For foreign founders
Serbia's Single Permit: Residence and Work for Self-Employed Founders
Who can apply, which documents to prepare and when you need to be in Serbia.
Serbia's single permit combines residence and work authorisation. Self-employed founders apply under the employment basis. Your entry requirements determine whether you need a D visa first.
Who can apply as a self-employed founder?
The self-employment route is for founders who intend to work in their Serbian business. Owning a company does not automatically give you residence or permission to work. See what company formation does and does not provide.
Self-employment, employment under a contract and independent professional work are separate categories. Choose the category that matches your actual activity before collecting documents. Investor and start-up residence routes are not automatic consequences of company ownership.
Do you need a D visa first?
Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa regime for your passport. If a visa is required for entry, the official guidance directs you to an employment-based D visa. If you can enter without a visa, you may apply for the single permit after arrival.
Confirm the competent mission for your country of legal residence. A short-stay visa is not the standard route to residence. Our D visa guide explains that separate application.
An employment-based D visa also provides work authorisation during its validity. Confirm that your planned activity fits the issued basis. The single-permit deadline below is not a D visa deadline.
Where do you submit the application?
Submit the single-permit request electronically through the official portal for foreign citizens. The foreign citizen or an authorised representative can apply.
Select the self-employment basis and follow its document checklist. Check the details against your passport and business registration before submission. A D visa file is not automatically a complete single-permit file.
Which documents should you prepare?
Use the current checklist for your selected application in the official portal. Requirements depend on the basis of stay. Confirm translation, legalisation and payment requirements before paying for documents.
For the separate self-employment D visa stage, the official employment page lists the following document categories. They are not a substitute for the single-permit checklist.
- Visa application form and applicant photograph.
- Passport issued within the last ten years, with two consecutive blank pages and validity at least 90 days beyond the intended departure.
- Application fee payment, through the mission or the online payment step.
- Invitation letter and Serbian business registration certificate.
- Authorisation where a representative submits the application.
- Landlord statement agreeing to registration of the residential address.
How long does the decision take?
The published deadline is 15 days from a properly completed request. Incomplete documents and the earlier registration or D visa stages are not covered by that period.
Do not treat this as a guaranteed total setup time. Confirm your case status before making non-refundable travel arrangements.
When do you need to be in Serbia?
Once the conditions for issuing the permit are met, you attend the competent authority for biometric data collection. This is separate from registering the business remotely.
Plan for that appointment when arranging travel. Our founder support service separates registration, visa preparation and residence support.
Validity, renewal and changes to your status
A permit may be issued for up to three years. Use the expiry date on your own permit when planning renewal.
Apply for renewal within the permitted window: no earlier than three months before expiry and no later than the expiry date. Timely filing allows you to remain while the procedure is pending.
If the basis for your stay ends, contact the competent police department for foreigners. Confirm any change of basis before changing how you work or closing the business.
Keep registration and tax records current with monthly bookkeeping. For a later application based on continuous residence, read the separate permanent residence guide.
What we handle, and what the authorities decide
We prepare and coordinate. We do not approve anything, and neither does any agency. Approval rests entirely with the Serbian authorities and, for accounts, with the bank.
| Biro Vision handles | Authorities and banks decide |
|---|---|
| Your workflow, checklist and completeness checks | Whether a visa is granted |
| Company registration and APR filings | Whether a residence and work permit is granted |
| Document coordination, translation and legalisation | Whether more evidence is requested |
| Application preparation and submission support | How long a case takes |
| Bookkeeping, payroll and ongoing compliance | Whether a bank opens the account |
| Reminders, status updates and deadline tracking | The decision at the border |
Common questions
Is this one permit or two?
One document covers both residence and work. Self-employment is one of the employment categories handled through this procedure.
Will registration alone get me a permit?
No. Registration supports the application, but the authorities assess the full case and decide whether to approve it.
Does the 15-day deadline include my D visa?
No. It applies to a properly completed single-permit request, not the D visa or the complete setup process.
Will I automatically receive three years?
No. Three years is the maximum, not a guaranteed term.
Can the whole residence procedure be remote?
No. The biometric appointment requires personal attendance in Serbia. Remote company registration is a separate step.
What if I stop being self-employed?
Contact the competent authority about your residence status. A business change does not automatically update your permit.
Request a quote for your Serbian company setup
Tell us your citizenship, country of residence, business activity and whether you plan to relocate. We will confirm which services we can provide and what they cost.