I recently received Serbian citizenship. Why Serbia, many will ask me, because there are more developed countries. Yes, they exist, but I was looking for a country in which no one would poke me that I was Russian. In this Balkan country, Russians have a special attitude - they are always welcome guests here just because they are from Russia.

In addition, the climate is mild, with long summers and short warm winters. The latter circumstance is especially pleasing to Russians from the northern regions.

Why all this talk here, I want to give some advice to those who decide to follow in my footsteps and obtain Serbian citizenship.

First of all, Russians come here for permanent residence due to the fact that Serbia should soon become a member of the European Union. In the meantime, this citizenship provides the following opportunities:

  • Visa-free visits to Schengen countries and about a hundred other countries around the world.
  • The opportunity to receive medical and social assistance from the state on the same level as local ones, that is, according to the full program.
  • Get a higher paying job with a full social security package.
  • Citizen status gives the right to participate in the political life of the country.

Ways to obtain a Serbian passport

There are several options for acquiring the coveted document; take a closer look to see if one of them suits you, or even more than one.

  • By right of birth.
  • By right of origin.
  • Naturalization.
  • Through marriage with a Serbian citizen.
  • For special services to the Serbian Republic.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the citizens of the former Yugoslavia; it is much easier for them to obtain a Serbian passport.

But let’s look at each method in a little more detail so that you can get some ideas about who can qualify for a particular program.

By birth

To use this method, it is necessary that the child at the time of his birth, one of the parents or both of them were Serbian citizens. In this case, the baby will simply inherit the citizenship of this Balkan republic from his parents.

By origin

This method can be used by those who once held Serbian citizenship, but for some reason lost it. Or his direct relatives were Serbian residents. In this case, the specified person can submit an application for citizenship under a simplified scheme.

Naturalization

This method is used by the majority of Russians (it’s a sin and I used it). The method is long, but requires compliance with a number of conditions:

  • The applicant must be over 18 years of age.
  • He must be capable and accountable for his actions.
  • Have lived in Serbia for the last three years with permanent residence status.
  • Provide a document renouncing your previous citizenship. As a last resort, provide a document confirming your intention to do so.
  • Write a statement that you recognize Serbia as your new homeland.

Through marriage

It is clear here without explanation - it is necessary that one spouse has Serbian citizenship. Then the second one can apply to be granted the status of a Serbian citizen. As you can see, everything is simple. But there are a couple of conditions - the applicant must have been married (it must be official) for at least three years and have the status of a residence permit.

You should not treat this method formally and formalize a fictitious marriage, getting a divorce immediately after receiving citizenship. It is worth mentioning here that the competent authorities often check such marriages for fictitiousness. And if such a fact is discovered, penalties may follow, including deportation.

For special services to the republic

The country's legislation states that investing large sums in the Serbian economy is considered such acts. You can also make a charitable contribution for the same amount. By the way, it is not so small - 70 thousand or more euros. If the applicant contributes the specified amount, he will be given the opportunity to obtain citizenship under a simplified scheme.

Yugoslav citizenship

Here it is necessary to make a short excursion into history - relatively recently, Serbia was part of the Yugoslav Socialist Republic, which collapsed. So, former citizens of this socialist republic can obtain a Serbian passport under an accelerated program. But there is one condition - on February 27, 2005, he must have a 9-year term of Yugoslav citizenship.

Buying a property

Serbia is one of those countries that allow obtaining residence permit status through the purchase of real estate. Moreover, there are no requirements that you need to purchase so much space, here and there, for such an amount. No, local legislation allows you to apply for temporary citizenship when purchasing any real estate.

This allows many Russians to use this method; moreover, the method is also supported by the fact that the price of real estate in Serbia is significantly lower than in Russia.

But there are some nuances here. It is recommended to purchase real estate from trusted realtors. And preferably through state-owned companies. The thing is that in Serbia there is a lot of so-called “self-building”, when residents built a house on their own, but did not bother to obtain the appropriate documents for it.

Secondly, a lot of real estate is sold with debts that they “forget” to warn the new owner about.

Second citizenship

Serbian law allows citizens to have dual citizenship. According to Russian laws, this is unacceptable, but, again, Russian legislation does not prohibit its citizens from having a second citizenship. In this case, in Serbia you will be a Serbian citizen, and in Russia a Russian citizen. And you must respect the citizenship of the country in which you are located.

How to obtain citizenship

For foreigners living in Serbia, documents must be submitted to the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs. For those living abroad - to the local Serbian consulate.