Serbia Visa for UAE Residents: Who Needs One and How to Apply

The short answer: UAE residence on its own does not get you into Serbia. Emiratis need no visa for up to 90 days. Most other UAE residents, including those with Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan passports, need a Serbian visa, unless they hold a valid Schengen, UK or US visa, or a residence permit from the Schengen area, the EU or the US. With one of those, you can enter visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180, within the validity of that visa or permit. Everyone else applies online at welcometoserbia.gov.rs and submits through the Serbian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Belgrade is about five and a half hours from Dubai on a non-stop flight, and it's a cheap, lively city break. Many websites say Serbia is visa-free for UAE residents, but the rule they are thinking of covers Emirati passports, not residence permits.

Serbia visa for UAE residents at a glance

Your situation	What you need (October 2026)
Emirati citizen	No visa, up to 90 days in 180
Valid Schengen, UK, EU or US visa	No visa, up to 90 days in 180, within the visa's validity
Residence permit from a Schengen country, the EU or the US	No visa, up to 90 days in 180, within the permit's validity
UAE residence only, on an Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi or Sri Lankan passport	Serbian short-stay visa (type C)
Where to apply	Online at welcometoserbia.gov.rs; Serbian Embassy in Abu Dhabi

Is Serbia visa-free for UAE residents?

Only for Emiratis. Serbia and the UAE waived visas for each other's citizens in 2019, for stays of up to 90 days in six months. Serbia's Foreign Ministry lists that waiver under UAE passports; it does not extend to people of other nationalities who live in the UAE.

Indian passport holders lost visa-free entry to Serbia on 1 January 2023, and the Foreign Ministry still lists India as needing a visa in October 2026. The same goes for ordinary Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan passports.

Visa-free with a Schengen, UK or US visa

Under a Serbian government decision of October 2014, you can enter, transit and stay in Serbia without a Serbian visa if you hold:

• a valid Schengen, UK, EU or US visa in your passport, or
• a residence permit from a Schengen country, an EU country or the US.

You can stay up to 90 days in any 180, and only while the visa or permit is valid. If the visa is in an expired passport, bring both passports. Some travel guides add that the visa must have been used at least once; the official text does not say so, but if yours is unused, check with the embassy before you fly.

If you are applying for a Schengen visa anyway, it opens Serbia too; see our Schengen visa guide for UAE residents.

How to apply for a Serbian visa from the UAE

1. Fill in the application online on Serbia's official portal, welcometoserbia.gov.rs. Since March 2024, short-stay visa applications can be filed electronically.
2. Book an appointment with the Serbian Embassy in Abu Dhabi through the eKonzulat system if you need to attend. Appointments for the next month open on the morning of the last working day of the current month.
3. Submit your documents and pay the fee. The embassy's consular section is open on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
4. Wait for the decision, then travel within the dates on the visa.

Documents

• A passport issued in the last ten years, valid for at least 90 days after you leave Serbia, with two blank pages
• A photo
• Travel medical insurance
• Proof that you have paid the visa fee
• Proof of the purpose of your trip, such as a hotel booking or an invitation
• Proof that you can pay for the trip, and that you will return: a return ticket, an employment letter and your UAE residence

Fee and processing time

Serbian embassies set and publish their own fees; other Serbian missions charge about EUR 90 for a short-stay visa, but confirm the amount with the embassy in Abu Dhabi before you apply. Serbia does not publish a processing time, so apply at least a month before you travel.

The Serbian e-visa

Serbia launched a fully online e-visa in June 2025 for citizens of 46 countries. The list was not published with the launch, so check on the portal whether your passport qualifies.

Serbia's rules are tightening

Serbia is bringing its visa policy into line with the EU's as part of its bid to join. It has already ended visa-free entry for Qatari, Omani and Kuwaiti passports, between December 2024 and April 2025. Nothing announced so far affects Emiratis or the Schengen, UK and US visa rule, but check again before you book.

Getting from Dubai to Belgrade

flydubai flies non-stop from Dubai to Belgrade, twice a day in summer 2026, in about five and a half hours; some of these flights are also sold with Emirates flight numbers. There is no non-stop flight from Abu Dhabi since Wizz Air Abu Dhabi closed in September 2025.

Frequently asked questions

Do UAE residents need a visa for Serbia?

Most do. Emiratis need no visa, and holders of a valid Schengen, UK or US visa or residence permit can enter without one. Everyone else applies for a Serbian visa.

Can Indians in Dubai visit Serbia visa-free?

Only with a valid Schengen, UK or US visa, or a residence permit from a Schengen country, the EU or the US. Serbia ended visa-free entry on Indian passports alone on 1 January 2023.

How much is the Serbia visa fee from Dubai?

Serbian missions publish fees of about EUR 90 for a short-stay visa. Confirm the amount with the embassy in Abu Dhabi, which sets its own.

How long does a Serbian visa take?

Serbia does not publish a processing time. Apply at least a month before you travel.

Can I enter Serbia with a Schengen visa?

Yes. A valid Schengen visa lets you enter Serbia without a Serbian visa for up to 90 days in any 180, within the Schengen visa's validity.

How long can I stay in Serbia?

Up to 90 days in any 180 days, whether you enter visa-free or on a short-stay visa.

Planning a trip to Serbia

Three or four days covers Belgrade's fortress, the old bohemian quarter of Skadarlija and the riverside, with a day trip to Novi Sad. Browse our Europe holidays, see visa services, or talk to us about flights and hotels.

Related guides

• Albania visa for UAE residents
• Schengen visa for UAE residents
• Visa on arrival and visa-free countries for UAE residents
• Georgia visa from Dubai

Last checked 8 October 2026 against Serbia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Serbian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the welcometoserbia.gov.rs portal. Serbia is changing its visa policy as it aligns with the EU; this guide is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm the current requirements with the embassy before you travel.