Serbia tightens conditions for Russians to stay in the country

Serbia tightens measures against Russians who use "vizaran", writes "DW❶❷ The main thing." We are talking about a scheme in which Russians leave the country every 30 days and immediately return to reset the period of visa-free stay in Serbia.

Formally, Russian citizens can stay in the country without a visa for up to 30 days, but the total stay is limited to 90 days for six months.

Serbian authorities have begun to take measures against such practices, Uglavnom said. According to him, now the border and police services have begun to detain people, seize documents from them and transfer cases to court. The reason is the excess of the total period of stay, even if the person regularly crossed the border.

So, the report says, in March, a court in the city of Subotica fined a Russian citizen and decided to expel him from the country. The court concluded that, despite the formal departures, he actually lived in Serbia, violating migration rules.

According to various estimates, the new measures may affect at least 150 thousand people, since the majority of Russian relocators in Serbia do not have a residence permit and live according to the scheme of monthly departures.

"The tightening of control is taking place against the background of the country's desire to harmonize its visa policy with EU standards by the end of 2026. By this deadline, Serbia, being a candidate for EU membership, is obliged to introduce a visa regime with countries whose citizens require a visa to enter the EU, and Russia is included in this list," DW notes❶❷.

❶An organization performing the functions of a foreign agent

❷An organization whose activities are deemed undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation