Serbia · Business / Startup
Serbia Independent professional
First stay: 3 yrs
Single permit — independent professional (remote or contract services)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Independent professional is a business / startup route for Serbia. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- RSD 430 ≈ $4 · RSD 23k ≈ $220
- Processing
- Up to 15 days
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fees RSD 23k ≈ $220 in total (2 fees); decision: up to 15 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesRSD 430 ≈ $4 · RSD 23k ≈ $220
- RSD 430 (≈ $4)Application submission fee.
- RSD 22,770 (≈ $220)Fee for approval of the single permit to reside and work.
RenewalRenewable
Up to three years, extendable for the same period; the term follows the service agreement.
Permanent residenceAfter 3 years of residence
Permanent residence after 3 years of continuous residence on temporary residence or a single permit; a decision is due within 60 days.
Government of the Republic of SerbiaMinistry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia
CitizenshipAfter 3 years as a permanent resident
Citizenship needs 3 years of uninterrupted registered permanent residence before applying (a spouse married 3 years can also qualify), plus release from other citizenship.
ProcessingUp to 15 days
A decision on a single permit is due within 15 days of an orderly request.
Presence rulesAbsence limits
Absences of up to ten months in total or six months at a time over the three years do not break continuity.
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant is registered as an independent professional abroad.
- The applicant has at least three years of work experience in the line of work.
What you must show1
- The application fee is RSD 430 (≈ $4) and the single permit approval fee is RSD 22,770 (≈ $220).
Documents5
- An agreement to provide services to a Serbian employer or end user that sets a deadline for the work.
- A certificate of registration of the independent professional abroad, and a diploma or professional qualification.
- A valid passport, valid at least three months beyond the requested permit, and a photo.
- A landlord's statement or tenancy agreement for the registered residential address.
- Proof of subsistence and health insurance.
Steps1
- Apply on the Foreign Nationals Portal (welcometoserbia.gov.rs) or at the police directorate; the single permit is applied for online.
After you arrive2
- Extension is requested at least three months before expiry and no later than expiry.
- Temporary residence is granted for up to three years and can be extended for the same period.
What happens at day 183
How Serbia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 3 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in 12-month period beginning or ending in the tax yearPresence in Serbia for 183 or more days, continuous or interrupted.
- Foreign-source income
Worldwide, foreign tax credit
Residents are taxed on income earned in Serbia and in another state; salary and self-employment income are taxed at 10%, capital income and capital gains at 15%, royalties and property income at 20%, with a tax credit for income tax paid abroad up to the Serbian tax on that income.
All tax rules for Serbia Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Proof of subsistence and health insurance
- Accommodation
A landlord's statement or tenancy agreement for the registered residential address
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
For a foreigner registered as an independent professional abroad who provides services under a service agreement with a Serbian employer or end user that fixes a deadline for the work; requires at least three years of experience in the field. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- A fee of RSD 430 (≈ $4) · Application submission fee. 4
- A fee of RSD 22,770 (≈ $220) · Fee for approval of the single permit to reside and work. 4
Requirements
- The applicant is registered as an independent professional abroad. 1 2
- The applicant has at least three years of work experience in the line of work. 1 2
- The application fee is RSD 430 (≈ $4) and the single permit approval fee is RSD 22,770 (≈ $220). 4
- An agreement to provide services to a Serbian employer or end user that sets a deadline for the work. 1 2
- A certificate of registration of the independent professional abroad, and a diploma or professional qualification. 1 2
- A valid passport, valid at least three months beyond the requested permit, and a photo. 1 2
- A landlord's statement or tenancy agreement for the registered residential address. 1 2
- Proof of subsistence and health insurance. 1 2
- Apply on the Foreign Nationals Portal (welcometoserbia.gov.rs) or at the police directorate; the single permit is applied for online. 1 2
- Extension is requested at least three months before expiry and no later than expiry. 1 2
- Temporary residence is granted for up to three years and can be extended for the same period. 4
Stay
- Temporary residence of up to three years, extendable for the same period; the term follows the service agreement.
- First stay: up to 36 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Services under the named agreement.
Family
Spouse or common-law partner, unmarried children under 18 (including adopted and stepchildren) and parents of such children can get temporary residence on family reunification; dependent relatives and adult children unable to care for themselves only exceptionally.
Official sources
- Temporary residence: grounds, single permit to reside and work, required documents · Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia · checked 2026-10-10
- Law on Foreigners (Sl. glasnik RS 24/2018, 31/2019, 62/2023), Serbian text · Paragraf (reprint of the Official Gazette text) · checked 2026-10-10
- Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of the RS, as amended 2023) · Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia · checked 2026-10-11
- Frequently asked questions: temporary residence and single permit fees · Government of the Republic of Serbia (Welcome to Serbia portal) · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship: acquiring citizenship by admission · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia · checked 2026-10-11
Independent professional and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent professional | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Self-employed permit | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup founder residence | Needs income of RSD 1M+ ≈ $9,530 | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup Visa Portugal | Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Entrepreneur visa Spain | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Independent professional?
A fee of RSD 430 (≈ $4). Application submission fee. A fee of RSD 22,770 (≈ $220). Fee for approval of the single permit to reside and work.
How long can I stay on the Independent professional?
Temporary residence of up to three years, extendable for the same period; the term follows the service agreement.
How long does the Independent professional take to process?
A decision on a single permit is due within 15 days of an orderly request.
Can I work on the Independent professional?
Services under the named agreement.
Can I bring my family on the Independent professional?
Spouse or common-law partner, unmarried children under 18 (including adopted and stepchildren) and parents of such children can get temporary residence on family reunification; dependent relatives and adult children unable to care for themselves only exceptionally.
Does the Independent professional lead to permanent residence in Serbia?
Time on the Independent professional counts toward permanent residence in Serbia, which the rules allow after 3 years of residence. Time on the Independent professional counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 3 years as a permanent resident.
How are Independent professional holders taxed in Serbia?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Independent professional. The standard rules apply: Residents are taxed on income earned in Serbia and in another state; salary and self-employment income are taxed at 10%, capital income and capital gains at 15%, royalties and property income at 20%, with a tax credit for income tax paid abroad up to the Serbian tax on that income.
More in Serbia
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-10 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Temporary residence: grounds, single permit to reside and work, required documents · Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia · checked 2026-10-10
- Law on Foreigners (Sl. glasnik RS 24/2018, 31/2019, 62/2023), Serbian text · Paragraf (reprint of the Official Gazette text) · checked 2026-10-10
- Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of the RS, as amended 2023) · Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia · checked 2026-10-11
- Frequently asked questions: temporary residence and single permit fees · Government of the Republic of Serbia (Welcome to Serbia portal) · checked 2026-10-11
- Citizenship: acquiring citizenship by admission · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.