COVID-19 Precautionary Measures in Serbia (16 July update)

*Can a resident enter the country? *

• Yes

• Citizens and residents are allowed to enter.

*Can a foreigner enter the country? *

• Yes

• Foreign nationals are allowed to enter Serbia.

• Minors (domestic or foreign citizens) aged 12 to 18 can enter the Republic of Serbia without a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test or a negative FIA ​​Rapid Antigen test, or without a vaccination certificate or a certificate of recovery from disease. However, within 48 hours after arrival, they must submit to the territorially public health institute an RT-PCR test or antigen test result for the presence of COVID-19 virus from a reference laboratory of the Republic of Serbia.

*Is transit allowed through the country? *

• Yes

• Transit is allowed through Serbia.

• Travellers transiting through Serbia with a layover of 12 hours or less are not required to have a COVID-19 test certificate. Travellers with a layover of more than 12 hours must carry a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate issued within 48 hours before arrival.

*Is a test required on arrival? *

• No with exceptions

• All travellers must complete a self-assessment within 24 hours of arrival in Serbia. The result of this self-assessment will determine whether a traveller should report to a COVID-19 clinic for further screening.

*Is a test certificate accepted? *

• Yes

• Negative COVID-19 PCR test reports issued by reference laboratories of foreign countries are accepted.

*Test certificate required? *

• Yes with exceptions

• Travellers need to show one of the following documents upon arrival to the country:-

• Negative RT-PCR test certificate of complete vaccination or a certificate of COVID-19 disease. For more details click here

• All visitors to Serbia (with a limited number of exceptions) are required to have a certificate for a negative PCR test issued within 48 hours before arrival. Travellers will be refused entry without a negative test result. Tests cannot be taken on arrival.

• In case of a delay in entering Serbia due to an unforeseen external event that cannot be attributed to the fault of the passenger (flight delay, departure of buses, trains, etc.), the traveller must ensure that the test is not older than 72 hours when entering Serbia.

• Serbian nationals and foreign nationals with temporary and permanent residence must either present a certificate for a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours before arrival or spend 10 days in self-isolation at home following entry to Serbia. Individuals undergoing self-isolation must report to a healthcare centre within 24 hours of entering Serbia by registering at e-zdravlje. More exemptions can be found here

• The following categories of foreign travellers are exempt from the requirement for a negative test result:

• Visitors travelling from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro;

• Foreign nationals transiting Serbia (up to 12 hours);

• Crew of international cargo (road and river) transport (time limits apply);

• Crews and cabin crews of aircraft arriving in and transiting Serbia;

• Children aged 12 years and under, provided the parent/adult accompanying has complied with the entry requirements outlined above;

• Members of foreign diplomatic missions, international organisations, and military undertaking official travel;

• Business travellers with approval from the Serbian Chamber of Commerce;

• Foreign citizens who have been granted temporary residence or permanent residence in Serbia;

• Members of foreign military, police, and other security services who are in transit through the territory of the Republic of Serbia or come to Serbia for the purpose of performing official tasks with prior notice;

• Citizens of the Republic of Croatia who are full-time or part-time students at higher education institutions in Serbia, and who prove their status with a public document issued by a higher education institution of the Republic of Serbia - student book (index).

• Persons who have been vaccinated in Serbia and who have the appropriate certificate, as well as citizens of countries with which Serbia has concluded agreements on recognition of vaccination certificates, who have been vaccinated in that country and have the appropriate certificate issued by the competent authority of those states - the so-called kovid vaccination ID (countries: Greece, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, UAE, Slovenia, Czech Republic).

• The details of the exceptions can be found online at this link.

• Travellers arriving from the United States can present a certificate for a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test or a negative FIA ​​Rapid Antigen test not older than 48 hours from the date of issuance of the results.

*Is quarantine required on arrival? *

• Yes with exceptions

• All domestic citizens are ordered to enter quarantine at home for a maximum of 7 days with the obligation to test for the presence of the virus within 24 hours of arrival and again after 7 days of quarantine.

