On 31 October 2014, the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Decision on Visa-Free Entry into the Republic of Serbia for Holders of Foreign Travel Documents who possess a valid Schengen visa, a visa of the United Kingdom or other EU member states, or a visa of the United States of America, as well as for holders of foreign travel documents who have regulated residence in the Schengen Area, EU member states, or the United States of America (Official Gazette of the RS, No. 119/2014). This Decision entered into force on 8 November 2014.
In accordance with the provisions of the Decision, foreign nationals, holders of all types of travel documents except travel passes and travel documents issued under international conventions, may enter, transit through, and stay in the Republic of Serbia without a visa for up to 90 days within six months:
- if they possess a valid Schengen visa, a visa of the United Kingdom or other EU member states, or a visa of the United States of America; and
- if they have a regulated residence in the Schengen Area, EU member states, or the United States of America.
Holders of travel documents who do not meet the conditions for applying according to the above Decision on entry into the Republic of Serbia must obtain authorisation for entry, stay, or transit, which a foreign national must secure before entering the territory of the Republic of Serbia, i.e., a visa.
A visa is issued primarily in electronic format, but it may also be issued in the form of a sticker affixed to the foreign national’s travel document. The issuance of a visa does not guarantee that the foreign national will be granted entry into the Republic of Serbia.
Long-Stay Visa (VISA D)
A long-stay visa (VISA D) is an authorisation for entry and stay in the territory of the Republic of Serbia for a period from 90 to 180 days.
A foreigner who, in compliance with the visa regime for entry to the Republic of Serbia, requires a visa and who intends to submit an application in the Republic of Serbia for granting of temporary residence shall obtain a long-stay visa (VISA D).
A foreigner who has been issued a long-stay visa (VISA D) on the basis of employment shall exercise the right to employment in compliance with the regulations governing employment of foreigners.
Competence for Long-Stay Visa (VISA D) Issuing
A long-stay visa (VISA D) shall be issued by a diplomatic-consular mission, unless where determined otherwise by the Law on Foreigners.
A visa application shall be considered and it shall be decided upon by the diplomatic-consular mission in the consular territory of which the person submitting the application lawfully resides. By way of exception, a diplomatic-consular mission shall consider and decide upon an application submitted by a foreigner who is lawfully situated in its consular territory, but has no residence in such a country, in cases where he/she encloses proof of urgency for the travel to the Republic of Serbia for which he/she requires the visa.
In the countries in which the Republic of Serbia has no diplomatic-consular missions, reciprocal representation in the visa issuing procedures can be laid down by means of an international treaty.
Foreign Travel Document
On the occasion of submitting an application for visa issuing, a foreigner must enclose the foreign travel document the validity period of which shall exceed the intended date of departure from the Republic of Serbia by three months at the minimum, which shall have two successive empty pages at the minimum and which has been issued within the past ten years.
By way of exception, if that is in the interest of the Republic of Serbia or where there are humanitarian reasons for that, on the occasion of submitting an application for a visa, a foreigner may enclose a travel document which does not conform to the specified conditions.
Where that is in the interest of the Republic of Serbia or where there are humanitarian reasons for that, and the travel document is not recognized by the Republic of Serbia, the visa shall be stamped into the form for affixing a visa.
Submitting an Application for a Long-Stay Visa (VISA D)
An application for the issuance of a visa must be submitted in person, or electronically, using the prescribed form, no earlier than three months before the intended date of travel.
A diplomatic-consular mission may waive the requirement for the applicant to submit the visa application in person if it is established that the applicant has lawfully used previously issued visas. Persons listed in the travel document of the visa applicant must submit separate visa applications using the prescribed form.
The detailed conditions for applying for a visa electronically, the detailed conditions for granting visas, as well as the format and content of the letter of invitation, are regulated by the provisions of the Rulebook on Submitting Applications for the Issuance of Visas Electronically and Granting Visas (Official Gazette of the RS, No. 12/2025), which shall apply from 1 March 2025.
An application for a long-stay visa (VISA D) is submitted via the Unified Foreigners’ Web Portal.
The application may be submitted by the foreign national or by the employer on behalf of the foreign national, in cases where the application is based on employment or seasonal work, in accordance with the law regulating simplified employment for seasonal work in certain sectors.
If the applicant is a foreign national, they must register on the Unified Foreigners’ Web Portal.
If the employer is applying for a long-stay visa (VISA D) on behalf of the foreign national, the employer must be registered as a user of the eGovernment portal (as a legal entity, entrepreneur, branch office, institution, etc.), after which an authorised person representing the employer may submit the application on the Unified Foreigners’ Web Portal and undertake other actions in accordance with the authorisation granted.
If the application for a long-stay visa (VISA D), based on employment or seasonal work as regulated by the law on simplified employment for seasonal work in certain sectors, is submitted by the employer on behalf of the foreign national, the application may be submitted for multiple individuals on the same basis.
