The Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Decision on providing temporary protection in the Republic of Serbia to displaced persons coming from Ukraine. The decision entered into force upon publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 36 of 18 March 2022. Temporary protection lasts for one year from the date of entry into force of this decision with the possibility to extend it for another one-year period. After the new decision of the Government of 16 March 2023, the validity of this decision was extended until 19 March 2024.
The decision grants temporary protection in the Republic of Serbia to displaced persons coming from Ukraine, i.e. who were forced to leave Ukraine as their country of origin or habitual residence or were evacuated from Ukraine, and who cannot return to permanent and safe living conditions due to the current situation that prevails in that country.
According to this decision, displaced persons are considered to be:
- citizens of Ukraine and their family members who resided in Ukraine;
- asylum seekers, stateless persons and foreign nationals who have been granted asylum or equivalent national protection in Ukraine and their family members who have been granted residence in Ukraine;
- foreign citizens who have been granted valid permanent residence or temporary residence in Ukraine and who cannot return to their country of origin under permanent and long-term circumstances.
Temporary protection is also granted to citizens of Ukraine and their family members, who legally resided in the Republic of Serbia at the time of the decision, but whose right to stay expired before the decision on temporary protection was revoked.
All relevant information related to the conditions for entry, movement, stay and the right to asylum and temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine is available on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at ), on the websites of other competent state authorities, as well as in contact with officials of the competent state authorities, primarily police officers of this ministry and local migration commissioners of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration.
Temporary residence in the Republic of Serbia
Foreigners can apply for temporary residence in the Republic of Serbia. The registration of a foreigner’s residence is at the duty service of the police station on whose territory is the address of the facility where the foreigner is housed, or at the regional police administration, an organizational unit that performs tasks related to the movement and residence of foreigners, or electronically.
A foreigner in the Republic of Serbia can stay at:
- short-term stay. A short-term stay is a stay without a visa for up to 90 days in any period of 180 days counting from the day of first entry, unless otherwise stipulated by an international agreement, as well as a stay based on a short-stay visa.
- stay based on a visa for a long stay. A visa for a long stay is an authorization to enter and stay on the territory of the Republic of Serbia for a period of 90 to 180 days for a foreigner who, in accordance with the visa regime, needs a visa to enter the Republic of Serbia and who intends to apply for a temporary residence permit in the Republic of Serbia.
- temporary residence (up to one year). Temporary residence is a residence permit of a foreign citizen in the Republic of Serbia and can be granted to a foreigner who intends to stay in the Republic of Serbia for longer than 90 days, unless otherwise prescribed by law.
- permanent residence. Permanent residence (permanent residence) is a permit for long-term residence of a foreign citizen in the Republic of Serbia.
More information on the possibilities and procedure for granting temporary residence can be found on the website of the Ministry of the Interior at http://www.mup.gov.rs/wps/portal/sr/gradjani/Informacije%20za%20strance
After a foreign citizen applies for residence in the Republic of Serbia, he can legally stay in the country for a maximum of 90 days from the day of entry, unless otherwise stipulated by an international agreement, or until the visa validity period, if he has one. If he wishes, during the period of legal residence, a foreign citizen can submit a request for temporary residence, in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Foreigners.
A request for temporary protection can be submitted by a foreign citizen in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection.
In that case, the foreigner pays a daily residence tax (from 1 to 1.5 euros per person per day) in the municipality where s/he resides. However, s/he will not have additional rights that are granted under temporary protection such as the right to work, education, health care, etc.
Refugees in the Republic of Serbia
A refugee is a foreigner who, due to a justified fear of persecution because of his race, gender, language, religion, nationality or belonging to a certain social group or because of his political beliefs, is not in his country of origin and is unable or, because of this fear, does not want to place under the protection of that state, as well as a stateless person who is outside the state of his habitual residence and who cannot or because of that fear does not want to return to that state.
