If you do not need a visa to enter, the total stay in the country should not exceed 14, 30, and 90 days, depending on the country from which you are traveling. This applies when you travel as a tourist, visit family or friends, attend business meetings, cultural or sporting events. Staying longer is possible, but you must apply for a visa or residence permit.

Citizens who are not eligible to enter within the visa-free regime are required to have a visa. 

Here you can check whether you need a visa to enter the Republic of Serbia and how long you can stay in Serbia under the visa-free regime.

Additional documents when entering Serbia

When entering Serbia, a foreigner must have:

• valid passport for traveling abroad. The validity of the passport must be at least 3 months after the date of the end of the trip;

• confirmation of the availability of funds for staying in Serbia;

• certificate of vaccination or certificate of absence of infectious diseases in case the person arrived from the territory smitten by infectious diseases determined by the Ministry of Health;

• if minor children travel with one of the parents, they must have a certified power of attorney of the other parent. If minor children are traveling with a third party, they must have a certified power of attorney of both parents or guardians;

• It is recommended to have a medical insurance policy when traveling abroad for the period of stay in Serbia. The cost of medical expenses covered by the policy should not be less than 20,000 euros. 

How much money do you need to have when entering Serbia?

The Border Guard Service has the right to require a foreigner to documentarily prove the availability of sufficient funds to cover the cost of living in Serbia.

A sufficient amount is considered to be 50 euros for one day of stay. Proof of availability of funds can be cash in the specified equivalent, bank account statement, traveler's checks, credit cards, as well as a letter of guarantee.

Types of visas

Types of visas issued at diplomatic and consular missions:

• short-term visa (C visa)

• long-term visa (D visa)

C visa (visa for up to 90 days). A short-term stay visa is issued for tourist, business, and other trips, for one, two, or more entries to the Republic of Serbia. Continuous residence of a foreigner on a short-term visa or the total duration of consecutive stays may not exceed 90 days within six months from the date of first entry. A visa for a short-term stay with multiple entries is granted with a validity of up to one year.

D visa (long-term visa). A long-term visa is a permit to enter and stay in the territory of the Republic of Serbia from 90 to 180 days. The D visa is issued to a foreigner who, following the visa regime, requires a visa to enter the Republic of Serbia, and who intends to apply for a temporary stay in the Republic of Serbia.

Please note that foreigners entering the Republic of Serbia without a visa, based on the Decision on visa-free entry into the Republic of Serbia, cannot apply for temporary residence in Serbia. They need to apply for a D visa (long-term visa), which allows them to regulate temporary stay upon arrival in Serbia.

The procedure for applying for a visa to Serbia

Visa is issued before arrival in Serbia. The visa application is submitted to the diplomatic and consular mission of the Republic of Serbia abroad.

Documents for visa

The main set of documents required for a visa:

• Valid passport (passport must be valid for at least 90 days from the date of visa issuance)

• Invitation letter:

- for a private visit - an invitation certified by the relevant authority of the Republic of Serbia

- for a business visit – an invitation from the company to Serbia;

- for a tourist trip – a receipt of payment for the trip issued by a travel agency (voucher or another type of payment receipt);

• Completed visa application form: (PDF);

• Photo (size 3.5 x 4.5 cm);

• Return ticket or itinerary (copy of your driver's license and insurance if you are traveling by car);

• Proof of sufficient funds for living in Serbia;

• Visa fee

Please note that the entire list of documents must be translated into English, Albanian or Serbian.

Stay in Serbia and tax residency

All foreign tourists arriving in Serbia need to get a white card. The law provides for the following requirements regarding the terms of obtaining this document:

• if the person stays at the hotel – 24 hours;

• if the person lives with a citizen or tax resident of Serbia – 48 hours.

Hotels should assist with the registration. If a person has stayed with another person, they must come to the police station together and obtain a "white card". Persons who do not have this document can be fined 5000-25000 dinars.