Living in Serbia as a French National: Formalities, Cities, Daily Life

Serbia appeals to French nationals looking for a lively capital and a central position in the Balkans. Links with France are numerous: France Diplomatie reports two direct flights a day from Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle in normal circumstances, supplemented by several weekly flights from Orly, Beauvais, Nice, Lyon and Mulhouse, as well as seasonal flights to Lyon and Marseille (Useful information page). Public transport in Belgrade is free, and the main motorway routes are described as good quality and inexpensive.

The downsides are worth knowing before departure. The secondary road network is often in poor condition and dangerous at night and in winter; the old railway network suffers delays of several hours; the public health system is described as often overloaded; air pollution reaches winter peaks above 200 µg/m³ of PM2.5 fine particles in Belgrade and other areas (France Diplomatie, Health section). The official language is Serbian, written in Cyrillic and in the Latin alphabet, which requires some learning for administrative life. These points are weighed against the advantages of life there: a well-organised French community, an Institut français present in Belgrade, Niš and Novi Sad and an economy that is opening up to foreign companies.

France Diplomatie cites four main cities: Belgrade (the capital), Novi Sad, Niš and Kragujevac. Belgrade is home to the French embassy, the Economic Service, the Franco-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the French School. The choice of neighbourhood depends mainly on proximity to the school and the workplace.

Novi Sad, a university city in the north, hosts a major petrochemical complex according to France Diplomatie; Niš, in the south, and Kragujevac, in the centre, offer quieter surroundings and a cost of living to be checked locally. The Institut français de Serbie has branches in Belgrade, Niš and Novi Sad, which makes it easier to keep up a cultural link and to learn the language.

The Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia publishes wages and consumer prices every month. Its dashboard shows an average net salary of around 120,000 dinars and tracks the change in consumer prices. These orders of magnitude indicate the local standard of living: a French household that keeps its income in euros generally enjoys comfortable purchasing power there, whereas an employee paid in dinars tends to compare their expenses with the local salary.

For housing, the foreigners’ police services ask, when a residence application is made, for a rental contract or a statement from the landlord (Ministry of the Interior). A written contract signed by the owner therefore serves both the tenant’s security and the residence formalities. Rents vary widely between Belgrade and the other cities: no official average rent figure has been retained here, and the Economic Service or the Franco-Serbian Chamber of Commerce can advise on market practice. The legal currency is the Serbian dinar; exchange offices (menjačnica) are numerous, Visa and Mastercard cards are accepted in a growing number of shops in Belgrade and cash machines generally accept international cards, with fees that are sometimes significant (France Diplomatie).

For a stay of under 90 days, a passport or national identity card valid for the whole length of the stay is enough. Documents declared lost or stolen are refused, and the French embassy cannot intervene if entry is refused. A person staying with a private individual reports to the police station of the place of accommodation within 24 hours of arrival, in the presence of the host; France Diplomatie asks travellers to make sure the border police have stamped the passport on entry.

For settling (expatriation, work, study, long internship), France Diplomatie recommends applying for a long-stay visa at the Serbian embassy in France, with a processing time of several weeks. The page on business travel specifies, however, that French professionals can stay without a visa for under 90 days in any 6-month period and must register within 48 hours with the foreigners’ department of the local police: the two pages complement each other depending on the nature of the stay, and the individual situation should be confirmed with the embassy. Once on site, the temporary residence permit is requested electronically on the portal welcometoserbia.gov.rs; the Belgrade foreigners’ police is located at Omladinskih brigada 1, in Novi Beograd.

The Ministry of the Interior lists the grounds for temporary residence: employment, studies, family reunification, property ownership, independent stay, medical treatment and special categories (start-up, investor, talent, Serbian origin). The documents requested include a passport valid for at least three months beyond the period applied for, two 35 x 45 mm photos, proof of housing, proof of means of subsistence and proof of health cover (European card, insurance policy, proof of funds or Serbian health insurance card). Foreign documents are translated by a sworn court translator. The guides working in Serbia and retiring in Serbia detail the routes depending on the plan.

The French driving licence is recognised, with an exchange to be made within 6 months of arrival; the authorities are often flexible. Vehicles under temporary registration fall under a strict customs regime: the vehicle in transit must be declared at the border and an approved freight forwarder used, failing which fines and confiscation are possible.

The French School of Belgrade takes more than 500 pupils, from nursery up to the baccalaureate (France Diplomatie). Enrolment arrangements, fees and available places are requested directly from the school and from the embassy’s cultural service; enrolling the children before the summer makes the start of the school year easier. The Institut français de Serbie offers French courses and cultural activities in Belgrade, Niš and Novi Sad.

For families who choose the Serbian system, the language of instruction is Serbian; the “studies” ground for residence of the Ministry of the Interior covers enrolment in an establishment, including learning the Serbian language. Families will also find pointers in the guide expat family insurance on organising the children’s health cover.

France Diplomatie rates the whole country at “normal vigilance”. Visible crime remains low; pickpocketing is concentrated in busy places: central Belgrade, bus and railway stations, tourist sites, motorway service areas and festivals. Thefts of recent or valuable vehicles justify the use of secure car parks. The page recommends keeping papers and valuables in a safe place, with photocopies of identity documents, and avoiding political gatherings and their surroundings.

The road death rate is high compared with the European Union average, especially on secondary roads: vehicles without lights, farm machinery, carts and wild animals. The regulations are strictly enforced, with speed cameras of all types, average-speed control on the motorway and parking payment checked by cameras in Belgrade. Fines are paid within 8 days and officers do not collect cash. The permitted blood alcohol level is 0.5 g/l for a non-professional driver. Natural risks include a relatively high seismic risk and spring floods in the basins of the Sava, the Danube, the Tisza, the Tamiš, the Drina and the Morava; older apartment blocks should be examined carefully. The European emergency number 112 works in Serbia. Registering with Fil d’Ariane makes it possible to receive the embassy’s alerts.

France Diplomatie recommends bringing the usual vaccines up to date (diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough, measles) and consulting a doctor about possible vaccinations against hepatitis A, typhoid and tick-borne encephalitis, as well as hepatitis B for long stays. Tick and mosquito bites (West Nile fever) are prevented by protective measures. Hospitalisation costs can be very high: the embassy cannot cover them, hence the value of an assistance and insurance contract that includes care, hospitalisation and repatriation. The details are in the guide Serbian healthcare system.

As for the seasons, winters require winter or all-season tyres from 1 November to 30 April, with chains often needed for the ski resorts. As for language, Serbian is learned with the help of the Institut français and local courses; dealings with the authorities are in Serbian, hence the value of having documents translated by a sworn translator. The choice of health cover is one of the first decisions: see expat health insurance.