Obtaining a health insurance card (zdravstvena kartica) for residents of Serbia: expert support from RICS Consulting

Updated 17.09.2026 · 2 min read

A zdravstvena kartica confirms status within the compulsory health insurance system. It does not create that status itself: first establish the insurance basis, registration and required contributions.

1. The card, insurance and residence are different matters
2. What to check before contacting RFZO
3. How the process works
4. What to clarify to use healthcare in practice

Employees and sole traders participate in the system through different registration and contribution mechanisms. For a family member, eligibility for inclusion under the principal insured person’s coverage and any independent basis must be checked.

A residence permit does not mean automatic free treatment for the whole family. A private policy for an immigration application, voluntary cover for private clinics and RFZO are not interchangeable products either.

• Passport, current residence status and address details.
• Insurance basis: employment, self-employment or family status.
• Registration information and payment of mandatory contributions.
• LBO and any previous health insurance card, if available.
• Documents confirming family relationships and each family member’s insurance position.

If register information does not match, resolve the discrepancy first. Ordering a new plastic card instead of correcting insurance status is not enough.

We check eligibility and registration details, prepare the necessary documents and an application to the RFZO branch. The eUprava electronic service described for Serbian citizens should not automatically be promised to every foreign national: the appropriate submission method must be checked against status.

The officially published card production charge is RSD 400 without delivery or RSD 600 with delivery. This is the price of the document, not an insurance premium or contribution amount. A temporary PZK confirmation is available before the card is produced.

After registration, it is important to understand the chosen doctor, appointments, referrals and how to use the insurance. If planned care at private clinics is needed, compare private programmes separately: provider network, limits, exclusions and waiting periods.

We will help identify the appropriate route, assemble the family’s document package and complete the organisational stages. Before paying, you will see exactly what you are paying for: support, a document, a policy or contributions.

Start with a valid insurance basis. The card then becomes convenient evidence of entitlement to care, rather than a piece of plastic that does not resolve a registration problem.

We will review your starting information, identify the sequence of actions and prepare a cost estimate. You will receive the scope of services, indicative timescales and a clear next step.

Information checked on 17 September 2026. Before applying, confirm the current fees and requirements for your category.

• Welcome to Serbia: healthcare and insurance
• eUprava: obtaining a health insurance card