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Last modified: 2026-09-28

# Student Residence Permit in Serbia: How to Get Temporary Residence for Study

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To study in Serbia beyond your visa-free or visa period, you need temporary residence (privremeni boravak) on the basis of study. Whether you first need a long-stay visa D depends on your passport: citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, for example, enter visa-free for up to 30 days and apply to the Ministry of the Interior in person or online, even from abroad, while citizens of visa countries such as Uzbekistan need a visa D first. The key document is a certificate of enrolment from an accredited institution, plus proof of funds, health insurance and an address. The permit is issued for up to three years, never longer than your programme. By law the Ministry decides within 30 days, and state fees come to about $252 (RSD 26,070).

| At a glance | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Status | temporary residence on the basis of study (privremeni boravak po osnovu studiranja) |
| Decision maker | Ministry of the Interior: Aliens Department in Belgrade, police administrations elsewhere |
| Visa-free entry examples | Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus: up to 30 days on an ordinary passport; Uzbekistan: visa required |
| Where to apply | in person at the police administration for your address, or online at welcometoserbia.gov.rs |
| Legal processing time | 30 days |
| Permit length | up to 3 years; for shorter programmes, the length of the programme |
| Fees (2026) | RSD 430 application, RSD 23,450 temporary residence, RSD 2,190 permit issuance |
| Work | allowed without a work permit; the law and the government portal state different hour limits (20 vs 16 per week) |
| Permanent residence | cannot be requested while on a study basis; after a change of basis, study time counts at half |

Terazije street in central Belgrade, Serbia. Photo: Aktron / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B%C4%9Blehrad,_Terazije,_k%C5%99i%C5%BEovatka.jpg), [CC BY 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0).

## When a student needs residence {#section-1}

Under the Serbian Law on Foreigners (Article 40), temporary residence is granted to foreigners staying longer than 90 days in any 180-day period, or longer than a period set by an international agreement or by a long-stay visa. For many nationalities the visa-free stay is shorter than 90 days (30 days for Russian, Kazakh and Belarusian ordinary passports), so a semester of study always requires residence rather than repeated border runs.

The law separates three study-related bases:

| Basis | For whom | Key document | Length |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Study (Article 48) | bachelor's, master's, doctoral students at an accredited institution | certificate of enrolment stating the programme length | up to 3 years, or the programme length if shorter |
| Learning Serbian to continue education (Article 47) | applicants who learn the language before enrolling | course certificate with start date and duration, plus proof of intent to study: recognition in progress, tuition paid or a letter from the institution | course length |
| International exchange (Article 49) | exchange students | confirmation of participation with programme dates | exchange length |

Since 1 February 2024 Serbia has issued a single residence and work permit (jedinstvena dozvola) for employment-related bases. Students receive an ordinary temporary residence permit, and their right to work comes from the study basis itself (see below).

## Entry: visa-free or visa D {#section-2}

Visa-free nationals. The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the visa regime per country. Russian, Kazakh and Belarusian ordinary passport holders can stay up to 30 days. Apply for residence while your stay is still lawful. Article 41(3) of the Law on Foreigners allows online applications from abroad. You still need an address in Serbia: Article 43 requires proof of registered stay or residential address, so arrange a lease or the landlord's consent in advance.

Visa nationals (for example Uzbekistan). First obtain a visa D, a long-stay visa valid for 90 to 180 days, through a Serbian consulate or the e-visa portal. The residence basis must match the visa basis (Article 41(5)): a visa issued for study leads to a study-based residence application.

If you come for 30 days to sit an entrance exam and enrolment is confirmed later, count the days. A timely application lets you stay until it is decided (Article 41(7)).

## Documents {#section-3}

The Ministry's list for the study basis:

1. Application for approval or extension of temporary residence (online form or the Ministry's paper form).
2. Valid passport, valid for at least three months beyond the requested period (Article 43).
3. Two colour photographs, 35×45 mm, if you apply in person.
4. Proof of payment of administrative fees.
5. Landlord's consent to register you at the address, or a lease.
6. Proof of means of subsistence for the planned stay.
7. Health insurance for the planned stay.
8. Certificate of enrolment at an institution accredited by the Ministry of Education, stating the programme length; for extensions, a certificate of attendance with the year of enrolment and programme length.

