In February 2024, Serbia launched the Foreigners Portal, enabling the submission of applications for the Unified Permit for residence and work for foreign nationals in the country. Since the portal’s inception, over 37,000 applications have been processed.
Foreign nationals or their employers can submit applications for the Unified Permit exclusively online through the Foreigners Portal, as stated by the Office for IT and eGovernment.
“The Foreigners Portal has simplified and expedited the process for foreign nationals who wish to live and work in Serbia. Since the portal’s launch, a total of 37,934 applications for the Unified Permit for temporary residence and work of foreign nationals in Serbia have been successfully resolved by December 31st. In December alone, 4,195 Unified Permits were issued,” said Dr. Mihailo Jovanović, Director of the Office for IT and eGovernment. He added that the Unified Permit is issued as a biometric document in the form of a card.
The Office for IT and eGovernment, in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran, and Social Affairs, and the National Employment Service, developed and launched the Foreigners Portal in February 2024.
It was explained that if a foreign national submits the application independently, they must have an account on the Portal for electronic identification. If the application is submitted by an employer, they must have a registered account on the eGovernment Portal as a legal entity, and the legal representative must also have a registered account.
Additionally, the legal representative of the legal entity must log into the eGovernment Portal and authorize someone to submit the Unified Permit application on behalf of the legal entity by assigning the “Working with Foreigners” role.
The Foreigners Portal also allows applications for a C visa, which is a short-stay visa for up to 90 days issued for tourism, business, or other travel purposes, as well as for single, multiple, or multiple entries into Serbia. Furthermore, it is possible to apply for a D visa, which is a long-stay visa for periods ranging from 90 to 180 days, issued based on employment, education, family reunification and similar reasons.
