Serbian nationality law explained

Short Title:	Citizenship Act of the Republic of Serbia
Legislature:	National Assembly of Serbia
Long Title:	An Act regulating the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia
Date Passed:	October 20, 1979
Date Passed2:	December 14, 2004
Date Signed:	December 29, 2004
Signed By:	President Boris Tadić
Status:	current

Citizenship of Serbia is regulated by the 2004 Citizenship Act, based primarily on the principle of Jus sanguinis. Article 23 of the citizenship law stipulates that any foreign national with Serbian descent has the right to acquire Serbian citizenship by written request. In certain cases, the act also allows dual citizenship, allowing an individual the right to retain his or her current citizenship and receive Serbian citizenship.^{[1] [2]}

The 2007 amendments enabled ethnic Serbs residing outside Serbia the right to citizenship. These amendments, adopted after the Montenegrin independence referendum, 2006, also allowed citizens of Montenegro living in Serbia the right to gain citizenship, if they submit the request within a 5-year period.^[3]

Acquisition of citizenship

• Acquiring citizenship by descent - citizenship by descent is limited to one generation (either parent must be registered as Serbian at time of birth) and the applicant cannot be older than 23 years of age at the time.^[4]
• Acquiring citizenship by birth^[5]
• Acquiring citizenship by admission (naturalization) - at least three years of uninterrupted permanent residence in Serbia.

Termination and reacquisition of citizenship

• Upon naturalisation and admission to the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia, release from any previous foreign nationality or evidence that you will be released from it.
• Termination of citizenship by release^[5]
• Termination of citizenship by renunciation^[5]
• Reacquisition of citizenship by the Republic of Serbia^[5]

Visa requirement for Serbian citizens

See main article: Visa requirements for Serbian citizens.

As of 2023, Serbian citizens have visa-free or visa on arrival access to 138 countries and territories, ranking the Serbian passport 38th overall in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index and among the five passports with the most improved rating since 2006.^{[6] [7]}

Notable naturalized people

• Yvonne Anderson, sportswoman.^[8]
• Charles Cather, social media influencer.^[9]
• Cléo, sportsman.^[10]
• Mohammed Dahlan, politician.^[11]
• Ralph Fiennes, English actor.^[12]
• Dmitrij Gerasimenko, sportsman.^[13]
• Evandro Goebel, sportsman.^[14]
• Arnaud Gouillon, humanitarian.^[15]
• Peter Handke, writer.
• Charles Jenkins, sportsman.^[16]
• Guélor Kanga, sportsman.
• DeMarcus Nelson, sportsman.^[17]
• El Fardou Ben Nabouhane, sportsman.^[18]
• Richard Odada, sportsman.^[19]
• Obiora Odita, sportsman.^[20]
• Danielle Page, sportswoman.^[21]
• Victor Ponta, politician.^[22]
• Kevin Punter, sportsman.
• Steven Seagal, actor.^[23]
• Yingluck Shinawatra, politician.^[24]
• Arkady Vyatchanin, sportsman.^[25]
• Corey Walden, sportsman.^[8]

See also

• Citizenship
• Nationality law
• Serbian passport

Notes and References

1. Web site: Citizenship. www.mfa.gov.rs. 2016-10-06. 2021-02-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20210206184132/http://mfa.gov.rs/en/consular-affairs/citizenship. dead.
2. Web site: Zakon o državljanstvu Republike Srbije. sr.
3. Web site: Izmene zakona o državljanstvu. sr. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111007143335/http://www.mzd.gov.rs/lat/download/dokumenti/zakonodrzavljanstvu.pdf. 2011-10-07.
4. Web site: Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney.
5. Web site: Citizenship . 2016-10-06 . 2021-02-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210206184132/http://mfa.gov.rs/en/consular-affairs/citizenship . dead .
6. Web site: The Henley Passport Index: Q3 Update . http://web.archive.org/web/20200712092111/https://www.henleyglobal.com/storage/app/media/HPI/HPI_Report_200706_2.pdf . 12 July 2020 . July 2020 . Henley & Partners.
7. Web site: The Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index Celebrates Ten Years. Henley &. Partners. www.prnewswire.com.
8. Web site: Kome je Srbija sve dala državljanstvo?.
9. Web site: Najpopularniji Amerikanac u Srbiji konačno dobio državljanstvo!. 5 June 2020. ddl.rs.
10. Web site: Kleo dobio pasoš. RTS, Radio televizija Srbije, Radio Television of. Serbia.
11. Web site: Archived copy. 2016-01-11. 2017-10-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20171018101602/http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/file/show//Sluzbeni%20glasnik.pdf. dead.
12. News: Rudić. Filip. Actor Ralph Fiennes Receives Serbian Citizenship :: Balkan Insight. 11 September 2017. www.balkaninsight.com. Balkan Insight. 11 September 2017. sr.
13. http://www.nadlanu.com/pocetna/info/sport/Dzudista-Gerasimenko-dobio-drzavljanstvo-Srbije.a-113947.80.html Džudista Gerasimenko dobio državljanstvo Srbije
14. Web site: Evandro dobio srpski pasoš. 4 August 2011.
15. Web site: ...Arnaud Gouillon…. 11 May 2015. inSerbia.
16. Web site: Čarls Dženkins dobio srpski pasoš!.
17. Web site: Demarkus Nelson dobio državljanstvo Srbije.
18. http://www.pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/SlGlasnikPortal/viewdoc?uuid=ccdad6ac-d2ec-4e59-b5ab-82d7402072b5 Službeni glasnik RS No. 79 - p.33
19. http://www.pravno-informacioni-sistem.rs/SlGlasnikPortal/viewdoc?uuid=e30511f8-d439-4a86-b4ac-9d1bd10d2c42 Službeni glasnik RS No. 69 - p.21
20. Web site: Exclusive : FK Vozdovac Striker Obiora Odita Gets Serbian Passport. all Nigeria soccer.
21. Web site: Danijel Pejdž predstavljena u Košarkaškom savezu Srbije. 2016-01-11. 2015-07-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20150701074304/http://kosarka24.rs/5666-danijel-pejdz-predstavljena-u-kosarkaskom-savezu-srbije. dead.
22. Web site: Cum a obţinut Victor Ponta cetăţenia sârbă. Explicaţiile fostului premier. mediafax.ro.
23. Decision was published in Official Gazette Službeni glasnik RS 002/2016.; Web site: Stiven Sigal dobio državljanstvo Srbije. 10 January 2016. Radio Television of Serbia. 11 January 2016.
24. Web site: Državljanstvo Srbije za bivšu premijerku Tajlanda u bekstvu.
25. Web site: Руски пливач Вјатчањин добио српско држављанство. May 13, 2015.