{"id":39949,"date":"2022-09-06T09:35:52","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T07:35:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/most-frequently-asked-questions-faq-from-russian-citizens-moving-to-serbia\/"},"modified":"2025-07-03T12:38:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T10:38:28","slug":"russians-moving-to-serbia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/russians-moving-to-serbia\/","title":{"rendered":"Russians Moving to Serbia: Key Questions Answered"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"39949\" class=\"elementor elementor-39949\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-43e80fe1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"43e80fe1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a323871 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4a323871\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>Serbia is becoming a more and more interesting place for living for foreign citizens. Maybe it is because of the location, people, and style of life, but what is certain, is the liberality when it comes to immigration law and policies. If you walk through the streets of Serbian towns, it is quite likely you will hear more and more English language and, in the last few months, the Russian language.<\/p><p>Russians moving to Serbia can enjoy numerous advantages, which is why we\u2019ve prepared answers to the most frequently asked questions about relocating to Serbia and obtaining a temporary residence permit as a citizen of the Russian Federation.<\/p><p>If you are thinking about moving to Serbia from the Russian Federation, prepare the next few minutes to read our answers, which hopefully, will ease the process of deciding, and lead you to decide to become a Serbian resident.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-5cdw51i-935136da07b719fd663b0624db0f4871 av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-14 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">Do Russian Citizens Need a Visa to Enter Serbia?<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>No, Russian citizens are eligible to enter Serbia without a visa. Visa-free entrance is a great advantage, bearing in mind that some countries need to obtain a tourist visa to even enter Serbia (short stay visa), not to mention apply for a temporary residence permit (for example long stay <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/visa-for-serbia-for-indian-citizens\/\">visa for Serbia for Indian citizens<\/a>).<\/p><p>That said, another important fact to know is that Russian citizens are allowed to stay in Serbia on a tourist stay for up to 30 days. Plus, each time Russian citizens re-enter the country, their previous touristic stay is annulled, and a new 30-day of tourist stay begins.<\/p><p>For example, if Ivan Ivanov, a Russian citizen, enters Serbia on August 1, stays in Belgrade for 15 days, and must travel back to Moscow due to business plans, he does not have to worry that the next time he comes to Serbia on August 29, he has the right to stay only for one day, to meet the condition of allowed 30 days of the touristic stay. On the contrary, he gained another 30 days of a touristic stay on August 29.<\/p><p>We believe this is one of the most significant advantages, especially when the rest of the world is, unfortunately, leaning towards forbidding Russian citizens from even entering their country.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-h5lsx2-3e1c17b140e4232eb1690b3a99a32bfa av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-16 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">How Russians Can Legally Get Temporary Residence in Serbia<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Serbian Law on Foreigners<a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/russian-citizens-moving-to-serbia\/#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a> stipulated several legal grounds to obtain a temporary residence permit for foreigners. However, for Russian citizens, the following are commonly used:<\/p><ul><li>to work in a company in Serbia,<\/li><li>to establish a company or entrepreneurship,<\/li><li>gaining ownership over real estate,<\/li><li>family reunification.<\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Answers to the following questions will provide you with thorough information about each legal ground.<\/p><p>Of course, each case is individual and deserves a special review, therefore, having professional legal assistance in the procedure of obtaining a temporary residence permit in Serbia is advisable. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/practice-areas\/serbia-immigration-lawyer\/\">attorneys specializing in the field of immigration law<\/a> and the rights of foreigners would be more than glad to provide you with the proper legal advice and the best solution for your case.<\/p><p>For example, Ivan Ivanov can establish his own company or a consulting agency. He has the right to purchase real estate in Belgrade. Also, Ivan Ivanov can become an employee at Yandex Serbia. All the abovementioned situations could represent Ivan\u2019s legal grounds to apply for a temporary residence permit in Serbia.<\/p><p>If you want to read more about the general FAQ on <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/serbia-residence-permit\/\">moving to Serbia<\/a> to help you better understand some of the basic rules and possibilities, feel free to dive in.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-f8wdpi-7b477a7f63d506e4eeac70e102f3dee7 av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-18 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2>How Long Does It Take to Get Temporary Residence in Serbia?<\/h2><p>\u00a0<\/p><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-k870di1w-e2045090b0475bc0ddb40242603703e2\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>To legally stay in Serbia for longer than 30 days, Russian citizens must apply for a temporary residence permit, based on several possible legal grounds. If they want to work, together with the temporary residence permit, Russian citizens must apply for the work permit.<\/p><p>In the joint procedure for temporary residence and work permit, which is a novelty in Serbian immigration legislation, it is possible to obtain both permits. Competitive authorities have 30 days from the day of submission of the joint application, to decide upon each request.<\/p><p>That said, the duration of the procedure before the authorities is 30 days; however, together with the preparation of the documents, depending on each case, the whole procedure can take up to 2 months.