SerbiaFamily

Family reunification in Serbia

A ground for temporary residence in Serbia for spouses, partners in an extramarital union and close relatives of Serbian citizens or of foreign nationals with a local residence permit. The applicant confirms the family link with documents: a marriage, an extramarital union or kinship. Applications go to a police administration inside the country or to a consulate abroad. Adults who join an adult foreign national work without a separate permit.

Source: welcometoserbia.gov.rs — Spajanje porodice

How to apply: from abroad or already in Serbia

The ground of “family reunification” leads to a D visa or to a temporary residence permit — the way of filing depends on where the applicant is at the time of the application.

The applicant is still abroad

Applies for a D visa for the purpose of “family reunification” at the Serbian embassy or consulate for the place of residence
Attaches a marriage certificate, a birth certificate or evidence of an extramarital union, translated by a sworn translator
After entry, if a longer stay than the visa allows is needed, files an application for temporary residence in Serbia

The applicant is already in Serbia

Is already lawfully in the country — on a D visa, another ground of stay or another permitted entry
Files the application electronically on the eforeigner.welcometoserbia.gov.rs portal or in person at the territorial police administration of the Ministry of the Interior for the place of registered residence
For a minor the application is filed only in person by the legal representatives — electronic filing is not available for children

When the programme is not a fit

I am moving for work with a Serbian employer, not to join my family

The ground of “employment” — the residence and work permit (the single visa)

I want to obtain residence by buying property in Serbia

The ground of “property ownership” (vlasništvo nad nepokretnošću)

I am launching a start-up or investing in a Serbian company

The ground of “investor” or “start-up”

I have neither a marriage, nor an extramarital union, nor documented kinship — only a verbal arrangement about living together

First formalise the couple's status (registration of an extramarital union, joint documents) or choose another ground — study, work or independent residence

What it costs

Fee for filing the applicationPayable on any ground of temporary residence	430 RSD
Fee for approval of temporary residence (general rate)Applies where the reduced family rate does not — for example, on reunification with a foreign resident rather than with a Serbian citizen	23 450 RSD
Fee for approval of temporary residence through marriage, an extramarital union or kinship with a Serbian citizenThe reduced rate applies specifically to reunification with a Serbian citizen. Citizens of North Macedonia, Mongolia, Cyprus and Belarus pay only the fee for filing the application — RSD 430	11 725 RSD
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. the “Fee for approval of temporary residence through marriage, an extramarital union or kinship with a Serbian citizen” branch replaces the “Fee for approval of temporary residence (general rate)” line — 12 155 RSD. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	23 880 RSD

Paid separately

Consular fee for the D visa — Not included in the MUP fee for approval of residence; check with the Serbian embassy or consulate
Sworn translation of documents (marriage and birth certificates) — Paid separately, not covered by the state fee
Health insurance for the whole period of stay — Mandatory for approval of the application, but the price of the policy is not covered by the state fee

Documents to gather

The set depends on whom the reunification is with: a Serbian citizen or a foreign resident, in a marriage, in an extramarital union or as a relative.

A completed D visa form or an application for temporary residence
A valid passport — for at least 3 months longer than the period of stay requested (for a D visa: at least 90 days, at least two blank pages, issued no more than 10 years ago)
A photograph of the applicant in the prescribed format
A receipt for payment of the fees, or confirmation of payment when filing electronically
Proof of financial means of subsistence in Serbia
A valid health insurance policy
A marriage certificate translated by a sworn translator — for spouses
Evidence of an extramarital union: statements by both partners and extracts from the relevant registers — for unregistered couples
An extract from the birth register with a translation — for relatives (family members)
A copy of the decision granting asylum and the identity card — where the reunification is with a person granted asylum in Serbia
Registration of the address of residence in Serbia

How the process runs

The procedure is common to most grounds of temporary residence, including family reunification.

