Approaching three years
We will check all renewals, not just your first residence date. You will get a clear answer: whether you can apply now, when your application window opens and which documents are missing.
RICS CONSULTING
From a temporary permit to permanent status
Permanent residence in Serbia
from a residence permit to permanent status
We will calculate your application date, check your travel history and prepare the documents. We will guide you through the permanent residence process.
We communicate in Russian and provide support in Serbian.
10 yearsof our experts’ experience
2000+client cases
across all service areas
across all service areas
The scope and price of our services are fixed in the contract
Where we begin
We will check your next step
Three years shown on residence cards is not a complete calculation for permanent residence. Continuity of permits, time abroad and your residence basis matter. We will bring your history into one timeline, determine the application date and help prepare your case before your current status expires.
Travel or a change of basis
We will compare absence dates, study periods, employment, sole trader activity and other permits. We will show which periods count and what documentary evidence is needed.
The whole family is moving to permanent residence
We will not calculate everyone’s eligibility from the main applicant’s date. We will check spouses separately and, for a child, eligibility for a special procedure after a parent obtains permanent residence.
Documents, timeframes and costs
Which situation applies to you?
The main route is after three years of continuous residence. Separate rules apply to study and children: open your option.
You have held residence or single permits for three years
The general procedure for an applicant with an uninterrupted permit history. We check multiple absences totalling up to 10 months or a single absence of up to 6 months within the three-year period.
Main documents
- All decisions and cards for the period under review
- Passport and entry and exit dates
- Current evidence of your basis: employment, property, family relationship or another basis
Application process
- Compile a timeline of status and absences
- Determine the submission date and check supporting evidence
- Prepare the application and support the in-person submission
Timeframes
The statutory MUP decision period is 60 days from submission. Gathering documents, waiting for an appointment and card production are separate stages.
RICS servicesFrom €350 for the agreed scope of support for one application.
Government feesThe permanent residence fee is RSD 17,100; the foreigner’s card fee is RSD 6,220. We will check application fees and other applicable payments before you pay.
Other costsTranslations, certifications, photographs and insurance if required. We do not reorder suitable documents you already have.
Part of your residence was for study
After changing from study to another basis, half the study period counts towards permanent residence. Three calendar years in Serbia may therefore not yet meet the required period.
Main documents
- Residence decisions for study and the subsequent basis
- Travel history
- Documents supporting your current residence basis
Application process
- Separate study and subsequent periods
- Calculate the qualifying period and eligibility date
- Prepare submission without applying prematurely
Timeframes
For example, two years of study-based residence count as one year; another two years on a different eligible basis give three years in total. Continuity and travel are also checked.
RICS servicesFrom €350; we will agree the scope of the history review before work begins.
Government feesThe same main fees apply: RSD 17,100 for permanent residence and RSD 6,220 for the card. This is neither the price of RICS services nor a full case estimate.
Other costsMissing evidence, translations and certifications depend on your documents.
Your child needs permanent residence
If a parent is a Serbian citizen or has already obtained permanent residence, a minor may qualify for a special procedure without the general three-year waiting period.
Main documents
- The child’s passport and birth certificate
- Proof of a parent’s Serbian citizenship or permanent residence
- Both parents’ signatures or the required certified consent / document confirming sole parental responsibility
Application process
- Check the child’s and parent’s status
- Prepare family documents and consents
- Coordinate personal attendance and submission support
Timeframes
We will coordinate the child’s application with the parent’s status. A minor’s card is issued for 2 years; this is the validity of the document, not a limit on permanent status itself.
RICS servicesFrom €350; we will quote family support and separate applications in advance.
Government feesApplicable fees are checked separately for the child. We do not automatically apply the adult estimate to a child’s application.
Other costsTranslation of a birth certificate, certification of consent or obtaining family documents where needed.
Practical help
From calculating eligibility to a complete case
A date, not just “after three years”
We will check your first card, renewals, changes of basis and absences. You will receive an eligibility calculation and a specific action list before that date.
Evidence that reflects your circumstances
For an employee, employment and income documents; for an owner, property documents; for a family basis, proof of relationship. We will check your address and insurance and help fill gaps.
Prepare the application and appointment
We will cross-check names, dates, originals and translations, and prepare the application and payments. We will explain in-person submission at MUP and help with communication in Serbian.
Stay with you after submission
We will help with requests and additional documents, then biometrics and card collection. The scope, price and our work schedule will be agreed in advance.
