Serbia employment visa and single residence and work permit

Foreign citizens coming to Serbia for an eligible type of employment, including work under an employment contract, self-employment and certain assignments, transfers and training.

• Eligible work

  Choose a qualifying employment basis; the basis and supporting documents depend on the type of work. The single-permit bases include employment under an employment contract or another contract exercising rights under the Labour Law, self-employment, referred work, intra-company movement, independent professional work, and training and development.

  Sources disagreeSource

• Work contract, if employed

  For employment in the narrow sense, the visa D document list requires a proposed employment contract, temporary work contract or other contract proving employment in Serbia under labour regulations, signed by the employer and foreign citizen.

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• Qualifications for the job

  For employment in the narrow sense, submit a diploma, certificate or other public document showing the appropriate type and level of professional qualification or education required for the position, with a certified translation. The page gives no universal qualification level.

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• Valid passport

  For a visa D application, the passport must have been issued within the last 10 years, contain at least two consecutive blank pages and remain valid for at least 90 days after the intended departure from Serbia.

  Sources disagreeSource

• Invitation and employer documents

  For a visa D based on employment in the narrow sense, submit an invitation letter, the employer’s registration certificate, and the employer’s job-organisation rules excerpt; an employer with fewer than 10 employees may instead submit the specified statement about the position and its requirements.

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• Residential address

  For a visa D based on employment in the narrow sense, submit a landlord’s statement agreeing that the foreign citizen has a registered residential address.

  Sources disagreeSource

• Employer’s labour market test

  For a temporary-residence application based on an employment contract or another agreement granting rights under the Labour Law, the employer must initiate the labour market test procedure.

  Sources disagreeSource

• Document validity for residence

  The personal document attached to a temporary-residence application must be valid for at least three months longer than the period of residence requested.

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• Visa D application; paid in Serbian dinars at the National Bank of Serbia’s middle exchange rateSources disagreeSource€50 per person
• Single-permit application submissionSources disagreeSourceRSD 430 per person
• Approval of the single permitSources disagreeSourceRSD 22,770 per person
• Decision timeFor a visa application, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the procedure takes 15 days in most cases and up to 30 days in exceptional cases for justified reasons. This is the visa timeframe, not a combined timeframe for both applications.About 4 weeks

1. Get ready

   • Check which permission you need

     Use Serbia’s entry, visa and residence guide to check whether your passport and intended employment require a visa D or allow a direct single-permit application.

     You’ll need: Passport

   • Choose your employment basis

     Choose the employment basis that matches your work, because the visa D documents differ by basis.

     You’ll need: Employment contract or other evidence of the chosen work basis

   • Prepare your visa documents

     If applying for a visa D for employment in the narrow sense, gather the listed passport, photograph, invitation, employer, contract, qualification and address documents.

     You’ll need: Passport, Photograph, Invitation letter, Employer registration certificate, Signed proposed contract, Employer’s job-organisation rules excerpt or qualifying statement, Qualification document and certified translation, Landlord’s statement

2. Apply

   • Have your employer initiate the labour market test

     If the single-permit application is based on an employment contract or another agreement granting rights under the Labour Law, your employer must initiate the labour market test.

   • Apply online for a single permit

     Apply yourself or through your employer on the Welcome to Serbia portal; if you entered on a visa D and intend to stay longer, apply on the same basis during the visa’s validity and your lawful stay.

     You’ll need: Application and supporting documents for the chosen employment basis, Valid personal document

3. Visa

   • Apply for a visa D if required

     Submit the employment-based visa D application yourself or through your authorised employer, and pay the application fee.

     You’ll need: Visa application, Documents for the chosen employment basis, Employer’s authorisation if the employer applies

   • Arrange the visa sticker

     If the visa is approved, contact the Serbian diplomatic-consular mission used for the application to arrange for the visa sticker to be placed in your travel document.

     You’ll need: Passport

4. Travel

   • Travel to Serbia

     When you arrive

     Enter using the permission applicable to your passport and employment basis; an employment-based visa D permits residence and work during its validity for up to 180 days.

     You’ll need: Passport, Visa D if required

5. Settle in

   • Have your stay registered

     When you arrive

     The person or organisation providing your accommodation must register your stay with the competent authority within 24 hours of providing it or of your arrival for a visit.

   • Attend your biometrics appointment

     If the conditions for issuing the residence permit are met, attend the scheduled appointment at the competent authority to provide biometric data.

     You’ll need: Personal document

A single permit can be extended; after three years of qualifying continuous residence, its holder may apply for permanent residence.

• Residence and work permit - Welcome to Serbiawelcometoserbia.gov.rsOfficial
• D visa, purpose of stay: Employment - Welcome to Serbiawelcometoserbia.gov.rsOfficial
• Help - Welcome to Serbiawelcometoserbia.gov.rsOfficial
• Temporary Residence - Welcome to Serbiawelcometoserbia.gov.rsOfficial
• Frequently Asked Questions | Ministry of Foreign Affairsmfa.gov.rsOfficial
• welcometoserbia.gov.rs/registration-upon-arrivalOfficial

Japper is an AI immigration assistant. It gives general information from official sources, not legal advice, and it can be wrong. For your own case, ask a licensed advisor.