How to get Serbian citizenship is a common question among those with Serbian heritage, long-term residents, and foreign nationals interested in building a future in Serbia. Whether you are seeking Serbian citizenship by descent, naturalization, or marriage, this guide outlines everything you need to know – from legal requirements to the benefits of Serbian citizenship.
Over the last couple of years, the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs has frequently received applications for admission into Serbian citizenship by descent, filed by a great number of descendants of Serbian emigrants who emigrated to some of the more developed countries of the world, like Germany, Austria, USA, and Canada during the 1950s and 1960s in search of a more prosperous life.
The provisions of Serbian law, The Law on Serbian Citizenship, give this preferable treatment to the foreigners who do not have any connection to Serbia in fact, other than that their ancestors, or even one of them, is considered a Serbian native.
This is commonly referred to as Serbian citizenship by descent or Serbian citizenship through grandparents. If you are researching how to get Serbian citizenship, understanding these legal foundations is essential.
If you are looking to apply for Serbian citizenship, we will try to clarify any doubts regarding the methods and terms that must be fulfilled in the blog post below.
If you are considering acquiring a Serbian passport, we will try to clarify any doubts regarding the methods and terms that must be fulfilled in the blog post below.
The Concept and Importance of Citizenship
Citizenship could be defined as a relationship between an individual and the state from which their rights and obligations derive. Typically, this relationship is permanent and can be terminated only under certain conditions.
Understanding this legal relationship is the first step in knowing how to get Serbian citizenship, since every type of citizenship acquisition is rooted in the same principle of rights and obligations between the individual and the state.
Benefits of Serbian Citizenship
Statutory changes and amendments in Serbia in previous years resulted in the liberalization of the visa regime, the possibility of exercising the right to work and temporary residence for foreigners (which we have already covered in our blogs – The Amendments to the Law on Foreigners – Serbia Facilitates the Process of Employment and Stay of Foreigners, News for foreigners interested in getting a work permit in Serbia, How to Obtain a Residence Permit in Serbia?) and also the national treatment of foreigners.
Although there were numerous attempts to equalize foreign and domestic citizens in their rights and obligations, there are still certain differences related to national status.
Many foreigners exploring how to get Serbian citizenship want to understand what practical benefits it brings. Beyond emotional fulfillment and heritage, Serbian citizenship provides access to easier long-term residence, the right to work, and the potential for dual citizenship.
In other words, learning how to get Serbian citizenship also means understanding how it can positively impact your professional and personal life in Serbia.
How to Get Serbian Citizenship?
Getting Serbian citizenship is regulated by the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia, which currently provides four basic methods:
1. Acquiring Serbian citizenship by descent
2. Birth in the territory of the Republic of Serbia
3. Naturalization
4. Under international treaties
The primary method of acquiring citizenship of the Republic of Serbia is by descent, while the place of birth is used as an additional criterion.
On the other hand, acquiring citizenship pursuant to international treaties is not a regular and common way of acquiring citizenship. This method is mostly related to situations when state borders change and serves as an instrument for defining citizenship relations between two countries.
For example, this principle is defined between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, based on a bilateral agreement, which enables citizens of one party to acquire citizenship of the other under a simplified process.
For those who wish to know how to get Serbian citizenship by naturalization, the next section explains the conditions and steps in detail.
Serbian Citizenship by Naturalization
The Serbian legislation provides the possibility for legally capable persons to apply for and obtain, under certain terms, citizenship of the Republic of Serbia, based on their connection with Serbia.
This type of admission into citizenship is usually called naturalization and is one of the key paths for foreigners researching how to get Serbian citizenship. It occurs at the request of a person, and the decision is made by the Ministry of the Interior.
The range of individuals who can acquire citizenship in this way is broad and includes:
1. A foreigner;
2. An emigrant and their descendants;
3. A member of the Serbian nation;
4. A refugee, outcast or displaced person from the territory of the former SFRY.
When it comes to the admission of foreigners into citizenship, the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia requires one of the prerequisites to be fulfilled related to the approval of the permanent residence in Serbia, in accordance with the regulations on the movement and residence of foreigners.
Along with the above-mentioned requirement, a foreigner must fulfill the following conditions:
1) to be 18 years of age and not deprived of working capacity;
2) to be released from foreign citizenship or to submit the evidence that they will be granted the dismissal if admitted into the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia;
3) that until submitting the application, they have had an uninterrupted residence in the territory of the Republic of Serbia for at least three years;
4) to submit a written statement that they consider the Republic of Serbia as their state.
It should be kept in mind that the condition related to the release from previous citizenship will be considered fulfilled if the application is submitted by a patride person or if they provide evidence that under the law of the country of their nationality, they will automatically lose nationality upon admission into Serbian citizenship.
