The prijava – the registration of your address with the police – is the first official step after you arrive in Serbia. Without it, almost nothing works: no bank account, no PIB (tax number), no company formation and no residence permit. This article explains the process step by step, what you receive at the end and how the registration fits into everything else you need to sort out in your first weeks.
What is the prijava?
Prijava is Serbian for "registration". It is the registration of your place of residence with the responsible police station of the MUP (Ministarstvo unutrašnjih poslova, the Ministry of the Interior). If you come from Germany, it is the equivalent of the Anmeldung at the residents' registration office – with the difference that in Serbia the police are responsible.
The prijava is mandatory for all foreigners who stay in Serbia for longer than 24 hours. If you stay in a hotel, the hotel takes care of this registration automatically. If you stay in private accommodation (an apartment, a house or a shared flat), you must go to the police yourself within 24 hours of arrival – or your landlord must register you.
Important to understand from the start: the prijava only confirms where you are staying. It is not a permit to stay in the country. How the registration relates to temporary and permanent residence is explained in our article Boravak vs. Permanent Residence in Serbia.
How the prijava works: the process
Who registers you?
In practice, many landlords take care of the prijava for their tenants – either in person at the police station or online. As a tenant, you should make sure that this step is actually completed. Attend the registration in person if possible, and always get a copy of the prijava form.
This is also why the lease matters: without the owner's consent, you cannot register at the address. If you are still looking for an apartment, keep this in mind when you negotiate – our article Bilingual Lease for a Belgrade Apartment explains why the registration clause belongs in the contract.
Documents you need
- The foreigner's passport (original)
- Lease agreement (or proof of ownership if you own the property)
- The owner's consent (if you are registered via the landlord)
- If applicable, online registration via the ePrijava portal
The responsible police station
You have to go to the police station in the city district where your apartment is located. Belgrade has several district police stations (Savski venac, Stari grad, Novi Beograd and others). The responsible station is not always easy to find – ask your landlord or check the official MUP website.
How long it takes
The registration itself takes 15–30 minutes. Some stations have waiting times – early in the morning is usually faster. Plan the visit for your first day in your new home, not for "sometime next week": the 24-hour deadline is short, and every later step builds on this document.
The prijava form: what you receive
After a successful registration, you receive a copy of the prijava form. You need this document for:
- Opening a bank account
- Applying for a PIB at the Poreska uprava (Tax Administration)
- Applying for a residence permit
- Registering for health insurance
- Company formation (APR registration)
Keep several copies. The original form stays with the landlord or the authority. A simple routine helps: one paper copy in your document folder, one scan on your phone and one scan in your cloud storage, so you can present it whenever a bank or office asks for it.
Staying longer than 90 days
Serbia is not a member of the European Union, so EU freedom of movement does not apply there – not for Germans, Austrians or Swiss citizens either. Citizens of Germany, Austria and Switzerland do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days (visa-free entry). If you hold a different nationality, check the entry rules that apply to your own passport; the statements in this section refer to German, Austrian and Swiss citizens. For longer stays, there are the following options:
Option 1: Visa rotation (short term)
Some expats use the 90/180-day rule – a short trip out of the country every 90 days, then another 90 days without a visa. This is legal, but it is not a long-term solution and carries risks if the entry policy changes.
Option 2: Residence permit (boravak)
For a permanent stay, an official residence permit is necessary – how the application works in detail is explained step by step in our guide Residence Permit in Serbia: Step by Step. Possible grounds:
- Company formation: setting up a d.o.o. or registering as a preduzetnik (sole trader) entitles you to a residence permit as a business owner – for an overview of the costs, see Setting Up a DOO in Serbia: What Does It Actually Cost?
- Employment: a residence permit on the basis of a work permit
- Family reunification: if your spouse is a Serbian citizen
- Property ownership: buying a Serbian property can be a ground
- Retirees/pensioners: a residence permit on the basis of pension income is possible
Applying for a temporary residence permit
The application is filed with the MUP (Policijska uprava, the police administration) or at a Serbian diplomatic mission abroad. Typical documents:
- Passport (copies of all relevant pages)
- Prijava (current)
- Proof of the reason for your stay (APR extract, employment contract, etc.)
- Proof of health insurance
- Biometric photos
- Completed application form (available from the MUP)
- Processing fee: approx. RSD 5,000–8,000 (~EUR 40–65)
Processing time: 1–3 weeks. The temporary residence permit is issued for 1–3 years and can be renewed. Note that the application lists a current prijava – if you move to a new apartment, register the new address before you apply.
Tax residence vs. residence permit
An important distinction: the residence permit and tax residence are two different things.
- Residence permit: allows you to live and work in Serbia
- Tax residence: arises from actual presence (more than 183 days) or a permanent home – regardless of the residence permit
For people leaving Germany: what matters for tax deregistration in Germany is not the residence permit, but that you have actually moved your residence and habitual abode to Serbia and can convince the German tax office of this. If you are moving from another country, clarify the rules of your current country of residence with a tax adviser there before you deregister.
Checklist: your first weeks in Serbia
- Day 1: prijava at the police station – together with your landlord, or on your own with your lease agreement
- Week 1: apply for a PIB at the Poreska uprava (with your prijava and passport)
- Week 2: open a business account (with your prijava, PIB and, if applicable, APR extract)
- Weeks 2–4: APR registration as a preduzetnik or d.o.o. (if you are self-employed or running a business)
- Months 1–3: apply for a residence permit (if you plan to stay longer than 90 days)
- Months 3–6: sort out health insurance (RFZO or private supplementary cover)
The order is not arbitrary: each step uses documents from the step before it. The prijava is needed for the PIB, the PIB for the bank account, and the residence permit application again asks for a current prijava. If one step stalls, everything after it shifts – which is why the registration on day one is worth the effort.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register if I stay in a hotel?
No, during a hotel stay the hotel takes care of the registration automatically. In private accommodation, you or your landlord must register you with the police within 24 hours of arrival.
Who registers me if I rent an apartment?
In practice, many landlords register their tenants, in person at the police station or online. Make sure the step is actually completed and always get a copy of the prijava form.
What do I need for the prijava?
Your original passport, the lease agreement (or proof of ownership), the owner's consent if your landlord registers you and, where applicable, the online registration via the ePrijava portal.
Is the prijava a residence permit?
No. The prijava only registers your address. To stay longer than the visa-free period, you need a residence permit (boravak), and the application for it requires a current prijava.
What does the temporary residence permit cost?
The processing fee is approx. RSD 5,000–8,000 (~EUR 40–65). Processing takes 1–3 weeks, and the permit is issued for 1–3 years and can be renewed.
Conclusion
The prijava is the key to everything else in Serbia – without it, you will not get anywhere with banks, authorities or company formation. It is easy to do, but it has to be dealt with quickly after arrival. Plan your start in Serbia so that you can begin your first week with a visit to the police station and the Poreska uprava.
Further reading:
- Residence Permit in Serbia: Step by Step
- Applying for a tax number (PIB) in Serbia
- Opening a bank account in Serbia as a foreigner
- Moving to Serbia: What You Need to Know
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