Funds. Neither the law nor the Ministry's list sets a minimum amount; the officer assesses whether your means cover the stay. A bank statement in your name, a scholarship award or a parental guarantee with the parents' statement are typical. For realistic budgets, see [the cost of studying in Serbia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-serbia).

Insurance. You need cover for the whole period. The Faculty of Medical Sciences in Kragujevac, which asks for insurance at enrolment, names two options: the foreign-insurance office in Belgrade (Nemanjina 30) or any private insurer.

No recognition documents at the Ministry. The Ministry wants the certificate of enrolment. Recognition of your school certificate or degree is what the university needs to enrol you; see [diploma recognition in Serbia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-diploma-recognition-in-serbia).

## Step by step {#section-4}

1. Get your certificate of enrolment from the faculty's student office, usually after paying the first tuition instalment. International students often receive an English "Certificate of Enrollment". Check that it shows the academic year and programme length.
2. Register your address. Hotels, hostels and dormitories register foreign guests themselves. A private landlord must register you within 24 hours of arrival, at the police or electronically via eUprava. The registered address must match the address in your application.
3. Arrange insurance and proof of funds. Get the bank statement shortly before applying.
4. Apply. Online: create an account at welcometoserbia.gov.rs, choose temporary residence on the basis of study and upload scans. Fees are paid by card on the portal or with a payment order generated there; the application counts as submitted only after payment. In person: at the police administration for your address (in Belgrade, the Aliens Department).
5. Wait for the decision. Article 42 gives the Ministry 30 days, during which it obtains a security assessment. Missing documents will be requested.
6. Give biometrics and collect the card. Online applicants receive an appointment in their eSanduče electronic mailbox. The permit is a biometric card.

## Costs {#section-5}

Fees are set by the Law on Republic Administrative Fees and indexed every year. The 2026 amounts:

| Fee | RSD | USD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Application | 430 | $4 |
| Temporary residence approval | 23,450 | $227 |
| Issuance of the residence permit | 2,190 | $21 |
| Total state fees | 26,070 | $252 |

On top of this the Ministry charges for producing the biometric card; when you apply online, the portal calculates everything. Budget separately for insurance, translations and bank charges.

## Validity and extension {#section-6}

Length. Temporary residence can be granted for up to three years and extended for the same period (Article 44). For study, if the programme is shorter than three years, residence covers the programme (Article 48). Your enrolment certificate and passport validity cap the term.

Extension. Apply no earlier than three months and no later than the expiry date (Article 41(6)), with a fresh certificate that you are still studying. A timely application lets you stay until the decision. Late applications are considered only in exceptional cases.

Refusal. Grounds include a passport that is too short, unmet general conditions, an entry ban, doubts about the purpose of stay, and, for extensions, not using the previous permit for its purpose (Article 45), for example not attending your studies. You can appeal within 15 days.

## Working while you study {#section-7}

You may work without a separate work permit: the Law on Employment of Foreigners (Article 3) grants this to holders of study or student-exchange residence. The hour limit differs between sources:

- the law (Article 17) lets an employer hire a student for no more than 20 hours a week and 80 hours a month during teaching periods;
- the government's Welcome to Serbia portal states a right to work up to 16 hours a week.

Until the discrepancy is resolved, stay within 16 hours a week during term or ask your employer to confirm with the National Employment Service. Students under 26 often work through student cooperatives, whose income is taxed at 20% after standardised costs and a tax reduction, with pension and health contributions of 4% and 2%.

Earnings do not replace proof of funds at application or extension.

## After graduation: change of basis and permanent residence {#section-8}

Permanent residence (stalno nastanjenje) requires three years of continuous temporary residence (Article 67). You cannot apply while your basis is study. After switching to another basis, such as employment, only half of the time spent studying counts. Continuity breaks if you are absent for more than ten months in total or more than six months at once within three years.

