Can my spouse and children get Serbian residence through family reunification?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Yes. Serbia's Law on Foreigners allows temporary residence for family reunification for close family of a Serbian citizen or of a foreigner with temporary residence, permanent residence or asylum: spouses, extramarital partners and unmarried children under 18. A family member's permit runs until the sponsoring foreigner's own permit expires.

Key facts

What	The law says	Source
Who can sponsor	A Serbian citizen; a foreigner with temporary residence or permanent residence; a foreigner granted asylum in Serbia	Zakon o strancima, art. 55(1)
Who counts as close family	Spouses; extramarital partners; their children (born in or out of marriage, adopted, stepchildren) under 18 and unmarried; parents or adoptive parents of unmarried children under 18	Zakon o strancima, art. 55(2)
Exceptions	A dependent relative without adequate family care in the home country; an unmarried adult child who can’t support themselves because of their health	Zakon o strancima, art. 55(3)
Means and health insurance	Not required for close family of a Serbian citizen, or for close family of a foreigner taking up employment	Zakon o strancima, art. 43a
How long	For family of a foreigner: until the sponsor’s temporary residence or single permit expires	Zakon o strancima, art. 57
Polygamous marriage	Reunification for one spouse only, plus their joint children under 18	Zakon o strancima, art. 55(4)
Fee (portal FAQ)	Spouse, partner or relative of a Serbian citizen: 11,725 RSD; otherwise 23,450 RSD; plus 430 RSD submission fee	Portal FAQ, question 12

Who qualifies

The law allows temporary residence for family reunification to a close family member of a Serbian citizen, of a foreigner with approved temporary residence or permanent residence, or of a foreigner granted asylum, as long as the general conditions are met (Zakon o strancima, art. 55(1)). Close family means spouses, extramarital partners, and unmarried children under 18, including adopted children and stepchildren, plus the parents of such children (art. 55(2)). The Welcome to Serbia portal’s guidance lists the same groups as specific reasons you choose on the application.

What you must show

The general conditions apply: valid passport, proof of means of support, registered address, health insurance, evidence of the family tie and the paid fee (art. 43(1)). The law drops the means-of-support and health-insurance proofs for close family of a Serbian citizen, and for close family of a foreigner who comes to Serbia for work (art. 43a).

Residence is refused if checks give a justified suspicion that the marriage, or the extramarital union, was entered into to obtain residence (art. 60(3)–(4)). The law lists signs such as not living together as a couple, not having met before the marriage, or not speaking a common language (art. 60(2)).

How long the permit lasts

If your sponsor is a foreigner, your residence is granted until your sponsor’s temporary residence expires, or until their single permit expires if they hold one (art. 57).

Working

The portal’s guidance says adults with residence for family reunification with an adult foreign citizen automatically get the right to work in Serbia. Its residence-and-work page also lists foreigners with residence for family reunification with a Serbian citizen among those who may work without a single permit.

Children born in Serbia: if both parents are foreigners, a parent or guardian must apply for the child’s temporary residence within three months of the birth (art. 58(1)).
Independent residence: after four years of continuous residence on this basis, a family member may apply for residence in their own right (art. 59(1)).

Sources

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.