The Rights of Foreigners to Residence and Employment in the
Republic of Serbia
This text aims to clarify the procedure for obtaining a unified residence and work permit in the Republic of Serbia through practical examples and addressing ambiguities that arise in practice.
With the entry into force on February 1, 2024, of amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on the Employment of Foreigners, the procedure for obtaining a temporary residence permit and a work permit has undergone certain changes.
First and foremost, the application submission process has been modified so thatapplications must now be submitted exclusively electronically via the E UPRAVA (eGovernment) portal.
All individuals intending to stay in Serbia for more than 90 days within a 180-day period, or who have entered the country based on a visa and wish to extend their stay, must submit the appropriate residence permit application to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia (MUP RS), the Directorate for Foreigners.
There are certain countries whose citizens can enter the country without a visa and stay for a limited period of time, such as, up to 30 days: Chinese citizen, Russian citizen, citizens of Belarus, Singapore, Kazakhstan, among others, or up to 90 days, such as a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, whereas we have a category of countries whose citizens may enter only with a visa (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Philippines, Cuba, Egypt, etc.). It is important to distinguish between Visa A, Visa C and Visa D in this context.
Further details on entry conditions, movement regulations and visa duration for each country can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia.
What are the reasons for the arrival of foreigners in our country. Foreign citizens who come to Serbia and start the procedure before the Directorate for Foreigners can generally be categorized as follows:
1. Entrepreneurs and business owners monitoring economic trends at an international level, exploring the investment potential of a country and its economy, with the intention of penetrating foreign markets by establishing or expanding their business operations outside their headquarters,
2. Experts and professionals for specific fields, with specialized knowledge and skills in sectors such as IT, engineering, energy, healthcare, finance, consulting, who are looking for new career opportunities in those industries
3. International students enrolled in Serbian universities, who may also apply for a work permit on that basis, in order to gain employment and work experience,
4. Seasonal workers, a category of foreign citizens seeking employment in seasonal industries such as tourism, hospitality, construction and agriculture,
5. Scientific workers and inventors collaborating with Serbian academic and scientific institutions
UNIFIED PERMIT for Temporary Residence and Employment of Foreigners
What is the basis for applying for a unified permit for the temporary residence and employment of a foreigner?
There are two legal grounds on which foreigners can initiate the process of obtaining a unified permit: a) employment b) professional specialization, training and internship.
Employment also includes self-employment, which means that foreigners can obtain a
unified permit based on self-employment if they establish their own company, sole
proprietorship, association or any other form of organization that completes the
registration process with the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR).
It is crucial for every individual who is interested in obtaining a work permit in Serbia to familiarize themselves with the specific requirements and procedures set by state institutions.
In addition to the two aforementioned grounds for foreigners’ residence in Serbia, the law also recognizes other grounds on which a foreigner can obtain a temporary residence permit:
– based on education
– studies, medical treatment
– family reunification
– possession of immovable property on the territory of Serbia and other cases stipulated by the Law.