Asylum is the right of residence and protection of a foreigner who has been granted the right to asylum or subsidiary protection (protection granted to a foreigner who does not meet the conditions for asylum, and who is reasonably believed to be exposed to suffering serious injustice and who is therefore unable or unwilling to claim the protection of that country).
A person who has been granted the right to asylum has the right to:
- stay;
- accommodation;
- freedom of movement;
- health care;
- education;
- access to the labor market;
- legal assistance;
- social assistance;
- property;
- freedom of religion;
- family reunification;
- documents in accordance with Article 87 of the Law on Asylum and Temporary Protection;
- help with integration.
A person who has been granted the right to asylum is obliged to respect the Constitution, laws, other regulations and general acts of the Republic of Serbia.
A person who has been granted the right to asylum must attend Serbian language and literature classes in the Republic of Serbia.
Accommodation is provided to a person who has been granted asylum, according to the possibilities of the Republic of Serbia, for a maximum of one year from the finality of the decision granting him the right to asylum, if s/he does not have financial resources in accordance with a special regulation that regulates the accommodation of persons who have been granted asylum. Housing is defined as a specific residential space provided for temporary use or financial assistance required for temporary housing.
Within its possibilities, the Republic of Serbia ensures the conditions for the inclusion of persons who have been granted the right to asylum in social, cultural and economic life.
If a refugee from Ukraine needs accommodation in a reception center, the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia will provide it in one of the centers.
In addition to the necessary information, the center provides food, health care, clothing, footwear, personal hygiene products, professional and educational activities, inclusion of children in the regular education system, Internet access, psychological support and all appropriate legal rights and services.
If a refugee from Ukraine needs accommodation in a reception center, the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia will provide it in one of the centers.
In addition to the necessary information, the center provides food, health care, clothing, footwear, personal hygiene products, professional and educational activities, inclusion of children in the regular education system, Internet access, psychological support and all appropriate legal rights and services.
While in the reception center, the refugee can always turn to the employees of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia (KIRS) for any kind of help! Other organizations such as UNHCR, IOM and various civil society organizations with whom you can talk if you need to are also present in the centers.
In case that a refugee already has accommodation, it is necessary to report the address of his residence to the municipal commissis for refugees and migration in the local municipality where s/he resides. The commissioner will provide all other necessary information.
Information for persons seeking asylum in the Republic of Serbia can be found in the brochure prepared by UNHCR and the Belgrade Center for Human Rights at this address http://azil.rs/.
Where else to get more information and support?
The Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia has established an official telephone line and electronic address with information for refugees:
Phone: + 381 64 828 3171
E-mail: kirsteam.ukraine@kirs.gov.rs
Also, for all questions, you can directly contact the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) via e-mail at the address srbbe@unhcr.org.
UNHCR and its partner NGOs and other organizations provide the following services to refugees and asylum seekers in Serbia:
- Legal advice and assistance in the asylum procedure
- Counseling on access to rights and services for people with special needs
- Psychological and psychiatric counseling
- Educational activities and counseling related to integration
- Referral of separated children to childcare services
In addition, and after consideration of requests for assistance, UNHCR and its partner organizations may also provide the following services:
- Interpreting during medical and legal procedures
- Provision of Serbian language classes and professional training
- Help in looking for a job and/or accommodation
Information about these services provided by UNHCR’s partner organizations can be found on the website https://help.unhcr.org/serbia/where-to-seek-help/.
The City of Belgrade has set up the “Open Belgrade” website, an application for smartphones and an info center (in Dom omladine Beograda, Makedonska 22) with the aim of providing relevant information on education, healthcare, free legal assistance, opening a bank account, employment, starting a business and life in Belgrade. The website is available at https://openbelgrade.rs/.
This publication was published as part of the project “Emergency support for HIV service delivery and harm reduction among key populations in Ukraine and refugees in selected neighboring countries” led by the United Nations Agency on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
This is not a UNODC publication. UNODC is not responsible for its content nor does it necessarily endorse it. Any views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of UNODC, the United Nations or its Member States.