Student Visa for Serbia: Visa D, Residence Permit and Registration

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Foreign students in Serbia usually go through two steps: entry (with or without a visa, depending on your citizenship) and a temporary residence permit for studies, which is issued in Serbia by the Ministry of the Interior. This guide gives the rules as they stood in October 2026. Fees and forms change, so check with the embassy and the police administration before you pay.

Who needs a visa

Study in Serbia says citizens of many countries, including most European countries, can enter Serbia without a visa for up to 90 days. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists, country by country, who needs a visa. Check your own nationality on its visa-regime pages.

If you need a visa, the process starts only after you have a place:

you apply at the nearest Serbian embassy or consulate general once you have been accepted;
an applicant who comes only to sit an entrance exam applies for a short-term (entrance) visa;
after acceptance and enrolment, a student applies for a long-stay visa D;
Study in Serbia says a decision is usually due 15 days after submission, extendable to a maximum of 30 days for justified reasons.

The visa application needs your conditional acceptance letter from the university and the visa form. Ask the embassy for its exact checklist.

The temporary residence permit

If you stay longer than your visa-free period or your visa allows, you apply for a temporary residence permit (dozvola za privremeni boravak). Studying is one of the listed grounds. According to the government portal Welcome to Serbia:

you apply online through the eForeigner portal, or in person at the competent unit of the Ministry of the Interior, chosen by your registered address;
the permit can be issued for up to three years, depending on the reason for stay and the documents;
the general decision deadline is 30 days from a complete application;
your passport must be valid for at least three months longer than the period you request;
after a positive decision you receive a notice in your electronic mailbox and must appear in person at the police administration to give biometric data;
the permit is issued as a card, and its remarks field says whether you may work.

The Law on Foreigners asks for a valid passport, proof of means of subsistence for the planned stay, a registered address, proof of health insurance, proof of the ground for stay (here, enrolment at an accredited higher education institution) and proof that you paid the administrative fee. We could not confirm on an official page the amount of money or the fee, so ask the police administration or your university's international office. The same Novi Sad information sheet lists a certificate of admission from the faculty and evidence of financial support among the documents, but the exact list depends on the police administration.

Extending the permit

Apply to extend no earlier than three months before expiry and no later than the day it expires. If you apply on time you may stay until the procedure ends. Study in Serbia advises foreign students to expect to renew the permit every year, while the Welcome to Serbia portal says permits can run up to three years, so ask which period you are given. You must also tell the authority if the reason for your stay ends, for example if you stop studying.

Registering your address

A foreigner staying in Serbia must be registered with the police. Study in Serbia says hotels and dormitories normally do this for you, and that in private accommodation you register at the nearest police station within 24 hours of arrival. An information sheet of the University of Novi Sad for foreign students (dated 2022, so some procedures may have changed since) says the same: dormitory and hostel staff register students, private tenants register themselves within 24 hours, and a change of address must be reported within 24 hours too. A registered address is also one of the documents for the residence permit, so keep your rental contract and confirmation.

Health insurance

Proof of health insurance is part of the permit file. The government portal says all university students in Serbia, foreign students included, have the right to healthcare at the student polyclinics in their study cities. Whether that satisfies the police administration for your permit is a question to ask them. See health insurance for students in Europe.

Work and staying after studies

Study in Serbia says foreign students may work part time, but that they need a work permit from the National Employment Service as well as a residence permit, valid for 3 to 12 months. Other sources suggest rules changed with the single permit system from 2024. The authoritative answer is on your card: the remarks field states whether you have the right to work. Read scholarships and student jobs in Serbia.

Time spent on a student residence permit does not lead directly to permanent residence under the Law on Foreigners. For any plan to stay after graduation, ask the Ministry of the Interior.

Where to look next

Official sources

Welcome to Serbia: temporary residence: Government of Serbia
Welcome to Serbia: living conditions during studies (in Serbian)
Study in Serbia: visa and residence permit: Ministry of Education and Tempus Foundation
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: visa regime by country
National Employment Service: employment of foreigners
University of Novi Sad: information to foreign students on regulating their stay (2022)

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.