Single Permit for Residence and Work in Serbia
What the single permit is
The single permit combines temporary residence and the right to work of a foreign national in Serbia into one document. Instead of regulating your stay in one procedure and your work in another, both rights are granted together, in a single procedure, and issued as one biometric card.
It is the standard route for anyone coming to Serbia to be employed by a company registered here, and for owners who work in their own Serbian company. If you have searched for a Serbia work permit or a Serbia TRC card, this is the document behind both of those terms.
The permit can be issued for a period of up to three years, depending on the ground of stay and on the documentation submitted, and it can be extended while the underlying situation continues. Time spent on an approved single permit counts towards the continuous residence that leads to permanent residence.
What the permit gives you
One document, one procedure, and a status that carries you further than a work permit alone.
Two rights in one procedure
The legal basis to stay and the legal basis to work, granted together instead of one after the other.
A biometric card
Issued for a period of up to three years, depending on the ground of stay and the documentation.
Filed by you or your employer
The foreign national, the employer on their behalf, or an authorised person can submit the application.
D visa first, for some passports
Nationals who need a visa to enter Serbia obtain a D visa for employment before applying.
It counts towards permanent residence
Years on an approved single permit count towards the three years of continuous lawful residence.
Some grounds work without it
Certain grounds of temporary residence can give access to the labour market without a single permit, which is checked case by case.
The procedure, step by step
Two things decide how your case runs: your citizenship, and whether the employer or you will file it.
For a realistic idea of the timeline, our guide on Serbian residence card processing time explains which parts of the process are actually the slow ones.
- Checking your entry route and the ground of stay
- Employment documentation from the employer in Serbia
- Document list, certified translation and apostille
- Address registration, the white card, within 24 hours of entry
- Filing the application, by you or by your employer
- Decision, and collection of the biometric card
Frequently asked questions
What is a single permit for residence and work?
It is a permit that combines temporary residence and the right to work in Serbia into one document, granted in one procedure. Simply put, instead of regulating residence and work separately, the single permit brings both rights together.
How long does a single permit last?
It can be issued for a period of up to three years, depending on the ground of stay and the documentation submitted, and it can be extended while your employment continues. The exact period granted follows from your situation and your file.
Who can submit the application?
The foreign national, the employer on the foreign national’s behalf, or an authorised person, in line with the prescribed procedure. Which route is practical depends on where you are at the moment and on how your employer prefers to work.
Can I work in Serbia without a single permit?
Certain grounds of temporary residence can give access to the labour market without a single permit. Whether that applies to you depends on the ground on which your residence was approved, so it has to be checked rather than assumed. What is certain is that a tourist stay never carries the right to work.
Do I need a D visa before applying?
It depends on your citizenship. Nationals of countries whose passports require a visa for Serbia first obtain a D visa on the ground of employment, then apply for the single permit. Nationals who enter visa free apply directly.
What happens if I change employer?
The permit is granted on the basis of a specific employment, so a change of employer has to be looked at rather than assumed to be automatic. Tell us before you sign anything new, and we will tell you what your case requires and what it means for the years you have already accumulated.