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-439475y-84de42ecc0414c083e0e0bc85f914411 av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-20 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">Do Russians Need to Stay in Serbia During the Process?<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-k870di1w-e2045090b0475bc0ddb40242603703e2\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>No, from the day of applying to the day Russian citizens must collect the decision on an approved temporary residence permit, they are free to leave the country at any moment.<\/p><p>If you are keen on the electronic world and trying to avoid waiting in queues in the Police Department for Foreigners, the possibility of an <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/serbia-residence-permit\/\">online application for a temporary residence permit<\/a> is the perfect solution for you. But the electronic application is not enabled for the joint application, so you would have to apply for the work permit in a separate procedure.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-3m96vly-563fceec4016ef88e648701b5b0338f9 av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-22 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">Can Russians Moving to Serbia Work Without Restrictions?<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Yes, Russian citizens are eligible to work in Serbian companies. They can be in employment relationships just like Serbian citizens, with some special pre-conditions that have to be met, following Serbian Law on the employment of foreign citizens<a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/russian-citizens-moving-to-serbia\/#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[2]<\/a>.<\/p><p>For example, if Ivan Ivanov wants to be employed by a Serbian company, his employer must undertake several legal steps to employ him. Some of them are initiating the test before the competent authority to determine whether some Serbian citizens are eligible to work in Ivan\u2019s job position.<\/p><p>Also, to work in Serbia, Ivan Ivanov must bring his diploma or certificate to prove his education, since that is one of the documents necessary to submit to the competent authority to obtain a work permit.<\/p><p>The procedure for being employed in a Serbian company as a Russian citizen is more complex than establishing a company or entrepreneurship since more legal actions and steps are required. However, the fact is that Russian citizens are entitled to all rights connected to the labor law and employment status, as Serbian citizens are, which can be more than beneficial.<\/p><p>If you are wondering whether you have collected all relevant documents for applying for the temporary residence and work permit based on your employment status and whether your employment agreement is in accordance with the relevant immigration and labor laws, bear in mind that our law firm has specialists in both fields of law. Furthermore, if an employer is planning to employ Russian citizens, they might be interested in the possibility of using <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/employer-tax-benefits\/\">employer tax benefits<\/a>.<a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/russian-citizens-moving-to-serbia\/#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\"><\/a><\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-2yqkhdy-4cf290777dda19e66a3b32d68c3dd2a4 av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-24 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">Can Russians Moving to Serbia Open a Company?<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Definitely yes. Serbia is an open market for people ready to set up their companies and expand their business in this part of Europe. Russian citizens have the right to <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/serbia-company-formation\/\">open a company<\/a> or entrepreneurship, just like they are entitled to work in Serbia.<\/p><p>Depending on business plans and preferences, one can decide to go down the path of establishing an LLC (limited liability company) or entrepreneurship, and both are equal legal grounds to apply for a residency permit in Serbia. Please bear in mind that in both options, Russian citizens must obtain a work permit, but in this case, the work permit will be based on self-employment, unlike the previous option, where the work permit will be based on employment status.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-2jyntja-35a744ca2c828e6ec1a9e032a44c4bff av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-26 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">Can Russians Moving to Serbia Buy Property?<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>One of the advantages\u00a0<span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">of Russians moving to Serbia is that they are eligible to <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/can-foreigners-buy-property-in-serbia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">purchase<\/a><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/can-foreigners-buy-property-in-serbia\/\">\u00a0real estate in Serbia<\/a>. As mentioned before, gaining ownership over real estate presents one of the commonly used legal grounds to obtain a temporary residence permit.<\/p><p>In our previous blog, we explained the main guidelines regarding <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/foreigner-buying-property-in-serbia\/\">foreigners buying property in Serbia<\/a>. A well-known fact is that between Serbia and Russia exists factual reciprocity, which implies that Serbian citizens can buy real estate in Russia, as well as Russian citizens can buy real estate in Serbia.<\/p><p>However, Russian citizens cannot buy any type of real estate. The prohibition of buying <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/land-for-sale-serbia\/\">agricultural land in Serbia<\/a> by foreign citizens is also applicable in this case.<\/p><p>If you are interested in this topic, you are probably wondering how you can pay the purchase price. Are there any problems related to the payment method? This brings us to the next frequently asked question.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-1ycg4py-b6d71834912e03fd0d9c1e5c90006aa6 av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-28 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">Can Russian Citizens Open Bank Accounts in Serbia?<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Normally, Russian citizens have the right to submit necessary documents and to open a <a href=\"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/non-resident-bank-account-serbia\/\">non-resident bank account in Serbia<\/a>. There are no restrictions or prohibitions for them to do so.