Visa requirements for Serbian citizens

History

Before Serbia began issuing new biometric passports in 2008, its citizens travelled using old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passports that at that time provided visa-free access (or visa on arrival) to only 18 countries.

Some of the oldest bilateral agreements on visa-free travel still in force are with Argentina (1989), Belarus (1999), Cuba (1966), Republic of Macedonia (1998), Seychelles (1984), Tunisia (1966) and Zambia (1985).

Recent

Serbia and Russia signed visa-free travel agreement in February 2009. Serbia signed a visa-free agreement with Israel in September 2009. The European Union Schengen area countries lifted visas for Serbian citizens in December 2009. Serbia and Turkey mutually abolished visa regime in July 2010. Serbia signed an agreement on the abolishment of visas with Kazakhstan in August 2010. Serbia and Ukraine mutually abolished visas in May 2011. Japan abolished visas for Serbian citizens in May 2011. Serbia and Albania mutually abolished visas in July 2011. In August 2013 agreement on visa-free travel with Brazil came into force. In July 2014 agreement on visa-free travel with Mongolia came into force. In August 2015 agreement on visa-free travel with Moldova came into force. In April 2016 Indonesia abolished visas for Serbian citizens for a maximum stay of 30 days. In January 2017, agreement on mutual visa free travel between China and Serbia entered into force.

Future

Possible inclusion of Serbia in the Visa Waiver Program of the United States was proposed by Serbia in 2009. Serbian adjusted visa refusal rate (16%) remains above the threshold (3%).

The British Embassy in Serbia announced that visas could be abolished for Serbian citizens in 2011. However, in 2013, the Home Office announced it had no intention of abolishing visas for Serbian citizens.

Serbian and Australian officials held talks on facilitation measures for the issuance of Australian visas for Serbian citizens in 2012.

In June 2014 New Zealand announced an introduction of a facilitated visa regime for Serbian citizens.

In October 2014, Serbia and Armenia agreed to sign an agreement to mutually abolish visas.

Serbia plans to sign visa abolishment agreements with Azerbaijan, Colombia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Venezuela.

Territories

Visa requirements for Serbian citizens for visits to various territories, disputed areas, partially recognized countries and restricted zones:

Kosovo

The Constitution of Serbia recognises Kosovo as Serbian sovereign territory. Nevertheless, in reality, the Serbian authorities do not exercise effective control over the territory. In an agreement, facilitating visa free travel to the Schengen area, Serbia agreed with the EU to form the Serbian Coordination Directorate, responsible for issuing Serbian passports to the Kosovo resident Serbian citizens. These passports are treated differently from the regular Serbian passports and their holders are required to obtain entry visas for most territories and countries for which holders of the regular Serbian passport do not require a visa. All Serbian citizens resident in Kosovo, regardless of their ethnicity, are entitled to these special passports.

The UN administration in Kosovo UNMIK used to issue its own travel documents with the last ones being issued in July 2008. This document was recognised by several countries, but was in general refused at borders. The UNMIK travel documents were valid for two years, consequently there are no longer any valid UNMIK travel documents in circulation. Serbia didn't recognise the validity of the UN issued document nor does it recognise the Kosovan passport, which is officially recognised by 111 UN member states and is de facto accepted by other states.

Serbian Government and the Kosovan Authorities are actively negotiating various issues of mutual importance among which is what travel documents can be used for crossing the Serbia-Kosovo Administrative Line

Serbian ID as optional passport replacement

Serbian identity card can be used instead of a passport for travel to some neighboring countries of Serbia that have signed special agreements with the Serbian Government:

Israeli stamps

Visitors with passport stamp of Israel are not allowed to enter a number of countries because of the Arab League boycott of Israel.

Vaccination

Many African countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia require all incoming passengers to have a current International Certificate of Vaccination. Some other countries require vaccination only if the passenger is coming from an infected area.

Passport validity

Many countries require passport validity of no less than 6 months and one or two blank pages.

Countries requiring passport validity of at least 6 months on arrival include Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Cambodia, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq (except when arriving at Basra - 3 months and Erbil or Sulaimaniyah - on arrival), Israel, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, countries requiring passport validity of at least 4 months on arrival include Micronesia, Zambia, countries requiring passport validity of at least 3 months on arrival include Georgia, Honduras, Iceland, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Moldova, Nauru, Panama, United Arab Emirates and countries requiring passport validity of at least 1 month on arrival include Eritrea, Hong Kong, Macao, New Zealand, South Africa. Other countries require either a passport valid on arrival or passport valid throughout the period of intended stay.

Fingerprinting

Several countries including Argentina, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the United States demand all passengers to be fingerprinted on arrival.

Iris scan

Qatar demands all passengers to undergo Iris scan on arrival.