Serbia

Dual Citizenship Serbia

Allowed

Citizenship in the Republic of Serbia (the “RoS”) can be acquired by descent (“ius sanguinis” also known as “right of blood”). This is possible for individuals who can prove their heritage through their family lineage. Serbian law allows descendants of Serbian citizens, even if they were born abroad, to apply for citizenship. To be eligible, applicants typically need to provide documented evidence of their Serbian ancestry, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other relevant family records, birth in the territory of the RoS or according to ratified international treaties on reciprocity condition. Finally, citizenship can be acquired also by admission (naturalization), which is subject to the approval of the Ministry of Internal Affairs provided that all requirements prescribed by the Law are fulfilled.

A foreign citizen who, in conformity with the regulations on residence of foreign citizens, was allowed to permanently reside in RoS (has had uninterrupted residence in the territory of Serbia for at least three years) can, upon his/her own application be admitted into Serbian citizenship if the Serbian applicant: (1) is 18 years old and not deprived of contractual capacity; (2) is released from foreign citizenship or submits evidence that he/she will be granted the dismissal if admitted into citizenship of RoS (except in the case when a foreign country does not allow the release from citizenship or sets conditions for release that a foreign citizen cannot fulfil, in which case the applicant must submit a statement the s/he renounces his/her former citizenship, however, if a renunciation or loss of the former citizenship is not possible or cannot be reasonably expected, such statement is not required); (4) submits a written statement attesting that he/she considers RoS his/her state.

The Law further regulates other ways of acquiring citizenship by admission (naturalization) that are based on birth, affiliation to the Serbian nation, emigration, marriage or national interest, provided that he/she has turned 18 years of age and has not been stripped of contractual capacity and that he/she submits a signed statement attesting that he/she considers RoS to be his/her country. The Law also regulates the conditions for individuals who had a residence in the constituent republics of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to acquire Serbian citizenship (refugees, displaced persons).

The concept of dual nationality means that a person is a national of two countries at the same time. The Republic of Serbia allows dual citizenship and its citizens can hold foreign citizenship in addition to their Serbian citizenship.