<\/p><p>In the previous past months, a lot of different practices and cases occurred, but the conclusion is that transactions from and to Russia in designated banks are, somewhat and for the time being, going normally. The main link and factor in this transaction circle are the correspondent banks. Also, each bank has the discretionary power to decide not to open a non-resident bank account for each foreigner, not only for Russian citizens, due to different KYC procedures.<\/p><p>Opening a non-resident bank account is significant from the aspect of the temporary residence permit procedure since Russian citizens must prove that they have enough means to support themselves. The proof is whether an employment agreement or depositing a certain amount of money in a non-resident bank account in Serbia.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-1jljwli-ebe4b5e12bf16cf2b804e76a1e93bf99 av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-30 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">How Can Russian Citizens Relocate Their Families to Serbia?<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Family reunification with a foreigner on an approved temporary residence permit is a legal ground for their spouses, children, common-law partners, and some other family members explicitly enlisted in Law on Foreigners, to apply for the temporary residence permit.<\/p><p>Take the example of Ivan Ivanov. His wife Natalia can move together with him to Serbia, or she can join him later on, once his temporary residence permit is approved. Their two minor twins, Maria and Vera can come with them and apply on the ground of family reunification, but their son Viktor, who is 20 years old, cannot apply for the temporary residence permit on the same legal ground as his minor sisters. But, Viktor can be employed in his father\u2019s company, or if his father Ivan decides to be employed in a Serbian company, maybe Viktor can also try to find a job in the Serbian market, or open a consulting firm (entrepreneur\u2019s agency).<\/p><p>As can be seen from this example, spouses and minor children are entitled to seek temporary residence through family reunifications, but people over 18 years are not entitled to apply based on this ground.<\/p><p>You are probably wondering how Russian citizens can indeed prove their family relations. That is why Russian citizens should have in mind the obligation to bring Birth Certificates and Marriage Certificates once moving to Serbia.<\/p><p>One of the many perks is that due to good bilateral relations between Russia and Serbia, there is no need for international legalization of those documents. In other words, Ivan and Natalia should bring their Marriage Certificate, and Birth Certificates for Maria and Vera. Once they come to Serbia, they will translate the abovementioned documents into the Serbian language, and they will be ready for use.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-16l8c5i-9130f4ddec4e0ebe7fed4effc9bfa122 av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-32 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">Can Common-Law Partners Move to Serbia Too?<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>The existence of common-law marriage (long-lasting cohabitation by two persons of different sexes without formally being married) is also a way of family reunification. Under Serbian law, marriage and common-law marriage have the same strength and significance, and it can be said that both cohabitation units are almost equal.<\/p><p>Therefore, a common-law partner of Russian citizens can come to Serbia and apply for a temporary residence permit. The most challenging part of the process of obtaining a residency permit, in this case, is that common-law partners must prove the existence and duration of their common-law marriage.<\/p><\/div><\/section><div class=\"av-special-heading av-pnbw1y-e894fff6b9071e3da68a6a73e07dfec4 av-special-heading-h2 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered avia-builder-el-34 el_after_av_textblock el_before_av_textblock av-inherit-size av-linked-heading\"><h2>\u00a0<\/h2><h2 class=\"av-special-heading-tag\">Still Have Questions About Moving to Serbia?<\/h2><\/div><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Since we are aware that deciding to transfer your life and residency from Russia to Serbia is not that easy, and has a lot of advantages and downsides, we tried to explain important things that you might be concerned about that particularly relate to Russian citizens.<\/p><p>If you decide to come to Serbia and obtain a temporary residence permit, we would be more than glad to provide legal assistance and give you a warm welcome in Serbia. In that way, you will be able to find out for yourself why Serbia has become Europe\u2019s hidden jewel in terms of quality of living.<\/p><\/div><\/section><section class=\"av_textblock_section av-kk59h4i-86bdef1decbcf57c6d1793bd34733046\"><div class=\"avia_textblock\"><h6>\u00a0<\/h6><h6>[1] Law on Foreigners (\u201e<em>Official Gazette\u201c, no. 24\/2018 and 31\/2019<\/em>), Serbian version \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.parlament.gov.rs\/upload\/archive\/files\/cir\/pdf\/zakoni\/2018\/3791-17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.parlament.gov.rs\/upload\/archive\/files\/cir\/pdf\/zakoni\/2018\/3791-17.pdf<\/a><\/h6><h6>[2] Law on Employment of Foreign Citizens (\u201e<em>Official Gazzette<\/em>\u201c, no. 128\/2014, 113\/2017, 50\/2018 and 31\/2019), Serbian version \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.parlament.gov.rs\/upload\/archive\/files\/cir\/pdf\/zakoni\/2018\/2264-18.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">http:\/\/www.parlament.gov.rs\/upload\/archive\/files\/cir\/pdf\/zakoni\/2018\/2264-18.pdf<\/a><\/h6><\/div><\/section>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Serbia is becoming a more and more interesting place for living for foreign citizens. Maybe it is because of the location, people, and style of life, but what is certain, is the liberality when it comes to immigration law and policies. If you walk through the streets of Serbian towns, it is quite likely you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":67940,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"class_list":["post-39949","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rights-of-foreigners"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39949"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39949\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67948,"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39949\/revisions\/67948"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67940"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zuniclaw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}