Your first 90 days in Serbia: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
The white card resets on every entry into Serbia, so a weekend trip out and back means registering again within 24 hours. This is the single most common cause of a rejected renewal file, because the gaps are visible in the police record even when nobody stopped you at the time.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Register your address with the police within 24 hours, then apply for the unified temporary residence and work permit through the eUprava portal
Address registration ('beli karton') within 24 hours of arrival; the residence application before your visa-free stay ends
Since the 2024 unified-permit reform the residence and work permits are a single online application, which removed a lot of queueing — but the 24-hour white-card duty survived the reform untouched and is still done at the police station.
Get your JMBG or a foreigner's EBS/tax identification number
Employment, banking, property and every Tax Administration filing key off it.
A registration number is assigned with the temporary residence; a PIB or personal tax number for self-employment is registered with the Tax Administration afterwards.
Open a bank account
Banca Intesa, OTP and Raiffeisen open dinar and foreign-currency accounts for permit holders on the residence card and registration number. Serbia is one of the easier places in the region to bank as a foreigner, and the market is used to nomads — but cash is still king outside Belgrade and Novi Sad.
Enrol in healthcare
The RFZO fund covers contributors; employees are enrolled through payroll, while the self-employed and inactive residents must arrange their own contributions or private cover. Public hospitals are capable but crowded, and private clinics in Belgrade are affordable enough that most foreign residents default to them.
Sort your driver's license
A foreign licence is valid for the first six months of residence; after that Serbia requires an exchange at the MUP, with a medical certificate and, for licences from countries without a reciprocity agreement, examinations.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Serbia: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Serbia?
Register your address with the police within 24 hours, then apply for the unified temporary residence and work permit through the eUprava portal — Address registration ('beli karton') within 24 hours of arrival; the residence application before your visa-free stay ends. Since the 2024 unified-permit reform the residence and work permits are a single online application, which removed a lot of queueing — but the 24-hour white-card duty survived the reform untouched and is still done at the police station. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the JMBG or a foreigner's EBS/tax identification number and do I need one?
JMBG or a foreigner's EBS/tax identification number is Serbia's personal tax/ID number. Employment, banking, property and every Tax Administration filing key off it. A registration number is assigned with the temporary residence; a PIB or personal tax number for self-employment is registered with the Tax Administration afterwards.
Can I drive in Serbia on a US license?
A foreign licence is valid for the first six months of residence; after that Serbia requires an exchange at the MUP, with a medical certificate and, for licences from countries without a reciprocity agreement, examinations. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Serbia?
The RFZO fund covers contributors; employees are enrolled through payroll, while the self-employed and inactive residents must arrange their own contributions or private cover. Public hospitals are capable but crowded, and private clinics in Belgrade are affordable enough that most foreign residents default to them. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Serbia's system treats foreign residents.