Standard of living in Serbia
The World Bank classifies Serbia as a middle-income country, and its economy is transitioning from public sector dominance to a market-based model. The service sector accounts for more than half of the country's gross domestic product. Crime in Serbia is rapidly declining and is much lower in terms of indicators than in Russia. The lifestyle of the locals in the country is relaxed and slow, as elsewhere in the Balkans.
According to the release ZR10 of the Statistical Office of the Republic (No. 353 of December 25, 2020), the average net earnings per employee in the Republic of Serbia in October 2021 amounted to 60,000 RSD (about 500 EUR). Employment in the information sector, as well as in the field of software development, gives the opportunity to earn from 1000 EUR per month at the beginning of a career. Food, clothing and rent in Serbia are much cheaper than in Western Europe, so a salary of 500 EUR provides enough purchasing power to live at the European middle class level.
Employment
Employment in Serbia is a chance to have comfortable working conditions and relatively high wages. To join a Serbian company, you must request an official work visa. In fact, the country issues a single visa. To apply, you must receive an invitation from the company. On this basis, the migrant is issued a permit to work at a specific enterprise, which must first prove the need to enroll a foreign specialist on the staff.
Pros and cons of permanent residence
Moving for permanent residence to Serbia gives many preferences to Russian citizens. One of the main advantages is the right to obtain Serbian citizenship after 3 years of stay in the country as a permanent resident. A Serbian passport gives you the opportunity to travel visa-free to 130 countries around the world, and in the future become an EU citizen.
Other advantages of Serbian permanent residence:
Ethnic and religious similarity of the Serbian and Russian peoples;
Ease of adaptation in society and ease of learning the Serbian language;
Low prices for real estate, utilities, food and household items;
Favorable conditions for starting a business, low start-up capital and simplicity of the procedure;
The ability to choose which taxes to pay - Serbian or Russian;
The proximity of the Balkan states for tourist visa-free travel.
Despite the many advantages, living in Serbia also has its disadvantages, including low pensions, the high cost of transport fuel and limited access for foreigners to the local labor market. In contrast to the disadvantages, Russians can receive a pension from the Russian Federation, use public transport, and easily get a job with high qualifications and experience.
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Business registration
A migrant can apply for a residence permit, and then Serbian citizenship by registering his own business. Foreigners are allowed to open their own business on the territory of Serbia, subject to compliance with the relevant laws. A person can buy or rent real estate and locate his business there. Office rental is acceptable for a period of 12 months or more.
Registration of an LLC provides for the transfer of taxes to Serbia and provides the opportunity to move to the state. To do this, you should open an account in a Serbian bank and place funds for an annual residence in the country.
The state fee for opening an LLC is 35 euros. Authorized capital - 500 euros. If you want to register an OJSC, you will have to pay a state tax (100 euros) and prepare an authorized capital (10 thousand euros). For a closed joint-stock company, the state duty will also be 100 euros, but the amount of the authorized capital will be 25 thousand euros. All funds are paid in local currency (Serbian dinars).
Permanent residence is issued after 5-10 years of residence under a residence permit. It does not matter whether the company is functioning or not. To comply with the law, it is enough to register it according to the requirements of Serbia and pay taxes.
In addition to the above types of activities, a migrant can open an individual entrepreneurship. Before completing the paperwork, it is better to consult with a qualified lawyer. He will suggest ways to move to Serbia and options for obtaining Serbian citizenship.
Immigration methods for Russian citizens
Russians can move for permanent residence to the Republic of Serbia in several ways. According to the Law on Foreigners, the Serbian authorities consider the following as grounds for obtaining a permanent residence permit:
Purchase of real estate;
Opening or purchasing a business;
Employment;
Getting an education;
Family reunification and marriage;
Through refugee.
It is also possible to become a permanent resident of Serbia through the performance of religious duties or due to the need for long-term treatment.
