One of the frequently asked questions our team receives from digital nomads is “How to obtain permanent residence? Particularly in Serbia.” A question daunting in its complexity and obscurity may have a solution that does not require colossal efforts.
In this publication, our project editor, Evgeniy Sokolov, will share expert view on moving to Serbia for permanent residence in 2024.
Serbia, culturally close and considered loyal to Russia, is becoming increasingly attractive for our compatriots for permanent residence. Moreover, being in Europe, it offers an acceptable cost of living. In 2025, the Republic plans to become a full member of the European Union, which automatically opens doors to the advantages of European citizenship.
Applications for permanent residence in Serbia from 2018 to 2024
Today, foreigners planning to stay in Serbia beyond the visa period have the right to apply for temporary or permanent residence. To do this, they need to meet the following conditions:
- Temporary residence permits are issued to foreign citizens intending to stay in Serbia for more than 90 days.
- The right to permanent residence is a permit for a long stay of a foreigner in the Republic. It is issued to an applicant who has continuously lived in the country for at least 3 years based on an approved temporary residence permit. Permanent residence includes permission to stay in Serbia and allows multiple exits from the country totaling up to 10 months or a single absence of up to 6 months within 3 years.
Rules for living in Serbia in 2024
In 2023, the “Law on Foreigners” of the Republic of Serbia underwent significant changes aimed primarily at simplifying the procedure for obtaining temporary and permanent residence permits. A number of rules, conditions, and requirements regulating the stay of foreigners in the country were fundamentally transformed. Previously, a temporary residence permit could be obtained for a period not exceeding 12 months. To be eligible for permanent residence, a temporary residence permit was required for at least 5 years. Now, the required period has been reduced to 3 years.
Each reason and request for permanent residence undergoes appropriate justification and substantiation. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia makes a decision based on the actual facts about the applicant and the conditions accompanying the request.
Migration legislation is loyal to foreigners. In 2024, the relevant ways to obtain permanent residence will be:
- Purchase of real estate.
- Official employment.
- Purchase/opening of a business.
- Family reunification program.
- Marriage with a citizen of the Republic.
Any path to obtaining permanent residence lies through obtaining a temporary residence permit (Privremeni boravak). Each of them requires its documentary substantiation and a package of documents.
How to obtain?
There are a number of ways to obtain permanent residence in Serbia in 2024, but they all differ in methods, terms, and grounds. Let’s explore them in detail.
Grounds
Currently, the right to permanent residence is granted to foreigners if they meet at least one of the following conditions:
- Continuous stay in the country for more than 3 years with a temporary residence permit. At the time of applying for permanent residence, the applicant must have a temporary residence permit for at least 3 years.
- Being in a marriage for at least 3 years with a Serbian citizen or a foreign citizen who already has the right to permanent residence.
- Minors with a temporary residence permit, if at least one of the parents is a Serbian citizen or a foreigner with the right to permanent residence; has Serbian roots.
One of the special conditions for granting permanent residence is the state interest.
It is important to note that a temporary residence permit previously issued to a person studying at a Serbian university does not provide grounds for applying for permanent residence after 3 years.
Terms
One can become a temporary resident of Serbia for 3 years, after which the status can be extended for a similar period. For business registration, a permit is issued for a period of 6-12 months. The submitted application and the applicant’s dossier are considered within 1 to 3 months.
To obtain permanent residence and have the right to extend it, it is primarily necessary to meet the requirements for the duration of legal stay in the country and not have any legal problems.
List of documents
- Valid international passport. A critical condition is the validity period of the document. It must be at least 3 months at the time of expiration of the permanent residence permit.
- Application.
- Detailed autobiography stating the reasons for the move.
- Documents from financial institutions confirming the availability of funds for living in the country.
- International health insurance covering risks.
- Certificate of registration at the place of residence in the Republic.
- Passport-sized photos.
- Payment documents for administrative fees.
- A package of documents confirming the legality of obtaining a temporary residence permit. This can be an employment contract, a real estate purchase certificate, a marriage certificate, etc.
Statistics on obtaining the right to permanent residence in Serbia show that there are usually no problems. Exceptions are situations with inaccurately compiled dossiers or errors in the application. The problem is easily solved by reapplying. However, there are several conditions under which the permit will not be issued:
- Criminal record.
- Violation of migration, administrative, or tax legislation.
- Presence of illegal sources of income.
- Providing deliberately false documents or inaccurate personal information.
- Activities not corresponding to the conditions for obtaining a temporary residence permit.
However, there are precedents for challenging negative decisions in local courts.
It can sometimes be difficult to independently navigate all the bureaucratic complexities, but our experts are always ready to review your case and help you on your way to a comfortable life.
Upon successful application submission and a positive decision by the authorities, the applicant is granted a Foreigner’s Identity Card. It can be obtained at the Ministry of Internal Affairs department where the application was processed or through the state services portal.
Advantages of permanent residence in Serbia
A residence permit in Serbia guarantees legal stay in the country without any restrictions. Permanent residence status equates a foreigner to the country’s citizens, with the exception of the right to participate in elections and work in government institutions. Besides this, reviews indicate that among the benefits of living in Serbia are:
- Access to the EU. Although the Republic is not yet a full member of the European Union in 2024, its citizens have the right to visa-free travel within the Schengen zone for business and tourism purposes.
- Comfortable tax base. Taxes are among the lowest in Europe. There are agreements to avoid double taxation, including with Russia.
- Attractive mortgage and credit programs from local and European credit institutions.
- Affordable cost of living compared to most Western European countries.
- Access to quality state medical services, social and pension insurance programs.
- Provision of free school education for children.
- The right to conduct business on preferential terms. Access to extensive business opportunities in Europe.
- Legal protection by the state.
- Low crime rate.
- The right to apply for citizenship upon fulfilling all conditions of the relevant program.
Additionally, the liberalization of the residence permit process in Serbia becomes another significant advantage of moving to the Republic.
