Citizenship of Serbia

Serbian citizenship brings with it a Serbian Passport that grants excellent visa-free travel possibilities! The Serbian passport is ranked 30th in the world according to passportindex.org with visa-free travel to 134 countries or territories. It is important to note that Serbia is one of the few countries with visa free access to the Schengen area, Russia and China.

In Serbia, grant of citizenship is regulated by the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia and the Law on Amendments to the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia. Dual citizenship is permitted.


passport of serbia

The normal process for a foreign citizen to acquire Serbian citizenship is through naturalization after three years of Permanent Residence, which effectively means a minimum of eight years of Serbian residence in total in order to become a citizen. If however you have been married to a Serbian citizen for at least three years, you may apply for Citizenship immediately on being granted Permanent Residence.

Does Citizenship by Investment exist in Serbia? 

We are aware that a number of websites are promoting so-called “Serbian Citizenship by Investment” on the internet, so it is important to clarify this point. First, please make sure you deal only with reputable companies to avoid any scams. Deal only with reputable Serbian law offices that you can personally visit in Belgrade, such as our associated law office.

In some special cases, the answer is yes – it is possible for an investor to apply for expedited citizenship immediately upon arrival Serbia. 

It is important to understand that unlike neighboring Montenegro for example, Serbia does not have a formal Citizenship by Investment program. However it is government policy to reward foreigners who help the country in a very significant manner with Serbian Citizenship and Passport. The application must be made in person to the Serbian government, preferably with the help of a local lawyer who is experienced in such matters.

If you are interested in applying for Naturalization in Serbia by this route, you will need expert legal advice and we will be happy to refer you to a suitable lawyer in Belgrade with specific experience of this area of immigration and citizenship law. He will be happy to talk to you with no obligation.

The incumbent government of the Republic is allowed at his discretion to grant citizenship of Serbia to individuals who make a substantial contribution to the country – economic or otherwise. This discretion has previously been used to grant citizenship to various sportspeople and actors: for example, Ralph Fiennes and Steven Seagal.

The exact legal reference to this can be found in article 19 of the Serbian constitution. The Constitution is obviously written in Serbian, but here is a screenshot of an English translation of this clause:

Article 19 of the Serbian constitution

Feel free to contact OP Group if you are interested in investing in and obtaining Citizenship in Serbia.

Can I get a Second Passport from Serbia?

Serbian passports are of course issued to Serbian citizens including minor children. Passports are issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Belgrade or, if the citizen resides abroad, through the competent Serbian embassy or consulate. According to the law, citizens may not hold multiple Serbian passports at the same time, therefore Serbia does not grant Second Passports even to frequent business travellers.

The exception to this rule on second passports is government officials, who may hold a Serbian Diplomatic or Official passport for use when travelling on government business and a regular Serbian passport for private travel at the same time, thereby legally holding two Serbian passports.

Are Serbian Passports biometric?

All Serbian passports confirm to biometric standards. Biometric passports were introduced in 2008 and comply to international ISO standards for biometric passports.

For further information on Serbian citizenship and passport, contact us today!