Furthermore, the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia provides a solution in case a foreign country does not allow the release from citizenship or sets conditions for release that a foreigner cannot fulfill. In that case, it is sufficient for the applicant to submit a declaration renouncing foreign citizenship in case of acquiring citizenship of the Republic of Serbia.
For those determining how to get Serbian citizenship through naturalization, these are the core legal thresholds.
Serbian Citizenship Under Beneficial Terms
In addition to these general conditions, the Law on Citizenship provides several benefits for foreigners born in Serbia or married to Serbian citizens.
This is often known as Serbian citizenship by marriage, and it greatly simplifies the process for those exploring how to get Serbian citizenship through family ties.
A foreigner born in Serbia may apply for citizenship after two years of uninterrupted residence, along with a written statement that they consider Serbia their country.
Similarly, a foreigner married to a Serbian citizen for at least three years and holding permanent residency may also be accepted as a citizen of the Republic of Serbia.
If you are wondering how to get Serbian citizenship through marriage or birth in Serbia, these provisions are the key to a faster and smoother process.
Foreigners whose Citizenship is of Special Interest to Serbia
Another provision of the Law allows admission into citizenship for a foreign national whose naturalization is deemed to be of special interest to Serbia. The Government of Serbia determines what qualifies as “interest.”
This exception explains how to get Serbian citizenship for prominent individuals such as scientists, artists, or athletes, even if they do not meet standard conditions.
Notably, celebrities like Steven Seagal, Ralph Fiennes, and Adriana Lima have obtained Serbian citizenship under this clause.
This is another special case where individuals may apply for Serbian citizenship even if they do not meet typical criteria.
Interestingly, Steven Seagal, Ralph Fiennes, Adriana Lima, and some other well-known celebrities have acquired Serbian citizenship in this manner.
Emigrants and Their Descendants Acquiring Serbian Citizenship
Having in mind the great number of people who emigrated from Serbia during the 1950s and 1960s, the Law on Citizenship, as a special category of persons entitled to citizenship, prescribes emigrants and their descendants.
This is one of the most common methods people use to get Serbian citizenship by descent, especially among diaspora communities in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
The Law specifies that an emigrant is a person who emigrates from the Republic of Serbia with the intention to reside permanently abroad.
In this case, it is also possible to acquire Serbian citizenship by descent under more favorable terms, given that an emigrant and his descendant can be admitted into the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia if they are 18 and if they are not deprived of working capacity. Besides that, it is necessary to submit a written statement that they consider the Republic of Serbia their own state.
An additional benefit is prescribed for a marital partner of the above-mentioned category, who can be accepted to the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia if he/she submits a written statement that he considers the Republic of Serbia his state.
Members of the Serbian Nation
The most beneficial terms to acquire the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia for all members of the Serbian nation and all of their descendants, who perceive Serbia as their country of origin, is based on Article 23, paragraph 1 of the Law on Citizenship. According to the legal provisions in this case, foreigners do not need to live in Serbia or renounce their other citizenships.
Namely, if you are a member of the Serbian nation who does not reside in the territory of the Republic of Serbia and you want to be admitted into the Serbian citizenship, you will need to prove your Serbian origin.
Other conditions, which must be fulfilled, require the applicant’s legal age and a written statement that they consider Serbia to be their country.
Refugees, Outcasts or Displaced Persons From the Territory of the Former SFRY
The Law on Citizenship recognizes a special category of individuals who may be admitted into the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia. Those are individuals who were born in one of the republics of the former Social Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) andhold the citizenship of that republic or hold the citizenship of another state created in the territory of the former SFRY, who reside in the territory of the Republic of Serbia as a refugee, outcast or a displaced person or who were exiled abroad.
The same terms, which apply to members of the Serbian people, must also be met when it comes to this category of applicants.
The application for Serbian citizenship should be submitted to the Ministry of Interior through the authority in charge of internal affairs according to the place of residence or temporary stay of the applicant or their authorized legal representative and may also be filed with the relevant diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Serbia.
After a several-months long procedure for checking whether all conditions are met, the Ministry will issue a decision on admission into citizenship if it determines that all the statutory requirements are fulfilled. It should be emphasized that the Ministry may refuse the application if, based on a discretionary assessment, it determines that it is in the interest of the Republic of Serbia for the application for citizenship to be rejected.
This formal step applies to all methods – whether you’re pursuing Serbian citizenship by descent, naturalization, or marriage.
How to Get Serbian Citizenship – Conclusion
We have summarized the main legal methods and conditions under which foreigners can apply for citizenship of the Republic of Serbia.
If you are evaluating how to get Serbian citizenship, whether by descent, marriage, or naturalization, careful preparation and legal guidance can significantly increase your chances of success.
If you are ready to apply for Serbian citizenship, we advise you to consult a specialized immigration lawyer in Serbia to determine the grounds and how to obtain the Serbian passport most easily.