Prepare the documents
What is needed to apply
You provide
- Passport, valid card and previous residence decisions
- Entry and exit details; an application photograph
- Proof of financial means: income, employment contract, bank certificate or acceptable support
- Proof of health insurance and registered address
- Documents supporting your basis and family documents where relevant
We prepare and arrange
- Status timeline, absence calculation and application date
- A personalised checklist and review of supporting evidence
- Application, payment checks and arranging required translations
- Appointment preparation, accompaniment and help with additional documents
Sequence and timeframes
How the process works
Check eligibility for permanent residence
We will start with copies of your cards and passport, travel dates and current basis. We will establish which conditions are met and what remains before submission.
Assemble a complete package
We will agree an estimate, help obtain missing evidence, check translations and prepare the application. We do not add unnecessary certificates “just in case”.
Support your MUP application
We will prepare you for personal submission at the office for your registered address. We will record the submission and help respond to case-related requests.
Complete card collection
After a positive decision, we will guide you through biometrics, payment and personal collection of the foreigner’s card. We will check the new document’s details.
The application date depends on your history
We check the three-year requirement and your valid permit. If your current permit completes the required period, the rules provide an application window from 60 days before its expiry through the last day of validity. We will calculate the exact date from your decisions.
Preparation and appointment
These depend on certificates and translations being ready and appointment availability. Your plan will state what is already ready, who obtains each document and when the package can be complete.
Decision — 60 days by law
This is MUP’s application processing period from submission, not a promise to deliver a finished card in 60 days. If additional documents are requested, we will help prepare them promptly.
Biometrics and card — after the decision
An adult’s foreigner’s card is valid for 5 years; a minor’s for 2 years. We confirm biometrics and issuance dates separately; permanent status and card validity are different.
The plan has four stages. Accrued residence, document preparation, the decision and card production do not share one date.
A clear scope of support
RICS services and government fees
Permanent residence in Serbia
from 350 €
for support with a permanent residence application
Readiness review, application preparation and the agreed scope of support. Permit history, missing documents and the number of applicants affect the price.
Additional costs, if required
- Fee for granting permanent residence — RSD 17,100
- Foreigner’s card fee — RSD 6,220
- General application fee at the applicable rate — RSD 430; we check the full set of payment slips separately
- Translations, certifications, photographs, insurance and obtaining missing documents as needed
The main government rates were checked on 17 September 2026. They are not included in RICS fees and do not replace a personalised calculation of all payments. Before payment, we will check concessions and current payment slips; the price of our agreed work will be fixed in the contract.
Before work begins
Important points before permanent residence
Do the three years start again after a change of basis?
Not automatically. We will check permit continuity and the counting rule for each period. This is why we need previous decisions as well as your current card: they allow us to reconstruct the full history.
What happens to my stay while the application is being processed?
A timely permanent residence application allows you to remain legally in Serbia until the administrative procedure ends. Before travelling abroad, we will separately check the documents you need to leave and return.
Can the whole family apply on the same day?
This depends on each applicant’s basis and readiness. Spouses may have different qualifying periods, and a child may follow a special procedure after a parent obtains permanent residence. We will plan the family’s sequence rather than use one calculation for everyone.
Does permanent residence need to be renewed later?
Permanent status is not renewed in the same way as temporary residence, but the foreigner’s card must be replaced on time. Maintaining the conditions of status also matters: for example, a continuous absence abroad of more than a year may lead to loss of permanent residence rights.
Why contact you early if my documents are not ready?
We will first determine the application date and the evidence actually needed. This avoids unnecessary translations and lets you fill gaps before your current permit expires.
Typical situations
How we approach different permanent residence situations
These typical situations illustrate what we will check and prepare for your application.
Typical situationSeveral residence renewals — is it time to apply for permanent residence?You have several residence permits and trips outside Serbia. You want to know the exact date you can move to permanent status.See the action plan
What we will do
- Compare decisions, cards and periods of residence
- Check travel and continuity of the qualifying period
- Prepare a timeline and checklist for submission
What you receiveA personalised application date calculation and documents tailored to your residence history.
Get a plan for my task Typical situationPermanent residence is close, but your current permit is expiringYou need to maintain lawful status and avoid missing the required procedure while preparing for permanent residence.See the action plan
What we will do
- Check your current permit’s validity and readiness for permanent residence
- Determine the sequence of renewal and submission based on your dates
- Help obtain missing evidence and plan appointments
What you receiveA sequence of actions with dates and our team’s responsibilities at each stage.
Get a plan for my task Client experiences
An additional task alongside permanent residence
In his review, the client described exchanging a driving licence with RICS’s help as part of an enquiry about moving from temporary to permanent residence.
Stories: 1
All cases and reviewsNext step
Get a plan and quote
for your circumstances
Tell us the date of your first residence permit and your current basis — we will prepare a permanent residence transition plan, document checklist, price and estimated timeframes.
Personal planScope and price of servicesIn RussianEstimated timeframes
