To visit Serbia, certain people will need a Serbian visa. If you are from a country that requires a visa to visit Serbia, you can apply for either a short-term or long-term visa. A short-term visa allows you to visit Serbia for three months; a long-term visa will enable you to stay in Serbia for one year.

Is Serbia in Schengen?

Serbia is not a part of the Schengen Agreement or is neither a part of the EU. However, citizens of Serbia do not need a visa to visit the Schengen countries for short trips, and the Schengen citizens do not need a visa to visit Serbia for a short-stay period.

If you have a visa or residence permit from a Schengen country you can also visit Serbia visa-free.

Serbia Visa Requirements

Here are all the required documents to submit when applying for a Serbian visa.

• Valid passport. Your passport must be valid three months before the return date, it must have at least two blank pages, and it should be in good condition.
• Two photos. The photos must be recently taken within the last six months, be in color, and be passport-sized.
• Application form. Complete the application form sincerely and with all the current information. Do not leave any blank spaces, and do not fulfill the application with any false information because it can lead to your visa refusal.
• Fee payment. You can finish the visa fee payment at the consulate or embassy when submitting the documents. Make sure you attach the recipe of the payment to other requested documents.
• Travel medical insurance. Proof that you have valid health insurance with a coverage of €20.000 within the Serbia area if you face any medical problem while being in Serbia.
• Bank statements. You need a document issued from your bank that includes your bank statements for the last six months. This document must prove that you are financially stable and can finance yourself while in Serbia.
• Proof of booked flight itinerary.This document includes the date and flight time, airplane name, and time and day of your return flight.
• Accommodation proof in Serbia. This document must prove that you have a place to stay in Serbia. This document can be a letter of invitation from a friend or a family member, a rental agreement, a hotel reservation, etc.
• Letter of invitation. Depending on the purpose of your visit to Serbia, you need an invitation letter from a:
  • Friend or a family member if you are visiting family members or friends in Serbia.
  • Business company in Serbia if you are visiting Serbia for work purposes.
• Document proof that you are traveling with a travel agency if you are visiting Serbia for tourism purposes. 

Note: Make sure your documents are original or notarized.

How to Apply for a Serbian Visa?

To apply for a Serbian visa, you must submit your visa application to the Embassy or Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia abroad. Follow the steps listed below for a more straightforward application process:

1. Contact the nearest Serbian embassy or consulate. Contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Serbia in your home country and book an appointment for your visa application. The appointment is obligated so that your visa application can go as quickly as possible.
2. Collect the required documents for the visa application. Make sure you gather all the requested documents. The embassy should also provide a detailed list of which documents you must submit.
3. Submit the documents at the Serbian embassy/consulate. After gathering all the requested documents, you must submit them to the nearest embassy or consulate of Serbia in your home country. Show up to the appointment on time.
4. Wait for an answer. When finishing all the demanded steps, you must wait for an answer. You shall receive a text message or an email with your visa response from the same embassy where you have submitted your visa application.

How Long Does It Take to Process a Serbian Visa?

The processing time for a Serbian visa is from 5 to 21 working days. You will receive an SMS or an email from the embassy with the result of your visa application.

If you apply for your visa in the summer or during the holiday, the embassy may extend the processing time.

Types of Serbian Visas

Here are the Serbia visa types:

• Short-stay (C visa). 
• Long-stay (D visa).

Short-Stay (C visa)

A short-stay visa allows you to stay in Serbia for three months within 180 days. The short-stay visa is issued for:

• Tourism purposes.
• Business meeting purposes.
• Traveling with school for school trip purposes.
• Official meetings for political purposes.

Long-Stay (D Visa)

A long-stay (D visa) allows you to stay in Serbia for one year. The long-stay visa is issued for:

• Study purposes.
• Family reunion purposes.
• Work purposes.
• Humanitarian or religious activities purpose.

Serbia Visa Fees

Depending on how long you plan to stay in Serbia, you must pay the following fees:

• For a short-stay visa – €60. If the Serbian administration issues your short-stay visa, you must pay an extra €2 for your visa sticker.
• For a long-stay visa – €30. If the authorities of Serbia issue your visa, you must make the payment of €2 for your visa sticker.

What If My Serbia Visa Is Denied?

If your Serbian visa is denied, you must contact the embassy of Serbia to which you have applied to know the reason for your visa rejection. After that, you can:

• Re-apply for your Serbian visa or
• Appeal the rejection; you can write an appeal letter to the embassy of Serbia.

Your visa can be rejected for different reasons. For example,

• If you submit documents with false information.
• If your passport is not in good condition.
• If you don’t finish the fee payment for your visa application.
• If you can’t submit all the requested documents.

How to Obtain a Residence Permit for Serbia?

To apply for a residence permit in Serbia, you can submit the application form either in person at the Police Directorate in the City of Belgrade or online. To apply for a residence permit, make sure you submit these documents:

• Passport.
• Bank statement.
• Application form.
• Fee payment.
• Health insurance.
• Two passport-sized photos.
• Registration of your address in Serbia.