Temporary residence and work permit for citizens of Turkey in Serbia - 2026.
In the last few years, Serbia has become an increasingly popular destination for Turkish citizens. The reason for this is the well-developed labor market in Serbia, as well as the visa-free regime that allows citizens of Turkey to enter Serbia without a visa and thus facilitates settling in Serbia.
Entry of Turkish citizens into Serbia
Citizens of Turkey can enter and stay in Serbia for a period of 90 days within 180 days without any restrictions.
Therefore, citizens of Turkey can stay in Serbia for a short time without any difficulties.
Temporary residence of Turkish citizens in Serbia
The temporary residence regime for citizens of Turkey does not differ from citizens of other countries. In our previous blog, we wrote in detail about the possibilities for acquiring temporary residence in Serbia. In this blog, we will cover in detail only two basics, namely: self-employment and employment.
Are you planning to stay and work in Serbia as a foreigner?
Temporary residence and work permits in Serbia have specific conditions, procedures and administrative requirements that are sometimes difficult to understand correctly and fulfill without legal assistance. If you want your application to be properly prepared and increase your chances of a successful approval, our team of immigration attorneys can help you through every step of the process.
Contact us and start the processSelf-employment of Turkish citizens in Serbia
By the term self-employment we mean a type of employment where a natural person, in this particular case a foreigner, establishes a company in the Republic of Serbia and thereby acquires the basis for legal residence and obtaining a work permit.
Self-employment exists in one of two cases:
- Establishment of an entrepreneurial activity by citizens of Turkey;
- Establishment of a Limited Liability Company (LLC) by Turkish citizens.
1. Establishment of an entrepreneurial activity by citizens of Turkey
We have detailed the process of establishing an entrepreneurial business in our previous blogs.
Citizens of Turkey can establish a business in Serbia under the same conditions as citizens of Serbia.
When registering with the Agency for Business Registers, an entrepreneur can choose one of three ways of taxation:
1. Lump sum taxation
Flat rate taxation is a method of taxing entrepreneurs, where the monthly amount of taxes and contributions is fixed in advance and does not vary in relation to the monthly turnover of the entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs very often opt for this type, since it does not require keeping books, and it represents a significant saving in the form of bookkeeping services.
Entrepreneurs who have a turnover during the calendar year of up to 6 million dinars can opt for this type of taxation.
2. Entrepreneur on payment of personal salary
Self-taxation requires businesses to maintain financial records and hire an accountant.
Companies earning between 6,000,000 RSD and 8,000,000 RSD must use this method
All entrepreneurs with income between 6,000,000 RSD and 8,000,000 RSD are obliged to apply this method of taxation, except in the case when they decide to register for VAT.
3. VAT registration of entrepreneurs
VAT taxation applies to businesses with an annual income exceeding 8,000,000 RSD.
It allows businesses to recover VAT paid on goods and services required for operations.
For LLC companies, flat-rate taxation is not an option, so they must choose between VAT registration or self-taxation.
2. Establishment of a limited liability company
Since we have presented all the details related to the establishment of a limited liability company in our previous blog, we won't go into that topic in detail here, but you can find all the details on the blog.
Applying for temporary residence of Turkish citizens
After arriving in Serbia and establishing the basis for temporary residence, citizens of Turkey apply for temporary residence through the Welcome to Serbia portal.
The procedure for obtaining a temporary residence permit and a work permit usually takes about a month and a half, depending on where the application for the temporary residence permit was submitted.
For example, the waiting period is significantly longer in Belgrade compared to other cities, since there are the most requests there.
The positive side is that after submitting a request for temporary residence, a foreigner can stay in Serbia until a decision is made on the request.
Duration of temporary residence and work permits for citizens of Turkey
The duration of temporary residence is the same for citizens of Turkey as for other persons in Serbia and it is three years and can be extended.
The price of a temporary stay in Serbia
The administrative fee for temporary residence is about 22,000 dinars and is paid via the link when submitting a request for temporary residence.
BIOMETRIC CARD FOR FOREIGNERS IN SERBIA
Once the temporary residence application is approved, you will receive a notification via eSanduče (electronic mailbox) regarding the date for providing biometric data for your foreigner’s card.
Within 7 days after submitting biometric data, the police department issues the biometric foreigner’s card.
Obtaining of temporary residence in Serbia in 2026 can be a straightforward process if you prepare in time and have the correct documentation. Whether you are coming for work, studies, family reunification, or property ownership,it is essential to understand the rules, procedures, and deadlines to avoid unnecessary obstacles.
Although the process has been digitized and part of the application is completed online, many applicants face legal and administrative challenges,especially in cases of more complex residence grounds. For this reason, it is always advisable to consult an experienced lawyer for immigration law who can ensure that your application is correctly submitted and prevent potential rejection.