Change of basis. If you find a job after graduation, apply for the single residence and work permit online through the same portal; the employer can also file it. Visa nationals must keep in mind that a visa D basis has to match the residence basis.

## Common mistakes {#section-9}

- Waiting until the last days of a 30-day visa-free stay. Without an enrolment certificate you cannot apply.
- Ignoring passport validity. A passport expiring less than three months after the requested period leads to refusal or a shorter permit.
- Applying for extension after expiry. Only exceptional cases are considered.
- Living at one address and registering at another. The two must match.
- Assuming study leads to permanent residence. It cannot be requested on a study basis, and only half the time counts later.
- Working beyond the limit. Breaching residence conditions is grounds to refuse an extension.

## FAQ {#faq}

### Can I apply before arriving in Serbia?

Yes, if you do not need a visa to enter. The law allows online applications from abroad, but you need a Serbian address at that stage: a lease or the landlord's consent. You still need the enrolment certificate first.

### Do I need a visa D?

Only if your nationality requires a visa for Serbia. Russian, Kazakh and Belarusian citizens enter visa-free and apply in Serbia or online; citizens of countries such as Uzbekistan need a visa D for study first.

### Do I bring my recognised diploma to the Ministry?

No. The Ministry needs the certificate of enrolment. Recognition of your school certificate or degree is required by the university to enrol you.

### Can I get residence for a Serbian language course before enrolling?

Yes. The law has a separate basis for learning Serbian to continue education. Besides the course certificate, show intent to study, for example that your school certificate is under recognition or that you have paid tuition.

### How long does it take?

The legal deadline is 30 days from a complete application. Missing documents extend it, and you should add time for the biometrics appointment and card production.

### How many hours can students work?

No work permit is needed. The law caps work during teaching periods at 20 hours a week and 80 a month; the government portal says 16 hours a week. Use the lower figure until there is official clarification.

### Does study time count towards permanent residence?

Partly. You cannot apply while on a study basis. After changing basis, half of your study time counts.

## Sources {#section-11}

- Ministry of the Interior of Serbia, temporary residence: documents for the study basis — https://mup.gov.rs/wps/portal/sr/gradjani/Informacije%20za%20strance
- Law on Foreigners (Articles 40–48, 67) — https://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/zakon_o_strancima.html
- Law on Employment of Foreigners (Articles 2, 3, 17) — https://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/zakon_o_zaposljavanju_stranaca.html
- Law on Republic Administrative Fees, 2026 amounts — https://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/zakon_o_republickim_administrativnim_taksama.html
- Welcome to Serbia portal: residence approval and extension, registration on arrival, right to work, single permit — https://welcometoserbia.gov.rs/approval-and-extension-of-temporary-residence, https://welcometoserbia.gov.rs/registration-upon-arrival, https://welcometoserbia.gov.rs/right-to-work-and-income-tax, https://welcometoserbia.gov.rs/information-about-the-single-permit
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, visa regime by country — https://www.mfa.gov.rs/en/citizens/travel-serbia/visa-regime

Amounts converted at the ECB rate of 24.09.2026 (€1 = $1.1367) and the National Bank of Serbia middle rate on the same date (€1 = RSD 117.4420).

Programme selection and preparation of admission documents are provided under an agreement with StudyU; the residence decision is made by Serbia's Ministry of the Interior. If you are still choosing, start with [applying to Serbian universities](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-serbian-universities) or [study in Serbia](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-serbia).

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

## Next steps

- [Applying to Serbian Universities: Documents, Entrance Exams and Deadlines](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-serbian-universities)
- [Cost of Studying in Serbia for International Students in 2026/27: Tuition, Living Costs and First-Year Budget](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-serbia)
- [School Certificate and Diploma Recognition in Serbia: How Nostrification Works](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-diploma-recognition-in-serbia)
- [Study in Serbia for international students](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-serbia)
- [Free Education in Serbia for International Students: Who Qualifies and How to Get a Scholarship](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-free-education-in-serbia)
- [Master's Degrees in Serbia: Programmes, Fees and Admission for International Students](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-serbia)

Updated: September 2026