How to Get Serbia CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 3 years
- Language
- None
- Dual citizenship
- Citizens abroad only
- Civic test
- No civic knowledge requirement
- Criminal record
- No criminal record condition in the law
- Income condition
- No income condition in the law
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Partly accepted: for citizens who naturalise abroad onlyNew citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Europe
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
This route covers foreign residents who seek citizenship after living in Serbia, subject to the conditions below. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
- Residence
- 3 years
Person has been uninterruptedly resident in Serbia for at least 3 years.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions
Renunciation or automatic loss of citizenship of another country (unless legally impossible or unreasonable) required. Retention of original citizenship is permitted on the basis of a bilateral treaty with Bosnia and Herzegovina (2007-).
- Language
- No language requirement
- Civic knowledge
- No civic knowledge requirement
Written statement of loyalty required.
- Criminal record
- No criminal record condition in the law
- Income or economic resources
- No income condition in the law
Marriage or civil partnership
This route covers people married to a citizen of Serbia, subject to the conditions below. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person has been the spouse of a citizen for 3 years, has permanent residence in Serbia, and submits a written statement of loyalty.
Descent (citizen parent)
Descent from a citizen parent is the basis of this route in Serbia.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in Serbia to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to two citizens, or to one parent who is a citizen another parent who is unknown, of unknown citizenship, or stateless, or to a citizen and the person would otherwise be stateless.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen (registration by parent before the age of 18).
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen (declaration by person between the age of 18 and 23).
Birth in the country
For people born in Serbia, the rules below show when birth there leads to citizenship. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person is born in Serbia, has been uninterruptedly resident there for 2 years before the application, and submits a written statement of loyalty.
Child of a new citizen
For children whose parent becomes a citizen of Serbia, the rules below set out what applies. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person is a minor both whose parents are acquiring citizenship, or only one parent is acquiring citizenship and the other parent consents to the child acquiring citizenship.
Adoption
Adoption by a citizen of Serbia is the basis of this route.
Person is a minor who is adopted by a citizen.
Person is adopted by a citizen (in a weak adoption) and resides in Serbia with the adoptive parent. Consent is required if the person is over the age of 14.
Other family members of citizens
For certain relatives of citizens, former citizens or new citizens of Serbia, the rules below set out what applies. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Transfer from former citizen
Person's parent was a former citizen. Other conditions: legal capacity and written statement of loyalty.
Spousal coacquisition
Person is the spouse of someone who acquires citizenship under the rules for a related provision. Other conditions: person submits a written statement of loyalty. Or is the spouse of someone who acquires citizenship under the rules for special achievements. Other conditions: person has legal capacity. Or is the spouse of someone who acquires citizenship under the rules for a related provision. Other conditions: person submits a written statement of loyalty.
Former citizens (reacquisition)
For former citizens of Serbia, the rules below show when citizenship can be reacquired. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person has legal capacity, submits a written statement of loyalty, and was released from citizenship, or acquired foreign citizenship, or was released from or renounced citizenship at his/her parents' request.
Ethnic or cultural affinity
For people with ethnic or cultural ties to Serbia, the rules below set out what applies. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person has legal capacity, submits a written statement of loyalty, and is a member of the Serbian nation without permanent residence in Serbia, or was born in another republic of the SFRY (Socialist Federal Republic Yugoslavia) and had citizenship of that republic or is a citizen of another state that was created on the territory of SFRY, or belongs to another nation or ethnicity from the Serbian territory without permanent residence in Serbia. No renunciation requirement.
Refugees
For recognised refugees in Serbia, the rules below set out what applies. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person is a recognised refugee from another republic of the former SFRY who had the citizenship of that republic or has the citizenship of another state formed in the territory of the former SFRY. Other conditions: person must have legal capacity and submit a written statement of loyalty.
Stateless persons
This route covers stateless people and children who would otherwise be stateless, subject to the conditions below. Under the law of Serbia, citizenship is acquired automatically, with no official decision involved.
Foundlings
Person is found in Serbia of unknown parentage.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born in Serbia to parents of unknown citizenship or without citizenship or the person is stateless.
Special achievements
Special achievements, or a national interest in granting citizenship, are the basis of this route in Serbia. A decision rests with the authorities, who may refuse despite the conditions being fulfilled.
Person has legal capacity and acquisition of citizenship is in the interest of Serbia.
Not available in Serbia: Citizens of specific countries, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Public or military service, Investment. This follows the GLOBALCIT coding, with in-force changes applied.
Dual citizenship
The two directions differ in Serbia: citizens who naturalise abroad are treated differently from new citizens.
- New citizens
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Check where Serbia sits in the full residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Albania | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 Greece | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Kosovo | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Malta | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Portugal | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 14, 15.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Serbia Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/serbia/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/serbia/">How to Get Serbia Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Serbian citizen?
Ordinary naturalisation in Serbia requires 3 years of residence, plus the other conditions in the law.
Does Serbia allow dual citizenship?
Partly. Serbia accepts it for citizens who naturalise abroad, but not generally for new citizens.
Do I need a language test for Serbian citizenship?
No, Serbian citizenship does not require a language test.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Serbian citizenship?
No civic knowledge test is required for Serbian citizenship.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Serbian citizenship?
Yes, though notable exceptions may allow you to keep your current citizenship.
Can I get Serbia citizenship by marriage?
Yes. Marriage to a citizen is a route to citizenship in Serbia. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get Serbia citizenship by descent?
Yes, Serbia has a descent route. Procedure: automatic, discretionary, entitlement.
Can I get Serbia citizenship by investment?
No. The data codes no citizenship-by-investment route for Serbia.
Related pages
Also see: Serbia passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.