A foreigner can acquire Serbian citizenship by admission if they meet the conditions of the Citizenship Act. The conditions differ for a foreigner who has lived in Serbia for a long time, for the spouse of a Serbian citizen and for persons originating from Serbia.
General conditions
- being of age and having legal capacity
- release from foreign citizenship or proof that release will be granted
- at least three years of continuously registered domicile in Serbia before the application
- a written statement that the applicant considers Serbia their country
A foreigner has registered domicile only once permanent residence has been granted, so the three years are counted from then. Permanent residence is, as a rule, obtained after three years of continuous temporary residence.
Release from foreign citizenship
An applicant who does not yet have a release can obtain a confirmation that they will be admitted to citizenship if they meet the other conditions. The confirmation is valid for two years and is used to obtain the release. If the foreign country does not allow release or sets conditions that cannot be met, a statement renouncing the foreign citizenship after admission is sufficient. Renunciation is not required where it is impossible or cannot reasonably be expected.
Admission based on marriage
A foreigner who has been married to a Serbian citizen for at least three years and has been granted permanent residence can be admitted to citizenship upon a written statement that they consider Serbia their country. Release from foreign citizenship is not required on this ground.
Origin, birth in Serbia and special interest
- emigrants from Serbia and their descendants, if they are of age and give a written statement
- members of the Serbian people without domicile in Serbia, without release from foreign citizenship
- a person born in Serbia who has lived here continuously for at least two years before the application
- a foreigner whose admission is in the interest of Serbia, as decided by the Government
Procedure
The application is filed with the police administration according to domicile or residence, or through a Serbian embassy or consulate. It is decided by the ministry responsible for internal affairs. The law sets no specific deadline and only states that the procedure is urgent. The ministry may refuse the application even when the conditions are met, if the interests of Serbia so require. The decision can be challenged in an administrative dispute.
Common questions
Note: This text is general information and is not legal advice for a specific case. It reflects the regulations at the time of the page's last update (October 2026). Assessing a particular situation requires reviewing the documents and circumstances of the case.
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Contact
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