Serbia Family Reunion Visa – Application, Requirements and Fees

When did you last set your eyes on your spouse or children? Is securing a Serbia Family reunion visa on your mind as we speak? Here is an article that explains the journey to securing a Serbia Family reunion visa.

Securing a Serbia family visa is the priority of any resident of Serbia who has been separated from their family for over three years.

Fortunately, for citizens of EU member countries and Schengen Area member states, there is no journey at all. Also, suppose you are holding a Schengen visa. In that case, UK visa, US visa, or a residence permit from any of the Schengen member states, US, UK, and member states of the European Union, all that you need to do is present a visa or residence permit together with an ID.

However, this is not the case for a foreign national without a visa or residence permit from any of the countries mentioned above.

If you are an international citizen, there is nothing to worry about. Just make sure you read through the article thoroughly.

In this article, you will find out the requirements for a Serbia family reunion visa application, the cost of acquiring one, and a step-by-step process to ensure a glitch-free visa application process.

Should you have any concerns, the FAQs will attend to them.

Now hop on and read through.

Serbia Family Reunion Visa

The Serbia family reunion visa grants foreign nationals the right to enter Serbia to unite with their families. In addition, Serbia as a country has a lot of places and creations of pleasant sights that you can never see enough once you step into the country.

The Serbia family reunion visa is one of the long-term (D) visas that the Serbian government grants to foreign citizens. This visa is offered to foreign citizens who are spouses or children of Serbian citizens or spouses or children to holders of Serbia residence permits.

The family reunion visa is offered to them to allow them to visit and stay with their families. In essence, this visa allows them entry into Serbia for the long term. However, any foreign national who wishes to invite their family over to Serbia using the Serbia family reunion visa must hold a residence permit.

Whether a temporary or permanent residence permit, they must be holders of a Serbia residence permit.

Foreign nationals who are holders of a Serbia study visa or tourist visa cannot invite their family members over with the Serbia family reunion visa. Likewise, foreign citizens hold asylum visas or have refugee status.

However, spouses or children (not minors) of nationals residing in Serbia who hold Schengen visas, UK, US, or EU member country visas do not need the Serbia family reunion visa to enter the country.

Eligibility criteria for obtaining a Serbia family reunion visa.

For foreign nationals to invite their family members using the Serbia family reunion visa, their partner and any children must meet up to the following standards;

• Their partners must be someone they are in a genuine relationship. And at such, they must be able to prove any of the following;
• That they are in a genuine relationship with their partners. As such, they must prove that they are married or in a civil partnership.
• If they are not yet married or are not in a civil relationship, their partners may join them in Serbia if; they were given refugee status or humanitarian protection in Serbia.
• If they lived together in a relationship that looks like civil marriage or partnership for at least two years.
• Suppose both intend to live together and continue the relationship after applying. This is a must. If they happen not to continue in the relationship after they arrive in Serbia, it may cost both of them the effort put into acquiring the visa.
• Their children must be below18 years of age.
• They are going to live with both partners.
• Their child must not be married or be in a civil relationship.

Documents necessary for a Serbia family reunion visa

When applying for a Serbia family reunion visa, there are necessary documents that you must provide before the embassy begins to process the application.

The necessary documents for a Serbia family reunion visa include;

#1. Application Form.

You must submit a fully completed, printed, and signed Serbia family reunion visa application form. The applicant signs the application form themselves except in the case of minors. While filling out the application form, write in block letters for clarity.

#2. A copy of a valid International Passport.

The applicant has to present a copy of a valid international passport to their local embassy. Make sure to capture the page that contains your details and information.

#3. If you have a previous Serbia visa, you can submit it too.

It is worthy of note that whatever passport the applicant submits to the embassy must fulfill the following obligations;

• Must be valid at least one year beyond the arrival date.
• Must capture the information and biodata of the applicant.
• Must contain the signature of the applicant. This signature must also be consistent with that on the application form.
• The passport was not issued for the past ten years.
• And it must also have at least two free visa pages.
• The pictures affixed to the passport must not be damaged.

#4. Two copies of civil passport photos.

The applicant must present two copies of newly taken passport photographs.

It must not be older than six months, show clearly the facial view, and be taken on a white background.

#5. A copy of an ID Card.

Only ID cards that have a minimum of three months validity are acceptable. That is to say that the ID card must be valid three months beyond your departure for Serbia.