In special cases, permanent residence may also be granted:
A foreigner who has spent at least 3 years continuously on the territory of the Republic of Serbia in a marital or extramarital union with a citizen of the Republic of Serbia or a foreigner who has been granted a permanent residence permit on the basis of family reunification;
A minor temporarily residing in the Republic of Serbia, if one of the parents is a citizen of the Republic of Serbia or a foreigner who has been granted a permanent residence permit;
A citizen of a foreign state who has confirmed that he or his immediate relatives are citizens of the Republic of Serbia by right of birth;
Another foreigner who has been granted a temporary residence permit, if this is required for humanitarian reasons or if it is in the interests of the Republic of Serbia.
Real estate
The purchase of residential and commercial real estate gives the right to obtain a residence permit in the Republic of Serbia for a period of 12 months. By confirming the use of real estate for 5 years in a row, a foreigner has the right to apply for permanent residence.
Business immigration
Entrepreneurship in Serbia makes it possible to obtain a residence permit, and if you successfully conduct business in the country, after 5 years of updating your temporary resident status, obtain permanent residence. Particularly large investments in the state’s economy give the right to obtain permanent residence 3 years after obtaining a residence permit.
Employment
The work of foreigners in the Republic of Serbia is regulated by the Law on the Employment of Foreigners and the Work Permit Regulations. A foreign citizen enjoys the right to work in the territory of the Republic of Serbia if he has a temporary residence permit or permanent work permit and a work permit. The act of issuing, extending, canceling and terminating a work permit is carried out by the National Employment Service.
Education
A foreign citizen who has entered an accredited higher education institution for the purpose of obtaining higher education in accordance with regulations regulating the field of higher education is issued a temporary residence permit in Serbia for the entire period of study. Upon completion of your studies, you must have a work permit to obtain permanent residence.
Marriage or family reunion
Family reunification makes it possible to obtain a permanent residence permit in Serbia after 3 years of residence in the country with the status of a residence permit. Temporary residence on the basis of family reunification can be granted to the closest relatives of a Serbian citizen or to a foreigner who is the closest relative of a resident of the republic. Immediate relatives are defined as spouses, extramarital partners, their children born in or out of wedlock, and unmarried stepchildren under 18 years of age.
Immigration for Russian pensioners
Russians of retirement age can move to Serbia for permanent residence on the same basis as able-bodied citizens of the Russian Federation. The main condition for moving to permanent residence is actual legal residence in the country for at least 5 years. In case of family reunification, permanent residence permit is issued to the pensioner after 3 years of continuous stay in Serbia.
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other methods
Persons who have asked for asylum from the authorities of the republic can immigrate to Serbia if they provide compelling evidence of oppression in their homeland. Representatives of various religious denominations also have the right to move to a permanent place of residence if their activities in Serbia are legal and justified by relevant documents.
Studying at a university
Studying at foreign universities gives students the opportunity to have experience of foreign study and allows them to find employment abroad. One of the options for obtaining a Serbian residence permit is to enroll in one of the country’s universities. This right is granted to foreign citizens who wish to receive an inexpensive education according to European standards. Duration of training is from 4 to 7 years (depending on the degree obtained). In this case, the foreign student receives a residence permit for the entire duration of his studies. To obtain a residence permit based on admission to a Serbian university, you must submit an invitation from the country's educational institution and a certificate of availability of funds for living.
Migrants from Russia highly appreciate higher education in Serbia not only for its European level, but also for its reasonable cost - from 1,500 to 4 thousand euros (the price depends on the chosen faculty).
Upon completion of training, migrants can find employment in a local company.
How to move to Serbia for permanent residence?
Permanent residence is the actual residence of a foreigner in Serbia with the right to multiple absences from the territory of the republic for up to 10 months or one-time departure for up to 6 months in 5 years. Permanent resident status is granted after submitting an application and the corresponding package of documents.
List of required documents
Documentation required for permanent residence permit in Serbia:
A valid foreign passport (the passport is attached for verification, and a photocopy is attached to the request);
Proof of means of subsistence;
Confirmation of medical insurance;
Registration of the residential address in the Republic of Serbia at which the foreigner was granted a residence permit;
Confirmation of payment of the established administrative fee.
