Visa policy of Serbia

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Entry stamp
Exit stamp
Entry and exit stamps on a blank sheet issued on request to a Swedish identity card holder.

Visitors to Serbia must obtain a visa from one of the Serbian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.

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.[1] Citizens of other countries have to obtain a visa from the Embassy or Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia[2] 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 to all Schengen Annex II nationalities, except for Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Brunei, Colombia, Dominica, El Salvador, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Kiribati, Malaysia, Mauritius, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, 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 also grants visa-free entry to several additional countries – Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Mongolia, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Suriname, Tunisia and Turkey.[3]

In June 2014, a plan was announced to sign further bilateral agreements on visa liberalization with important trading partners.[4] In May 2015 the list of countries for visa liberalisation was announced — Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Venezuela, Panama, Jamaica, Colombia, Paraguay and Guatemala.[5] Second phase should include Armenia, Azerbaijan and Malaysia.[6] In December 2016 it was announced that Serbia plans to remove visa requirements for ordinary passport holders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.[7] In August, October and December 2017, the Serbian Government unilaterally removed the visa requirements for the passport holders of Iran, India, Indonesia and Guinea-Bissau.[8][9][10][11]. Serbian Government unilaterally abolished visa requirements for the citizens of Suriname on 28 December 2017.[12]

Visa policy map

Visa policy of Serbia

Visa-free access

Citizens and holders of ordinary passports of the following 78 countries and territories can enter and stay in Serbia without a visa for up to 90 days over six months (unless otherwise noted). If they wish to stay longer, they must apply for a residence permit through the Ministry of Interior:[1][13][14]

Notes
  1. ^ Including all classes of British nationality.
  2. ^ May enter on a national ID card for a stay of up to 90 days within 180 days.
  3. ^ 30 days within any 60 day period.
  4. ^ 30 days, for a maximum total stay of 90 days within any 180 day period.
  5. ^ 14 days.
  6. ^ 90 days for holders of passports endorsed for public affairs.
  7. ^ 30 days within one year.

Visa waiver agreement for ordinary passports was signed with Kyrgyzstan on 5 December 2017 and is yet to be ratified.[66]

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.[67]

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, Guinea-Bissau (grants electronic visa and visa on arrival), India (grants electronic visa), Ireland, Kuwait (grants visa on arrival), Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman (grants visa on arrival), Qatar, Suriname, 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):[68]

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.[69][70]

General entry requirements for Serbia

External image
image icon Map of border crossings of Serbia

The following are general entry requirements for Serbia:[71]

  • Valid passport/travel document;
  • Valid visa in the passport, if a Serbian visa is required for passport holders of the respective country;
  • Proof of sufficient funds for staying in Serbia. Sufficient funds are considered to be 50 Euros per day of stay, proved by possession of the appropriate amount of cash, bank statement, traveler's cheques, credit cards or a letter of guarantee;
  • Certificate of vaccination or a note that he/she has not contracted a contagious disease despite coming from an area affected by a pandemic, as defined by the information of the Ministry of Health.
  • If underage children are traveling with one of their parents, it is necessary to submit a relevant certified authorization by the other parent; or if the child is traveling with a third person such authorization is required from both parents or guardian;
  • It is recommended to have a health insurance for the period of stay in Serbia, covering possible medical costs to the amount of not less than 20,000 Euros.

Visa requirements

Serbian visa specimen

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.[72]

General visa requirements:

Valid passport (passport must be valid at least 90 days from issue date of visa) Letter of invitation:

  • for a private visit – invitation letter[73] certified by the relevant authority of the Republic of Serbia
  • for a business visit – invitation letter[74] by a company in Serbia;
  • for a tourist trip – a proof of payment for the trip issued by a travel agency (voucher or other type of payment receipt);
  • Completed visa application form: (PDF);[75]
  • Photo (size 3.5x4.5 cm);
  • Return ticket or Itinerary (copy of Driving License and Insurance if you travel by car);
  • Proof of sufficient funds for staying in Serbia;
  • Health insurance
  • Visa fee.

Visa applications should be submitted to the Embassy or Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia abroad.[2]

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 permit (for nationals requiring a visa, a temporary residence visa has to be obtained before entry).[76] 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.[77]

Obligatory registration

Registration and cancellation of residence or registration of place change form

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[78] of the local MUP in the place of the intended stay, within twenty-four hours of entering the country.[79] 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,[80] which is issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate. Holders of these passports require a visa for the EU.