#6. Copy of a Residence Permit.

You must have a document that proves the residency of the country you are applying from.

The permit must be valid six months beyond your departure for Serbia.

#7. Details of your Spouse/family member.

As a requirement, the applicant should provide some basic information about their spouse or the family member they are visiting.

Some of the basic information they need to make available are;

• A copy of the host’s residence permit for Serbia. The permit submitted should not be older than six months.
• If you are visiting your spouse, you need to provide a marriage certificate. Either a Serbia marriage certificate or foreign marriage certificate.
• The applicant must present a divorce decree of previous marriage(s) or a death certificate of a former spouse (if they were previously married).

#8. Proof of Accommodation.

Must provide a document proving that you have a place to stay for the duration of your stay in Serbia.

You will need to submit or make available,

• A copy of the lease certificate of an apartment in Serbia.
• If the partner is already residing in Serbia, the applicant should provide a title deed of ownership of the property.
• A document indicating that the host has the right to use or the right of ownership that allows guests to stay at that location.

However, this is only applicable if the host is providing accommodation.

#9. Proof of Financial Means.

The family member who intends to live in Serbia (spouse) must provide proof of financial means. The evidence includes documents like a bank statement obtained or a copy of an employment certificate.

The spouse living in Serbia should provide salary slips from the past three months.

This is to ensure that the applicants or their spouses can cater for their living expenses throughout their stay in Serbia.

Below are several recognized ways of proving your financial means.

• Copy of a personal bank statement indicating your financial movements for at least the last three months.
• Credit card
• Traveler’sTraveler’s cheques
• Proof of employment
• Payslips
• Cash

Other supporting documents to attest to the sponsor’s readiness to cover living expenses throughout your stay. It also includes; proof of prepaid accommodation, documents about accommodation in private, and proof of prepaid transport.

#10. Travel Health Insurance.

This will take care of unforeseen travel or health risk incurred during travel or your stay in Serbia.

It must have a coverage of about €30,000 minimum. This will also be requested when applicable.

#11. Proof of Criminal Record.

A legal document proves that you have never been indicted and convicted for criminal activities. It can as well be a document that bears the same legal value issued by authorities from the country of residence.

How to apply for a Serbia family reunion visa.

The steps to follow when applying or submitting your visa application to the Serbia Embassy in your country.

1. Contact the Serbian embassy in your country of residence.
2. Schedule an appointment for a visa application with your local embassy.
3. Make available every document necessary for this application. The embassy will provide the list of documents that you need for your visa
4. After gathering the documents, please submit them to your country’s Serbian embassy/consulate.
5. Pay the fee for the visa application form.
6. Submit your documents together with the receipt of the visa fee payment. Attend your appointments and on time too.
7. After submitting your application, wait for a response (an email or mobile text message) from the Serbia embassy. After the response, you will get instructions on what to do next.

What is the cost of a Serbia family reunion visa?

You pay a fee of €80 for your application. But there are other fees inclusive. But to be on the safer side, keep about €3000 or more for every fee and payment that would be incurred during processing the visit visa.

Frequently Asked Question

Is Serbia a member country of the Schengen Area?

No. Serbia, even though it’s a country in Europe, is not part of the Schengen area. So it also does not belong to the European Union.

However, any foreign citizen holding a visa from a Schengen or European Union member country can enter Serbia with a free visa. But for a minimum of 90 days.

What do I need to do to obtain a Serbia permit for residence?

For citizens of foreign nations to obtain permanent residency in Serbia, they must have lived in Serbia for at least five years and counting.

Also, if the foreign applicant has been married to a Serbia citizen for at least three years, they can request a residence permit.

Can I obtain my resident permit using Serbia family reunion visa?

Yes, you can! As a requirement, you must have lived in Serbia for at least fiber years. Also, you must be financially capable.

How long does it take to process a Serbia family reunion visa?

Generally, it takes about 10 to 69 days to complete your visa application. However, this is not constant for all Serbia embassies. Countries.

Moreover, the speed of processing your visa application depends on the type of visa.

Conclusion

Reuniting with your husband, wife, children, or any other family member is the most pleasant experience, particularly if you have stayed away for a long time in Serbia. In addition to presenting you with the opportunity to see your family, Serbia offers you sights of pleasant attraction.

So, if you need to behold the beauties that Serbia offers and see your long-time family member, go to the Serbian government immigration website and start with your visa application.