Temporary protection: Serbia
🛰️ Varta monitors 8 official sources for this country — checked daily.
Legal basis: Decision on temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine (Official Gazette RS No. 36/2022 of 18.03.2022, amended by 21/2023, 21/2024 and subsequent annual extensions) + Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection
Steps
- 1
Entry and address registration within 24 hours
Ukrainians enter Serbia visa-free (up to 90 days). Within 24 hours of arrival register your address at the nearest police station (prijava boravišta, “beli karton”). Hotels do this for you.
📍 Police station of your place of stay⏰ 24 hours after arrival💳 Free - 2
Declare the intention to seek temporary protection
Go to the foreigners’ police (in Belgrade — Uprava za strance, Savska 35). An authorised officer photographs and fingerprints you and issues a certificate of registration of your intention to apply for temporary protection.
📍 Uprava za strance / foreigners’ department of your police directorate⏰ Before the 90 visa-free days run out💳 Free - 3
MUP decision and temporary protection card
The Ministry of Interior (MUP) issues an individual decision granting temporary protection for 1 year and a card. Carry it with you — it is your legal status in Serbia.
📍 MUP — per your place of registration💳 Free - 4
Use your rights: work, healthcare, school
Temporary protection grants the right to work WITHOUT a separate work permit, access to healthcare in state institutions and school/kindergarten enrolment for children. If you need housing — accommodation in Commissariat (KIRS) centres.
📍 Employer / dom zdravlja / school / KIRS💳 Free - 5
Annual renewal of the status
Protection lasts 1 year and continues as long as the Government adopts a new decision each year (usually in March). Card holders send their details (name, date and place of birth, address in Serbia, decision and passport numbers) to ugp.kancelarijazaazil@mup.gov.rs or return to where the card was issued. Those registered via the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights return there for the new document.
📍 MUP (ugp.kancelarijazaazil@mup.gov.rs)⏰ Before your card expires💳 Free
Documents
Foreign passport or other identity document
requiredNon-biometric passports are accepted. If documents are expired or lost — apply anyway: registration is handled case by case (photo + fingerprints).
Child’s birth certificate
requiredFor registering children and school enrolment.
Proof of residence in Ukraine before 24.02.2022
if availablePassport stamps, certificates, housing documents. Protection also covers foreigners who legally resided in Ukraine and cannot return to their own country.
Proof of address in Serbia (beli karton / address registration)
requiredAddress registration with the police within 24 hours of arrival is mandatory for all foreigners. Hotels/hostels register you automatically.
Ukrainian Embassies and Consulates
Map
Document samples and how to fill them
In Latin letters, exactly as in your passport.
Format DD.MM.YYYY, city in Latin letters.
Foreign passport number; if you have none — list another document.
The address you registered with the police (beli karton) — must match.
Border crossing date; show the passport stamp if you have one.
❌ Address differs from the registered one (beli karton) ❌ Name in Cyrillic instead of the Latin passport spelling ❌ The 90-day visa-free period passed without contacting the police
Name in Latin letters, date of birth, citizenship, passport number.
Exact address; if renting — come with the owner or the lease.
Date you crossed the Serbian border (checked against the stamp).
Get the white slip and keep it: it is required for the protection application and at exit.
❌ The 24-hour registration deadline missed ❌ Lost beli karton (make a photo/copy) ❌ Registration not updated after moving to a new address
Benefits
Right to work without a separate permit
Temporary protection card holders.
How to apply: Show your card to the employer; registration with the National Employment Service (NSZ) is optional
Healthcare in state institutions
Persons with temporary protection.
How to apply: Go to the nearest dom zdravlja with your card
KIRS accommodation and humanitarian aid
People from Ukraine without their own housing in Serbia.
How to apply: Via KIRS or the refugee trustee (poverenik) in your municipality
School and preschool for children
School-age children regardless of status.
How to apply: Enrol at the nearest school (birth certificate, protection card)
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Where to apply
Uprava za strance — Belgrade Police Directorate (foreigners’ police)
Commissariat for Refugees and Migration (KIRS)
Foreigners’ department, Niš Police Directorate
Contacts
What happens after protection ends
Temporary protection is an annually renewed status, not a path to permanent residence. For a long-term future in Serbia switch to a regular privremeni boravak (temporary residence): employment, own business, study, family reunification or property. After several years of continuous privremeni boravak you can apply for permanent settlement (stalno nastanjenje) — check the current Law on Foreigners for the exact term. Years under temporary protection generally do NOT count towards permanent settlement — confirm with MUP.
