Three ways to file
Residence documents can be filed online through the government services portal, in person at an MUP office, or by post. The postal route is considered the least practical: it is unclear whether the letter arrived, whether the data is right and when to attend for biometrics, so few consider it seriously. The main choice is between online and in person.
Who uses which
Adults and young people aged sixteen to eighteen can file online. In-person filing is only for children. A spouse joining the family may file either way. In-person filing requires booking with the MUP by email and then bringing the papers; with online filing everything is completed on the site and no documents need to be brought in afterwards. Online filing is also available from abroad if all your documents are already gathered.
Filing as a family
Documents can be filed as a whole family at once: adults online, children in person. Children's applications must be brought by both parents together, and the child must be brought in person. Each adult files for themselves. Important: children and joining family members can file only in the period the MUP allocated when the appointment was requested — coming earlier, for example on the parents' biometrics day, is not possible.
How long residence is granted
The term depends on the ground. Three years is granted on several grounds: property, an indefinite employment contract, and your own sole-trader business. For family reunification the term equals that of the principal applicant you are joining. For study and courses — for the duration of study. For talent — one year. And a general rule: residence is not granted for longer than your passport is valid — if the passport expires earlier, the status is granted to the passport expiry date minus three months. Worth bearing in mind when planning a passport renewal.
What happens after approval
The biometrics invitation arrives in the electronic mailbox on the government services portal — a PDF with the date, time and address. The MUP sets the date and time itself; you cannot choose a convenient one. Do not drag it out: if you fail to attend for a long time, the approved status can be annulled, so it is not worth delaying more than a month. Biometrics are paid for each person, including children — both on first filing and on renewal.
How biometrics work
Come with a paid slip, your passport and a printed invitation. If you are with children — passports are needed for both adults and children, and both parents must attend; after a divorce the other parent's consent is required to arrange residence for the child. The dress code is strict and applies to children too: trousers only, no shorts, tracksuits, short skirts, flip-flops or headwear. There they take your fingerprints and photograph you: for children under twelve only a photo, for everyone else both. Afterwards they tell you when to collect the card and give you a confirmation.
Where and how it works
In Belgrade biometrics are taken at Omladinskih brigada 1 in New Belgrade, every day from seven in the morning to eight in the evening: at the entrance, find the card document issuance section on the terminal, locate your time and surname and take a ticket. In Novi Sad the address is Bulevar kralja Petra I 11 with the same hours, but staff speak Serbian, so if you do not know the language bring an interpreter: it is a requirement posted on the office door. The exact address always comes in the invitation, and offices are sometimes moved — if you are not seen on site, ask at the entrance.
What to do after receiving it
Once you have the card or sticker, it is worth putting your documents in order at once: address registration, bank details, and where relevant the pension fund record and insurance. And a separate detail: if you left the country before receiving the card, the white card must be made again; if you did not, it need not.
What to do step by step
Identify your ground and the document list. Choose the filing route: online for adults and teenagers, in person for children. Complete the application and attach scans. Pay the fee, keeping the receipt. Track the status in your account and wait for the invitation. Pay the biometrics fee for each person. Attend at the appointed time in the right clothes, with passports and the receipt. Then collect the card and update your details where needed.
Data checked on 11 October 2026: filing routes, status terms, the biometrics procedure and addresses follow current filing practice and community experience; the procedure and timescales may change, so follow MUP information and your account.