1
Filing the application
Electronically through the eforeigner.welcometoserbia.gov.rs portal or in person at the territorial police administration of the Ministry of the Interior for the place of the registered address of residence. For minors the application is filed only in person by the legal representatives.
2
Consideration of the application by MUP
30 days
The general time limit for a decision on a duly filed application is 30 days from the day of filing. The authority may request additional documents if the package is incomplete, which extends the consideration.
3
Receiving the decision and temporary residence status
After approval the applicant receives a temporary residence permit for a term of up to 3 years. An adult who has joined an adult foreign national automatically gains the right to work in Serbia without a separate employment permit.

Timelines and rights

Work

An adult who has been granted residence through reunification with an adult foreign national automatically gains the right to work in Serbia

Who you can bring with you

The programme divides applicants into four categories — the set of documents depends on them.

The spouse of a Serbian citizen

A marriage certificate translated by a sworn translator is required

The spouse of a foreign national with permanent settlement, temporary residence or asylum in Serbia

The same set of marriage documents; on reunification with a person granted asylum, a copy of the asylum decision and that person's identity card are additionally required

A partner in an extramarital union (vanbračna zajednica) with a Serbian citizen or a qualifying foreign national

Statements by both partners and extracts from the relevant registers are required, confirming that they live together and that neither is married

A family member (relative) of a Serbian citizen or of a foreign national with permitted residence

An extract from the birth register with a translation is required; where necessary, evidence of the absence of family support in the country of origin

An adult applicant who has joined an adult foreign national

Automatically gains the right to work in Serbia — no separate employment permit is required

Trips, renewal and the grace period

For stalno nastanjenje, 3 years of continuous residence are counted. Absences of 10 months in total, or one absence of 6 months in a row, are allowed.

An application to renew temporary residence is filed no earlier than 3 months before the current permit expires and no later than the day of its expiry. A permit on the ground of family reunification is issued for a term of up to 3 years and renewed for the same period as long as the ground — the marriage, the extramarital union or the kinship — remains. If the application is filed on time, the applicant may remain in Serbia until consideration is completed, even if the term of the previous permit has already expired.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Stalno nastanjenje is granted after 3 years of residence. A minor child of a Serbian citizen is granted it without that qualification.

Route to citizenship

The spouse of a Serbian citizen is granted citizenship under article 17: 3 years of marriage, approved stalno nastanjenje and a written statement that you consider Serbia your country. There is no need to renounce the previous citizenship. Everyone else applies under article 14, where a release from the previous citizenship is mandatory.

Frequently asked questions about Family reunification

How much does approval of temporary residence through family reunification cost?

The fee for filing the application is RSD 430 and is always payable. The fee for the approval itself on reunification with a Serbian citizen (through marriage, an extramarital union or kinship) is RSD 11,725. If you are joining a foreign national who has permanent settlement or temporary residence in Serbia rather than a Serbian citizen, the general rate of RSD 23,450 applies. Citizens of North Macedonia, Mongolia, Cyprus and Belarus pay only the fee for filing the application.

How long does a decision on a temporary residence application take?

The general time limit for a decision is 30 days from the day a duly completed application is filed. If the set of documents is incomplete, the authority requests what is missing and the consideration takes longer.

Can you work in Serbia on a permit obtained through family reunification?

Yes. An adult who has been granted residence through reunification with an adult foreign national automatically gains the right to work in Serbia — no separate employment permit needs to be arranged.

When should you apply to renew temporary residence?

No earlier than 3 months before the current permit expires and no later than the day of its expiry. If the application is filed on time, you may remain in Serbia until consideration of the new application is completed.

After how many years can you obtain stalno nastanjenje (permanent settlement)?

After 3 years of continuous residence in Serbia on the ground of temporary residence or the single visa. Over that time absences of no more than 10 months in total, or no more than 6 months in a row in a single period, are allowed. The application for stalno nastanjenje is filed no earlier than 60 days before the current permit expires and no later than the day of its expiry.

Other ways to move to Serbia

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Serbia.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.