What happens when protection ends
These are options for the future — you will need to choose ONE, and not now.
These routes are available outside temporary protection — work, study, family, business, etc.
The description below is a general scheme, similar across countries. Check exact requirements, fees and timelines via the official link in each card — they differ by country and change over time.
💼 Work-based residence — Serbia
Those with a valid employment contract in this country.
Passport; employment contract; proof of residence. Authority: Uprava za strance — Belgrade Police Directorate (foreigners’ police).
- Foreign passport
- Employment contract
- Proof of residence
- Health insurance (optional)
Uprava za strance — Belgrade Police Directorate (foreigners’ police)
The employer or the applicant files; the immigration authority decides.
Before the current status or permit expires.
- Collect the card/decision
- Register address and social number
Renewable together with the contract.
Processed per national rules; often before entry.
🎓 Study — Serbia
Enrolment at an accredited institution.
Acceptance letter; proof of funds; housing; insurance.
- Foreign passport
- Acceptance letter
- Proof of funds
- Health insurance (optional)
Uprava za strance — Belgrade Police Directorate (foreigners’ police)
Apply via the institution or the immigration authority.
Before the semester starts.
- Register at the institution and locally
Yearly with continued studies.
Processed per national rules; often before entry.
👨👩👧👦 Family reunification — Serbia
Spouse, children or relatives of a resident or citizen.
Marriage/birth certificates; housing; sponsor income.
- Foreign passport
- Marriage/birth certificate
- Sponsor income proof
- Proof of residence
Uprava za strance — Belgrade Police Directorate (foreigners’ police)
The sponsor or family files; documents need apostille and translation.
Before the current status expires.
- Collect the family member card
Renewable; a path to permanent residence.
Processed per national rules; often before entry.
🏢 Self-employment/business — Serbia
Company or self-employment registration; business plan or contracts.
Registration documents; tax number; funds; housing.
- Foreign passport
- Company/self-employment registration
- Business plan or contracts (optional)
- Proof of residence
Uprava za strance — Belgrade Police Directorate (foreigners’ police)
Register the business, then apply for residence as an entrepreneur.
Before the current status expires.
- Tax registration and bank account
Tied to the company activity.
Processed per national rules; often before entry.
🏠 Permanent residence — Serbia
Usually after 5 years of continuous legal residence.
Stable income; housing; integration/language per national rules.
- Foreign passport
- Income proof
- Proof of residence
- Language/integration certificate (optional)
Uprava za strance — Belgrade Police Directorate (foreigners’ police)
Apply once the required residence period is met.
After the required residence period is met.
- Obtain permanent resident status
Permanent status; card replaced periodically.
Temporary protection time often counts towards the period (per national rules).
Opportunities: housing, jobs, grants
4 verified programmes: housing support, job portals, business grants, free courses — with direct official links and verification dates. Available with Varta.
Forms & samples (PDF)
FAQ
Can I stay beyond the 90 visa-free days?
Yes. Apply for temporary protection before the 90 days expire — the status grants 1 year of legal residence, renewable. The alternative is a regular privremeni boravak (work, study, property, business).
Can I work in Serbia?
Yes, temporary protection includes the right to work without a separate work permit. Just show your temporary protection card to the employer.
What healthcare can I access?
Temporary protection holders can access healthcare in state institutions (dom zdravlja). Emergency care is provided to everyone regardless of status.
Can I visit Ukraine and come back?
There is no formal ban, but travel to your country of origin may be treated as grounds to review your need for protection. Before travelling, check the consequences with the Uprava za strance or KIRS and make sure your card is valid.
I have a non-biometric passport. Is that a problem?
No. Serbia accepts valid foreign passports, including non-biometric ones. Even with expired or lost documents, contact the foreigners’ police — temporary protection registration is handled individually (photo and fingerprints).
- MUP Сербії — інформація для іноземців ✓
- MUP Сербії — офіційний довідник підрозділів і телефонів ✓
- KIRS — контакт для біженців з України та приймаючих родин ✓
- UNHCR Serbia — Information for persons fleeing Ukraine
- Odluka o pružanju privremene zaštite (текст рішення, Paragraf)
This information is for reference only and is not legal advice.