D Visa for Serbia
What is a D visa for Serbia
Nationals of certain countries need a D visa in order to come to Serbia and then apply for temporary residence. With a number of other countries the Republic of Serbia has a visa free regime, so their nationals do not need a visa to enter at all.
The D visa is the long stay visa. It is the door, not the destination: it lets you enter the country with the intention of staying, and the actual right to live and work here comes from the residence permit you apply for once you are in Serbia. It is granted on a specific ground, most often employment, education or family.
Everything on this page turns on one question that takes us a minute to answer, and that people spend weeks guessing at: does your passport need a visa for Serbia at all. Ask that first, before you book anything.
Grounds for a D visa
The visa is issued for a purpose, and the purpose has to match the residence permit you intend to apply for afterwards.
Employment
The most common ground. It leads to the single permit for residence and work after arrival.
Education
For pupils, students and people coming for study or research.
Family
For family members joining a Serbian citizen or a foreign national with approved residence.
Visa free entry
Nationals of a number of countries do not need any visa to enter Serbia and apply for residence directly.
A tourist stay is not a work permit
A C visa or visa free entry is a tourist stay. It does not carry the right to work, no matter how long it lasts.
What happens after you land
Address registration within 24 hours, then the application for temporary residence or a single permit.
From application to arrival
A D visa application can be filed online through Serbia’s portal for foreign nationals or submitted in printed form at a diplomatic mission.
If you are not sure whether your passport needs a visa at all, our guide on D visa or visa free entry to Serbia goes through the difference and what each route means for the rest of the procedure.
- Checking whether your passport needs a visa at all
- Choosing the ground, most often employment or family
- Supporting documents, translation and apostille
- Filing the visa application, online or at a diplomatic mission
- Arrival, and address registration within 24 hours
- Application for temporary residence or a single permit
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to enter Serbia?
It depends on your citizenship. Some nationalities enter Serbia visa free, others need a visa before travelling. We are here to help you determine whether a visa is required for your entry and stay, and which procedure applies in your specific case. It takes one conversation.
What is the difference between a C visa and a D visa?
A C visa is a short stay visa, for visits. A D visa is the long stay visa, granted on a specific ground such as employment, education or family, for people who intend to stay and then regulate their residence in Serbia.
How long can I stay in Serbia?
The length of permitted stay depends on your citizenship and on the visa regime that applies to it. Visa free entry does not mean unlimited stay, and overstaying is one of the situations that is hardest to repair afterwards. If you intend to remain longer, temporary residence is the route.
Where do I apply for a D visa?
The application can be completed online through Serbia’s portal for foreign nationals, or submitted in printed form at a diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Serbia. Which route suits you depends on your country and on your documents, and we tell you before you start filling anything in.
What do I do after I arrive in Serbia?
Two things, quickly. Your stay has to be registered within 24 hours of entry, which is the white card, and then the application for temporary residence, or for a single permit if you came to work, has to be filed. Having those documents ready before you travel is what makes the first week calm.
Can I work on a D visa?
The D visa for employment is the entry document that lets you come and apply. The right to work itself comes from the single permit for residence and work, which is applied for after arrival. So the visa is the first half of the route, not the whole of it.