In addition to the above documents, depending on the basis on which the foreigner was previously granted temporary residence in the Republic of Serbia, and which is a condition for filing a request for permanent residence, some of the following documents are attached:
Confirmation of ownership of real estate (extract from the real estate register);
Confirmation of employment in the Republic of Serbia;
Marriage certificate at least 6 months old and a civil marriage certificate for the spouse if he is a Serbian citizen;
A document confirming the existence of a marriage union with a foreigner who has been granted permanent residence, in accordance with the national legislation of the country in which the marriage union was created;
Confirmation of the marital status of both partners and other evidence of the existence of an extramarital union;
Proof of origin from the Republic of Serbia (birth certificate of the applicant, as well as one or both parents).
Evidence that has not been issued by the competent authorities of the Republic of Serbia must be provided with translation by a certified court translator. Applications by a foreigner that serve as evidence of fulfillment of the relevant legal conditions for the provision of temporary or permanent residence must be notarized.
Obtaining a residence permit
A temporary residence permit is a necessary condition for obtaining permanent residence in Serbia. The process of obtaining a residence permit consists of several stages:
1
Obtaining a border police stamp upon entry into Serbia.
2
Registration of place of residence within 24 hours after arrival.
3
Submitting an application for a residence permit to the police department at your place of residence.
4
Receiving a stamp in your passport for temporary residence permit.
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Obtaining permanent residence
The application for permanent residence is submitted by the foreigner in person to the Belgrade Police Department or the police station in accordance with the place where he was granted temporary residence. A foreigner who has been granted permanent residence is issued a biometric identity card.
When submitting an application for the issuance of a biometric identity card, a foreigner must attach confirmation of payment of the established fee (Republican administrative fee according to tariff No. 37). The application for permanent residence is submitted in person, and the application is accompanied by complete documentation, that is, all established evidence.
The text was moderated by
Alexander Samoilov, Leading migration specialist in the direction of “Immigration to the EU”
Documents for obtaining a residence permit
Based on marriage, study, work, purchase of real estate or opening your own business, you can obtain permission to reside in Serbia legally. To obtain a permit, you must prepare the following package of documents:
- international passport;
- original and copy of general passport;
- two photos 35*45 mm (color);
- certificate of registration at a specific address in Serbia;
- a bank account statement containing at least 3,500 euros;
- a copy of the health insurance policy;
- work permit in a Serbian company (if necessary);
- real estate purchase and sale agreement (if necessary);
- confirmation of opening your own business (if necessary);
- marriage certificate with a Serb (if necessary);
- papers confirming the presence of family ties with a Serb (if necessary);
- invitation from a Serbian university (if necessary);
- a completed application form for a residence permit;
- receipt of payment of the state tax (16 thousand Serbian dinars).
A residence permit will be issued based on the submitted papers for a period of 3 to 12 months. Later the permit is extended. You should apply for an extension one month before the permit expires. Consideration of the application takes from 3 to 4 weeks.
The received document gives the migrant the right to social protection and medical care. In addition, the procedure for obtaining Schengen and other visa documents is significantly simplified. A migrant can also buy a car and register it with a Serbian license plate.
It should be remembered that if you have a residence permit, you can be absent from Serbia for no more than 6 months at a time. Over the course of 5 years, total absence is permitted for no longer than 11 months.
Before contacting the Consular Section, you should discuss all issues with qualified lawyers. Our portal specialists conduct online consultations, which allows you to significantly save money and time. Contact with a lawyer is carried out upon preliminary request by telephone or through an online form. Consultation on simple issues is free. Further support of clients occurs on a commercial basis. Contact with a specialist is available 24/7.
What to do if a Russian is denied permanent residence?
Serbia is a friendly country for Russian citizens, and Russians manage to go to Serbia for permanent residence or a residence permit the first time. But sometimes, in response to a request for permanent residence, applicants are refused. If the response to the application is negative, the decision of the inspection commission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be appealed in court.
In any case, it is worth enlisting the support of experienced migration lawyers. Specialists will help identify inconsistencies in documents and eliminate the reasons why there is a possibility of refusal of permanent residence. Legal assistance is a key driving force in considering the application and obtaining a positive response.
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