 countries and territories can enter and stay in Serbia without a visa for up to 90 days over six months (unless otherwise noted):
- ^ Including all classes of British nationality.
- ^ May enter using a national ID card instead of a passport.
- ^ 30 days within any 60 day period.
- ^ 30 days, for a maximum total stay of 90 days within any 180 day period.
- ^ 14 days.
- ^ 90 days for holders of passports endorsed for public affairs.
Substitute visas
As of November 2014 valid visa holders and residents of the European Union and Schengen Area member states and the United States can enter Serbia without a visa for a maximum stay of 90 days within 180 days, provided the visa remains valid for the entire length of stay.
Reciprocity
Serbian citizens can enter without a visa any of the countries whose citizens are granted visa-free access to Serbia except Australia, Bahrain, Bolivia (grants visa on arrival), Canada, Ireland, Kuwait, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.
Diplomatic and official passports
Additionally, only holders of diplomatic and official passports of the following countries do not require visas for Serbia for visits up to 90 days (unless otherwise noted):
Serbia signed a visa-free agreements for holders of diplomatic and official passports with Guatemala in November 2016 and Iraq in January 2017 which are yet to be ratified.
General entry requirements for Serbia
The following are general entry requirements for Serbia:
Requirements for tourist / business Visa
Tourist visa entitles its holder only for tourism trip and visit of relatives and/or friends. Tourist visa holders are prohibited to engage in business or work activities in Serbia.
General visa requirements:
Valid passport (passport must be valid at least 90 days from issue date of visa) Letter of invitation:
Visa applications should be submitted to the Embassy or Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia abroad.
For the issuance of a transit visa, you should have an entry visa for the country you are entering after the Republic of Serbia. In case a visa is not required for that country, you will be asked to present other documents explaining the purpose of your visit there.
Diplomatic-consular mission of the Republic of Serbia reserves the right to request additional documentation. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
For more information regarding the issuance of visa, please contact the nearest diplomatic-consular mission of the Republic of Serbia.
Requirements for temporary residence visa / work visa
Anyone wishing to live and work in Serbia will be required to apply for a temporary residence visa. To obtain a temporary visa for employment purposes, you will need to secure a job offer from a Serbian company or government department, or a foreign company based in Serbia. The criteria for approval of an employment visa include suitable educational qualifications or work experience, a secured employment contract in Serbia, proof of adequate means of subsistence in Serbia, police confirmation that you have no criminal record, and a satisfactory medical examination. All official documents must be translated into Serbian.
Requirements for permanent residence
Permanent residence in Serbia can be acquired on bases of various terms and conditions.
Obligatory registration
If foreign travelers stay at a hotel during their visit to Serbia, they are not required to register with the police, since the hotel they are staying at will complete the registration on their behalf. When visiting friends or family and staying with them, all foreign visitors are required to register with the Aliens Department of the local MUP in the place of the intended stay, within twenty-four hours of entering the country. At the Department, they will fill in a form (a sort of a landing card) made of two parts (both parts should be filled in). The form is processed by the officer in charge and a stamped segment is returned to the applicant. Visitors should always have this certificate on them during the entire stay in the country together with their passport or (for certain nationals) ID card. Foreigners who, at the time of registering with the police, know the date of their departure from Serbia, should mention it to the officer processing their registration in order to avoid additional visit to the same police department for de-registration. The registration is free of charge. At passport control at the port of exit, the certificate is collected by the immigration officer. Failing to complete the registration may result in fines.
Kosovo
Inhabitants of Kosovo, who can prove their Serbian citizenship, can apply for a Serbian passport, which is issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate. Holders of these passports require a visa for the EU.
Until 2008, UNMIK issued travel documents These documents were recognized by several countries, but is in general refused at borders. It was possible to hold both the Serbian as well as the UNMIK travel document. Serbia did not recognize the validity of the UN issued document.
Since 2008, the government of Kosovo has issued its own passports, superseding the UNMIK travel document.
Visitor statistics
Most visitors arriving to Serbia for tourist purpose (counting only guests in tourist accommodation establishments) were from the following countries of nationality: