IMMIGRATION LAW AND THE RIGHTS OF FOREIGNERS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Our legal team provides professional legal assistance to all foreign natural persons and legal entities. We are specialized on issues related to the conditions necessary for a foreign natural person to access and reside on the territory of the Republic of Serbia, and on issues related to the establishment and operation of Branches and Representative offices of foreign legal entities on the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

 

PROVISION OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO FOREIGN NATURAL PERSON

Immigration law and the rights of foreigners in the Republic of Serbia

Our team of lawyers, with professional care and responsibility, provide legal assistance to foreign natural persons including, but not limited to:

• Procedure for registering the arrival of foreign citizens on the territory of the Republic of Serbia and obtaining a short-term residence permit,
• Procedure for obtaining a residence permit on the basis of a visa for a longer stay,
• Procedure for obtaining a temporary residence permit,
• Procedure for obtaining a permanent residence permit,
• Procedure for acquiring citizenship of the Republic of Serbia,
• Representation of foreign natural persons before all institutions of the Republic of Serbia, including state administration bodies, courts, insurance companies,
• Advising and representing foreign natural persons in the process of establishing companies in the territory of the Republic of Serbia and examining market conditions and tax treatment, which includes engaging in specific activities in the Republic of Serbia,
• Representation of foreign natural persons before all banks in the Republic of Serbia in the procedure of opening bank accounts,
• Consulting and representation in the process of real estate purchase on the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

 

HOW TO OBTAIN RESIDENCE PERMIT IN SERBIA?

Serbian liberal immigration legislation and policies makes Serbia very popular destination for foreigners all around the world. Because of this fact, we are willing to present to all foreigners in few bullet points, how, and what is the procedure for foreigners to legally reside in Serbia, and to obtain residence and work permit in Serbia with legal services of our legal team with ease.

There are three types of legal residence in Serbia:

• Tourist visits.
• Temporary residence permit.
• Permanent residence permit.

Tourist visits

Depending on the country of your citizenship, tourist visits are possible with a tourist visa or in a visa-free regime.

Main point of tourist visits is, when a foreigner who does not need a visa or travel document to enter the Republic of Serbia can stay there up to 90 days in any period of 180 days, counting from the day of first entry, unless otherwise stipulated by an international agreement.

Temporary residence permit

You will have to apply for a temporary residence permit if you are planning to stay in Serbia for more than 90 days.

Temporary residence is a residence permit of a foreign citizen in the Republic of Serbia and can be granted for a foreigner who intends to stay in the Republic of Serbia for longer than 90 days based on numerous reasons:

• Employment, which also implies the establishment of a company in the Republic of Serbia by a foreigner.
• Schooling or learning the Serbian language.
• Participation in international student exchange programs.
• Professional specialization, training, and practice.
• Scientific research, work, or other scientific educational activities.
• Family reunification.
• Performing religious services.
• Treatment or care.
• Humanitarian stay.
• Status of a victim of a human trafficking.
• Other justified reasons in accordance with the law or international agreement.

Temporary residence may be granted for up to one year and may be extended for the same period of validity, depending based on residence and the existence of reasons for granting temporary residence.

Permanent residence permit

Permanent residence is a permit for a long term stay of a foreign citizen in the Republic of Serbia.

Permanent residence permit will be granted to a foreigner who meets number of different requirements prescribed by Serbian legislation and who, until the date of submission of the application for permanent residence, has resided in the Republic of Serbia continuously a certain number of years based on a temporary residence permit.

For all other information and details about Residence permits for foreigners in Serbia, please do not hesitate to contact our office, so that we can suggest available dates for the meeting on that occasion.

 

HOW TO OBTAIN WORK PERMIT IN SERBIA?

If you are a foreigner, and you obtained the residence permit, temporary or permanent, and wish to work in Serbia, you will have to apply for work permit, which is an act issued by National Employment Service of the Republic of Serbia.

For obtaining work permit you will have to fulfill the prescribed requirements, obtain specified documents, and visit several government institutions, which sounds hard and confusing, but with the experience of our legal team, it can be done easily and sooner than imagined.

There are different work permits for foreigners in Serbia:

• Personal work permit.
• Work permit.

Only one type of work permit is issued for the same period.

Personal work permit

A personal work permit is a work permit that enables a foreigner in the Republic of Serbia to freely employ, self-employ and exercise unemployment rights, in accordance with the law.

This type of work permit, except for the situations listed below, may be issued also for the purpose of family reunification.

A personal work permit is issued at the request of a foreigner if:

• Has a permanent residence permit.
• Has a refugee status.
• Belongs to a special category of a foreigner.

Work permit

This work permit is not strictly attached to the personal status of a foreigner.

Work permit can be issued for:

• Special cases of employment.
• Self-employment.

For all other information and details about Work permits for foreigners in Serbia, please do not hesitate to contact our office, so that we can suggest available dates for the meeting on that occasion.

 

PURCHASE A REAL ESTATE IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

It is important to note that Serbian legislation allows foreigners to acquire real estate in the Republic of Serbia, both inter vivo legal affairs, such as purchase agreement, gift agreement, life support agreement, etc., and mortis causa legal affairs, such as inheritance.

There is one condition required for both cases said above, and that is the presence of legal or factual reciprocity between Republic of Serbia and the country whose citizenship the foreigner has.

Please note that there is an exception when it comes to agricultural land.

Some of the countries with whom Serbia has concluded a bilateral agreement for this issue are:

• Argentina,
• Australia,
• Austria,
• Belarus,
• Bosnia and Herzegovina,
• Bulgaria,
• Canada,
• China,
• Croatia,
• Greece,
• Hungary,
• Lithuania,
• Montenegro,
• Romania,
• Russian Federation,
• Slovenia,
• Spain,
• Ukraine,
• United Kingdom,
• United States of America, etc.

All these countries, and many more, have a confirmed reciprocity with Republic of Serbia for purchasing a real estate for a person’s lifetime and acquiring a real estate via inheritance.

Factual reciprocity is the condition that needs to be fulfilled for purchase or inheritance to go through, meaning that both law and practice of the foreigner’s country allow the citizens of Serbia to buy real estate under the same conditions as Serbia allows their citizens.

For all other information and details about purchasing a real estate in Serbia, please do not hesitate to contact our office, so that we can suggest available dates for the meeting on that occasion.

 

PROVISION OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO FOREIGN LEGAL ENTITIES

Immigration law and the rights of foreigners in the Republic of Serbia

Our team of lawyers, with professional care and responsibility, provide legal assistance to foreign legal entities including, but not limited to:

• Intermediation and advising of foreign legal entities in the process of deciding on investments in the market of the Republic of Serbia, including a comprehensive legal analysis of market conditions, Due Diligence,
• Establishment, registration and termination of the Branch of a foreign legal entity, as a separate organizational part through which the foreign legal entity performs activities in the Republic of Serbia,
• Establishment, registration and termination of the Representative office of a foreign legal entity, as a separate organizational unit that can perform preliminary and preparatory activities in order to conclude the legal business of the foreign legal entity,
• Representation of foreign legal entities, potential foreign investors, before the Development Agency of Serbia, a body of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, as a reliable partner for both domestic and international companies, with the unique goal of building a strong and sustainable economy and improving people’s quality of life.