COVID-19 travel restrictions for non-EU citizens in Serbia

Information necessary for travelling to the Republic of Serbia is available here. The requirements change frequently, depending on the COVID-19 situation in the country.

As per foreign citizens, currently the following persons (if vaccinated) may enter Serbia irrespective of whether they come from an EU or from a non-EU country:

• foreign nationals with approved temporary or permanent residence in the Republic of Serbia, if fully vaccinated (i.e. vaccinated with two doses, or a single dose if vaccinated using the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine) and holding a certificate of vaccination issued by а healthcare institution (i.e. a competent authority of the country where the person has been vaccinated);
• persons who have been vaccinated in the Republic of Serbia and hold a valid certificate of vaccination and citizens of countries with which the Republic of Serbia has concluded an agreement on the mutual recognition of immunisation certificates or there is de facto reciprocity in the recognition of the vaccination certificates; who have been vaccinated in the said country and hold a valid certificate issued by the competent state authority, Covid vaccine legitimation. In both cases, a person must be fully vaccinated – vaccinated with two doses, or a single dose if vaccinated using the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and Јohnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine.

As an alternative to evidence of vaccination or a negative RT-PCR test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus or a negative FIA ​​Rapid Antigen test for persons coming from the United States, foreign citizens are allowed to enter Serbia if provided with a: Certificate of COVID-19 disease – a document stating that its holder has been diagnosed with the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (no sooner than 14 days from the date of testing and no later than six months from the date of testing), which was issued by the Institute for Public Health of the Republic of Serbia (i.e. the competent state body of a country with which the Republic of Serbia concluded an agreement or with which there is de facto reciprocity in the recognition of such certificates).

Given that Serbia has not concluded an agreement on the mutual recognition of immunisation certificates with Ukraine, the general rules apply. Therefore, persons coming to the Republic of Serbia from Ukraine are allowed to enter the Republic of Serbia if they have a negative RT-PCR test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus, issued by the reference laboratory of the country they come from, that is not older than 48 hours from the date of issuance. As of 30 June 2021, there is a possibility for foreign citizens to enter Serbia should there be a de facto reciprocity in recognition of vaccine certificates established between Serbia and the country at hand (i.e. if Serbian citizens may enter the said country with a vaccine certificate). This leaves room for Ukrainian citizens to enter Serbia (if vaccinated) even before the relevant agreement between Serbia and Ukraine is concluded. However, because the issue of whether factual reciprocity can be established is problematic, the relevant state bodies should be consulted in each particular case. Therefore, we advise contacting CMS Belgrade before traveling to Serbia.

Regarding entering Serbia for business trips, Serbian and foreign nationals, with prior notice to the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, may enter the Republic of Serbia under the condition that within 24 hours after crossing the state border, they must submit to the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry a negative result of the RT-PCR test or antigen test for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, issued by a reference laboratory in the Republic of Serbia.

The Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will further forward the notice of crossing the state border without delay to the Ministry of the Interior-Border Police Administration, but no later than 24 hours prior to the expected crossing of the state border. If a person fails to submit a negative result of the RT-PCR test or antigen test for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus within 24 hours of crossing the state border, or if the test result for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is positive, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will inform the territorially competent institute for public health about this with no delay.