• Serbian residents and nationals arriving from any country, except Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary, North Macedonia, and Montenegro, Croatia, who do not have a valid test certificate must quarantine at home for 10 days and must report to the competent COVID health clinic within 24 hours of arrival.

• The quarantine measure can be terminated if a negative COVID-19 test result is received after arrival.

• Details along with the exceptions can be found in this link.

• Based on the above restrictions, the travellers will be required to spend between 0 and 10 days in quarantine.

*Entry form required? *

• Yes

• All travellers, including Serbian citizens and foreign residents, must complete a self-assessment within 24 hours of arrival. The assessment form is available here.

• The assessment result must be printed or downloaded for future reference. Depending on the results, the traveller may be required to report to a health clinic.

• A second online assessment test will be required on the tenth day after arrival in the country.

*Is vaccination required? *

• No

• A COVID-19 vaccine is currently not required for entry into Serbia.

• Serbian authorities have approved several vaccines, namely Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and Sinopharm.

• The Government of Serbia reported that individuals fully vaccinated in Serbia do not need to present a negative COVID-19 test, nor quarantine, upon return to Serbia. Details and exemptions can be seen at this link

Insurance required

• No

• Proof of insurance coverage for COVID-19 expenses is not required to enter the country.

Airline restrictions

• Minimal

• Airports are open. International and domestic passenger flights are operating.

Border restrictions

• Minimal

• All borders are currently open.

Curfew restrictions

• Moderate

• There is no curfew in place.

• Rules and restrictions may change rapidly in different towns and cities. Nationwide and local restrictions may be imposed with short notice.

Social distancing restrictions

• Minimal

• Gatherings of more than 5 persons are not allowed.

• People must maintain at least 1.5 metres distance between each other in all public places.

• Scientific and business congresses can have a maximum of 200 people.

Internal travel restrictions

• Minimal

• Masks are required.

• Public transport is operational, including intercity, urban and suburban rail, and bus transportation.

• There are no restrictions on intercity/inter-province travel.

*Non-essential shops open? *

• Yes with exceptions

• All businesses and services are allowed to operate from 06:00 to 22:00.

*Restaurants open? *

• Yes

• Restaurants are open 24 hours a day.

*Bars and cafes open? *

• No with exceptions

• Cafes are allowed to open with strict COVID-19 protocols.

*Museums and heritage sites open? *

• Yes

• Museums are open.

*Personal care services open? *

• Yes

• Personal care services are allowed to open with strict safety guidelines. Services that are open include hairdressers, beauty salons, fitness centres, spas, gyms, and swimming pools.

*Events allowed? *

• Yes.

• Group celebrations are now allowed to take place, including birthday celebrations and wedding parties. Cultural events are allowed to take place with capacity limits.

• Scientific and business congresses can have a maximum of 200 people.

• Public cultural and artistic events in open, organized ceremonies, celebrations, concerts, and other events are allowed with a maximum of 500 visitors.

*Masks required in public? *

• Yes

• Wearing a face mask is required in all indoor public places at all times. Face masks are required in outdoor spaces when maintaining the required social distance is not possible. Violations may lead to a fine. Children below four years are exempt.

Other

• Visiting patients at hospitals is prohibited.

• Fitness centres, parks, and other venues for recreation and sports are open.

• Visits to elder care homes are limited to 15 minutes.

• Schools are open with social distancing measures and strict protocols.

• Movie theatres, galleries, and libraries may open.

• Gas stations, pharmacies, laboratories, medical and veterinarian offices are open.

The COVID-19 epidemic is constantly changing worldwide. Travel and border restrictions may change with little or no notice. Airlines may have their own requirements for testing, masking, and distancing. It is recommended that travellers carry a supply of face masks since the requirement can vary by location. It is recommended that travellers practice social distancing and maintain a 6-foot distance other individuals and avoid crowded areas. Check with your airline, booking agent, or country's embassy for information on your specific travel plans.