Employment residence permit in Serbia
A permit for a foreign national hired by a Serbian company under an employment contract. A single document gives the right to live in the country and to work at the same time — no separate work licence is needed. Before the application the employer goes through the labour market test and confirms that no local candidate was found. The decision is taken by the Ministry of the Interior through the state portal. It suits those who already hold a formal job offer.
Source: welcometoserbia.gov.rs — single residence and work permit
Who can get this permit and on what ground
The single permit is issued on several grounds — the set of conditions differs depending on who the applicant is.
An employee under an employment contract
- You have a job offer or an employment contract from a Serbian company that complies with the Labour Law
- The employer has already received a positive opinion on the labour market test from the National Employment Service
- Your qualifications and experience match the position stated in the contract
A posted worker, a self-employed person or an independent professional
- You are posted to Serbia by a foreign company under business cooperation rather than under a new employment contract
- You register self-employment in Serbia or work as an independent professional
- You obtain the single permit on another contractual ground that confers rights under the Labour Law, rather than on an ordinary employment contract
When the programme is not a fit
I want to live in Serbia without taking a job with a Serbian employer
Temporary residence on the ground of independent living (on your own funds) — a separate ground on the Welcome to Serbia portal
I want to register my own company in Serbia and get a residence permit as its owner rather than as an employee
A visa for foreign company owners
I work remotely for a foreign company and am not signing an employment contract in Serbia
Digital nomad status in Serbia
I want a residence permit on the ground of investment in the Serbian economy rather than an employment contract
An investor visa
What it costs
| Filing the single permit application | 430 RSD |
|---|---|
| Approval of the single permit (residence permit plus work permit) | 22 770 RSD |
| Approval — reduced rate for citizens of North Macedonia, Mongolia, Cyprus and BelarusThese applicants pay only the filing fee — RSD 430 | 0 RSD |
| Arranging a family member through a separate temporary residence applicationRSD 430 for filing plus RSD 23,450 for approval of temporary residence on the ground of family reunification; the reduced rate of RSD 11,725 applies only to marriage or cohabitation with a Serbian citizen | +23 880 RSD |
| Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Arranging a family member through a separate temporary residence application” adds 23 880 RSD; the “Approval — reduced rate for citizens of North Macedonia, Mongolia, Cyprus and Belarus” branch replaces the “Approval of the single permit (residence permit plus work permit)” line — 430 RSD. Charges with no official price list are in the list below. | 23,200–47 080 RSD |
Paid separately
- Health insurance — required in order to file the application, but the portal does not regulate the policy or its price
- Recognition or nostrification of a diploma — a separate procedure on the portal; it is not covered by the single permit fee
- Labour market test — the procedure is initiated and handled by the employer through the National Employment Service, separately from the residence permit fee
Documents to gather
The single permit application is filed only electronically through the welcometoserbia.gov.rs portal — documents on this ground are not accepted in person.
- A passport valid for at least 3 months longer than the requested period of stay
- A photograph for the document
- An employment contract or another contract conferring rights under the Serbian Labour Law
- A positive opinion on the labour market test from the National Employment Service — the test is initiated by the employer
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof of the address of stay (registration) in Serbia
- Proof of sufficient means of subsistence
- A receipt for payment of the filing and approval fees for the single permit
How the process runs
The application is filed by the foreign national, if they hold an electronic identification, or by the employer through the welcometoserbia.gov.rs portal.
- 1
The employer goes through the labour market test
The employer, or a person authorised by it, files an application for the labour market test with the National Employment Service — the service checks whether a suitable local candidate for this position is registered with the employment exchange. Without a positive opinion the single permit application cannot be filed.
- 2
Filing the single permit application
15 days for considerationThe application is filed only electronically on the welcometoserbia.gov.rs portal. The Ministry of the Interior considers a complete set of documents for 15 days from the date of filing.
- 3
The Ministry's decision and the summons for biometrics
If the decision is positive, the applicant receives a notification in the eSanduk electronic account with the date to appear at the local office of the Ministry of the Interior to give biometric data.
- 4
Giving biometric data
The foreign national appears in person at the stated office of the Ministry of the Interior for the place where the address is registered and gives fingerprints and a photograph.
- 5
Issue of the single permit
The Ministry of the Interior issues the single permit as a biometric card with the foreign national's registration number — the document confirms the right to stay and work for the term of the employment contract, but for no longer than 36 months.
Who you can bring with you
A spouse or another family member may join the holder of the single permit — the set of documents depends on the ground chosen.
A spouse or a partner in a marriage or extramarital cohabitation
Other family members
Trips, renewal and the grace period
An address; compliance with the terms of employment
The single permit may be renewed no earlier than 3 months before, and no later than the day of, the expiry of the current permit — the application is filed on the same ground as the first one. The maximum term of each period is 36 months (3 years). If the application is filed on time, the foreign national stays in Serbia lawfully until the end of the administrative procedure. Renewal is refused if the previous stay was used for a purpose other than the one for which it was approved.
What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship
Route to permanent residence
Usually after 3 years
Route to citizenship
After permanent residence, under the general rules
Frequently asked questions about Employment residence permit
How much does the single work and residence permit in Serbia cost?
How long does it take to consider the single permit application?
For how long is the employment residence permit issued and how is it renewed?
When can you apply for permanent residence after moving for employment?
Is the labour market test mandatory in order to hire a foreign national in Serbia?
Other ways to move to Serbia
- AzilAsylum / refugee status
- Single residence and work permitWork
- Study residence permitStudy
- Residence permit through Serbian originOrigin
- Residence permit for investors and start-up foundersInvestment and business
- Family reunificationFamily
- Permanent residence — permanent settlementPermanent residence
- Naturalisation — admission of a foreign national to citizenshipCitizenship
- Citizenship for members of the Serbian peopleCitizenship by descent
- Citizenship by descentCitizenship by descent
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: 8 August 2026.