Evidence of Fulfilment of Conditions for the Issuance of a Long-Stay Visa (VISA D)
When applying for a long-stay visa (VISA D), in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of the RS, Nos. 24/2018, 31/2019, and 62/2023) and the Rulebook on Submitting Applications for the Issuance of Visas Electronically and Granting Visas (Official Gazette of the RS, No. 12/2025), the applicant is required to submit the following:
- A completed visa application form;
- A travel document (passport);
- A photograph;
- Proof of payment of the visa issuance fee;
- Evidence of the purpose and reasons for staying in the Republic of Serbia;
- A letter of invitation;
- Appropriate and valid travel health insurance, as well as evidence of:
- The purpose of travel;
- Sufficient financial means to cover accommodation costs or other proof relating to accommodation;
- Available financial resources to support oneself during the intended stay and for return to the country of origin or habitual residence;
- Other evidence on the basis of which the applicant’s intention to leave the Republic of Serbia before the expiry of the requested visa can be assessed;
- Documents or evidence which, in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of the RS, Nos. 24/2018, 31/2019, and 62/2023), must be submitted when applying for temporary residence (depending on the basis of residence).
All evidence must be submitted in the form of an electronic document or a digitised document. If any of the submitted documents are not prepared in Serbian, an appropriate translation must be provided.
For applications submitted by an employer, an authorisation or power of attorney for applying must also be attached.
The applicant is responsible for the completeness and authenticity of the documentation submitted electronically.
Invitation Letter
The legal or natural person that is inviting a foreigner to a private or business visit must enclose an invitation letter.
In the invitation letter, the host shall undertake to bear the costs of stay and of the compulsory removal of the foreigner from the territory of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the costs of possible stay and accommodation of the foreigner in a shelter for foreigners, if such costs cannot be collected from the foreigner.
Where the host of a foreign national in the Republic of Serbia is a natural person, the invitation letter should include the statement of the natural person that he/she will undertake to bear the costs of stay and of the compulsory removal of the foreigner from the territory of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the costs of possible stay and accommodation of the foreigner in a shelter for foreigners, if such costs cannot be collected from the foreigner, information about the foreigner (name and surname of the foreigner, the date of birth, nationality of the foreigner, information on his/her travel document), information on the inviter (name and surname of the inviter, his/her date of birth, nationality of the host, telephone number of the host, residential address of the host, the reason for inviting the foreigner to the Republic of Serbia), as well as other information of relevance for the procedure of visa issuing.
The invitation of a natural person must be certified with competent authority for certification of documents.
Where the host of a foreign national in the Republic of Serbia is a legal person, the invitation letter should include the statement of the legal person that the legal person will undertake to bear the costs of stay and of the compulsory removal of the foreigner from the territory of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the costs of possible stay and accommodation of the foreigner in a shelter for foreigners, if such costs cannot be collected from the foreigner, information about the foreigner (name and surname of the foreigner, the date of birth, nationality of the foreigner, information on his/her travel document), the name, seat, company registration number and tax identification number, signature and seal of the responsible person with the legal person inviting the foreigner to visit, the reason for inviting the foreigner to the Republic of Serbia, as well as other information of relevance for the procedure of visa issuing.
Travel Medical Insurance
The visa applicant must enclose proof of adequate travel medical insurance during his/her stay in the Republic of Serbia which shall cover the costs that may arise relating to the emergency medical assistance, emergency hospital treatment, return to the country of origin due to health reasons or in the case of death.
By way of exception the persons holding diplomatic travel documents and applicants for airport transit visa shall not be obliged to enclose proof of travel medical insurance.
The period of insurance coverage must not be shorter than the time period of the planned stay in the Republic of Serbia.
Verification of Conditions and Assessment of Risks
A diplomatic-consular mission shall, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and the state authority competent for the protection of security of the Republic of Serbia, conduct a check of data of the applicant and of the host by inspecting the records maintained in compliance with the law, verify authenticity of allegations in the documentation enclosed with the application for visa issuing, as well as justification of the purpose of travel.
Personal data of the visa applicant and any natural and legal persons related to him shall be collected and processed in compliance with the regulation governing data records and processing in the field of interior affairs.
Prior to issuing a visa, the diplomatic and consular mission shall acquire prior consent from the Ministry of Interior. By way of exception the diplomatic and consular mission shall not acquire any prior consent from the Ministry of Interior, in cases where it is necessary to urgently issue a visa due to the reasons of humanitarian character, Force Majeure or the interests of the Republic of Serbia.
The prior consent shall be provided by the Ministry of Interior, based on the results of assessment made by a competent authority according to the place of arrival of the foreigner, results of assessment conducted by a state authority in charge of protection of security of the Republic of Serbia and other operational intelligence available to them in the case in question.
On the occasion of issuing of a long-stay visa based on employment, the organisation competent for employment service shall provide to the competent authority an assessment whether the conditions for foreigner’s employment in the Republic of Serbia are fulfilled.
Time Limits for Deciding on an Application for Long-Stay Visa (VISA D) Issuing
The time limit for deciding on an application for visa issuing shall be 15 days from the application submission date. The 15-day deadline can be extended up to 30 days where there are duly justified reasons for that.
Last update: 24. 9. 2025.
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