Until 2008, UNMIK issued travel documents[81] These documents were recognized by several countries, but is in general refused at borders.[82] 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.[83]

Since 2008, the government of Kosovo has issued its own passports, superseding the UNMIK travel document.[84]

Visitor statistics

Most visitors arriving to Serbia for tourism (counting only guests in tourist accommodation establishments) were from the following countries of nationality:[85][86]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Visa and passport". Timatic. International Air Transport Association through Emirates. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  2. ^ a b [1]
  3. ^ "Visa regime that the Republic of Serbia applies to foreign citizens". Mfa.gov.rs. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  4. ^ "Ministers Dacic and Ljajic on visa liberalization as an incentive for investment". Mfa.gov.rs. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  5. ^ Serbia: Visa liberalisation process to start for ten countries
  6. ^ http://www.telegraf.rs/english/1595110-visa-liberalization-continues
  7. ^ [2]
  8. ^ [3]
  9. ^ [4]
  10. ^ http://mfa.rs/en/consular-news-from-front-page/115-consular-news/17006-decision-on-visa-exemption-for-the-nationals-of-the-republic-of-indonesia-holders-of-ordinary-passports
  11. ^ http://mfa.gov.rs/en/consular-news-from-front-page/115-consular-news/17271-decision-of-the-government-of-the-republic-of-serbia-on-visa-exemption-for-tne-nationals-of-the-republic-of-the-guinea-bissau-holders-of-all-passports
  12. ^ http://rs.n1info.com/a352764/Vesti/Vesti/Vlada-ukinula-vize-gradjanima-Surinama-ocekuje-i-investicije.html
  13. ^ "Visa". Mfa.gov.rs. Retrieved 2015-02-21.
  14. ^ Serbia abolishes visas for Indian nationals holding ordinary passport
  15. ^ [5]
  16. ^ [6]
  17. ^ [7]
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  19. ^ [9]
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  22. ^ [12]
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  24. ^ [14]
  25. ^ [15]
  26. ^ [16]
  27. ^ Previous visa-free agreement under different terms were applied in period 1965 (on duty),1967 (for tourism)-1990 as Yugoslavia and 1990-2009.
  28. ^ [17]
  29. ^ [18]
  30. ^ [19]
  31. ^ [20]
  32. ^ [21]
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  44. ^ [33]
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  47. ^ [36]
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  54. ^ [43]
  55. ^ [44]
  56. ^ [45]
  57. ^ [46]
  58. ^ [47]
  59. ^ [48]
  60. ^ [49]
  61. ^ [50]
  62. ^ [51]
  63. ^ [52]
  64. ^ [53]
  65. ^ Was applied from 1 December 2016 [54][55]
  66. ^ http://www.mfa.gov.rs/sr/index.php/pres-servis/saopstenja/19015
  67. ^ "Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the Portuguese Republic". Lisbon.mfa.gov.rs. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  68. ^ "Consular countries". Mfa.gov.rs. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  69. ^ [56]
  70. ^ Serbia, Iraq liberalize visas, establish political communication
  71. ^ http://www.mfa.gov.rs/en/consular-affairs/entry-serbia/entering-serbia-requirements. Retrieved June 6, 2016. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  72. ^ http://www.mfa.gov.rs/en/consular-affairs/entry-serbia/visa-requirements. Retrieved June 6, 2016. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  73. ^ "Visa Application" (PDF). Mfa.gov.rs. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  74. ^ "Visa Application" (PDF). Mfa.gov.rs. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  75. ^ "Visa Application Form" (PDF). Mfa.gov.rs. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  76. ^ "Terms for issuance of authorization for temporary stay". Mup.gov.rs. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  77. ^ "Permanent stay". Mup.gov.rs. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  78. ^ "Odeljenje za strance". Mup.gov.rs. 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2015-02-21.
  79. ^ "Boravak I Nastanjenje Stranca". Mup.gov.rs. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  80. ^ "Albanci hoće srpski pasoš - Glas javnosti". Glas-javnosti.rs. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  81. ^ "Kosovo Info Web Portal". Ian.org.rs. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  82. ^ "UN Mission in Kosovopublisher=Unmikonline.org". Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  83. ^ "Srbija ne priznaje kosovske pasoše". Politika.rs. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  84. ^ "B92 - News - UNMIK to stop issuing passports". B92. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  85. ^ Foreign tourist arrivals by countries 2016
  86. ^ Foreign tourist arrivals by countries 2015

External links

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