What is important to know about moving to Serbia from Russia

Serbia is located in southeastern Europe, in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula. The country has a mild climate with hot summers and short winters, original national cuisine and picturesque mountain landscapes. And in Serbia, low prices and simple entry rules for Russians.

The documents

To get to Serbia from Russia, you do not need a Schengen visa and medical insurance. EnoughFor those traveling to Serbia / Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Serbia have international passport and a negative PCR test issued no more than 48 hours prior to arrival. The results must be printed and translated into English. Children under 12 do not need a test.

It will be possible to replace the PCR analysis with a certificate of vaccination only if the vaccination was done on the territory of Serbia or one of the countries with which the republic has entered into an agreement. Among these are Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, UAE, Czech Republic, India. Russia this

listCOVID‑19 – Conditions for entering the Republic of Serbia / Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Excluded.

Citizens of the Russian Federation can stay in Serbia without a visa for only 30 days. This period can be reset an unlimited number of times - you need to go abroad and come back. This strategy is called a visa run. Most often they “visit” to neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, it takes about 3 hours to get there and back. To cross the border and return to Serbia, you will need to do a PCR.

Every time you enter the country within 24 hours you need to get a "white cardboard" - registration. In Serbia, it is issued by a representative of the hotel or the owner of the accommodation where you plan to stay. Together with the landlord, you must go to the local police station and present your passport. If the landlord has a profile on the eUprava portal (similar to Russian "public services”), then the document can be retrieved remotely. Be sure to get a "white cardboard" - without it, a foreigner will not be able to open a bank account, get insurance and use other services.

If you plan to stay in the country for a long time and do not want to cross the border every month, then you need a residence permit. All information about who and how can get it is on the site Serbian Ministry of the Interior.

Road

The fastest way to get from Russia to Serbia is by plane. From Moscow and St. Petersburg to Belgrade - the capital of the country - there are direct flights of Air Serbia. The journey will take 3 hours. On the next available dates, you can fly in economy class at a price of 45 810 rubles from Moscow and from 48 065 rubles from St. Petersburg.

Another way is to fly with a transfer in Istanbul. Tickets will cost a little more - from 55 976 rubles. If you choose later dates, the flight will cost significantly less: from 15 815 rubles. Serbia is one of the few countries in Europe with airspace open to Russia, so now there is a great demand for tickets and it is better not to delay buying them.

Directly by train or bus from Russia to Serbia will not work.

Language

The official language in the country is Serbian. It may seem that it is very similar to Russian, but it is not. Understanding the speech of the locals, using only intuition, will not work. But most people in the country are well aware Englishso you can safely use it.

In 1960-1970 in Yugoslavia, the Russian language wasBilyana Marich. The state and prospects of studying the Russian language in a non-Slavic environment / Cyberleninka a compulsory subject in schools, so the older generation will be able to keep up the conversation on it. But among young people in Serbia, English, German and French are more popular.

Money

The national currency of the country is the Serbian dinar (RSD). Now the cost of one dinar is 0.83 Russian rubles (hereinafter, the exchange rate data is relevant as of the evening of March 29, 2022).

All goods and services in Serbia are paid in dinars, but be prepared that in ads for the rental and sale of real estate and cars, prices will be indicated in euros. Current exchange rate: 1 euro - 117 dinars.

Russian bank cards VISA, Mastercard and Mir do not work in Serbia. I'll have to start a cobaging UnionPay or stock up on cash. It is better not to bring rubles - now they takeSerbian exchangers refuse to accept rubles / Ruserbia not in all exchangers or accept at a disadvantageous rate.

You can open an account with a Serbian bank, such as API, OTP, AIK, Halk or Raiffeisen. To do this, you will need a passport, "white cardboard" and proof of source of income. But there are reports in expat chats that due to the sharp popularity of the service, account maintenance fees have increased, and registration is delayed for several days.

Housing

If you want to rent a place to stay, use Airbnb and Booking.com. Both service work in the country. For one night in a comfortable one-room apartment in the center of Belgrade, you will need to pay about 4,000–5,000 rubles, in more remote areas there are options for 2,000–3,000.

Look for housing for long-term rent on the websites Cityexpert, halooglasi, 4zida, Nekretnine.rs. If you decide to use the services of agents, you will have to pay a commission - 50-100% of the monthly rent. Before you remove something, agree with the owner on the design of the "white cardboard". Not all landlords want to register foreigners.

One-room apartment in the central part of Belgrade can be rented for 70,600-100,000 dinars (600-850 euros) in month, in residential areas there are offers for 35,300–47,000 (300–400 euros), but there are no options for the near future many. Behind public Utilities you will have to pay another 4,700–7,000 dinars (40–60 euros).

Pay attention to other cities of Serbia: the European Novi Sad, the industrial Nis and the old Valjevo. There you can find a one-room apartment in a good area for 23,500-35,300 dinars (200-300 euros) per month.

Food

Several large supermarket chains operate in Serbia: Idea, Maxi, Aroma, Lidl and Super Vero. Some of them have mobile applications with grocery delivery.

Food prices are not much higher than Russian ones:

• 1 liter of milk - 120-160 dinars (1-1.5 euros);
• 10 eggs - 150-180 dinars (1.3-1.5 euros);
• 1 kg of potatoes - 70–90 dinars (0.6–0.8 euros);
• 1 kg of cucumbers - 160-200 dinars (1.4-1.7 euros);
• 1 kg of apples - 70-80 dinars (0.6-0.7 euros);
• 1 kg of bananas - 120-150 dinars (1.1-1.3 euros);
• 1 kg of sausage - 1,000–1,200 dinars (8.5–9 euros);
• 1 kg of hard cheese - 1,000–1,300 dinars (8.5–11 euros);
• 1 pack of butter - 300-350 dinars (2.5-3 euros);
• 1 kg of chicken fillet - 600-700 dinars (5-6 euros);
• 1 bottle of budget wine - 400-500 dinars (3.5-4 euros);
• 0.5 l of beer - 60–90 dinars (0.5–0.8 euros).

You can follow promotions and look for the best deals in supermarkets on the website Cenoteka.rs. For seasonal vegetables and fruits, fresh meat and dairy products, go to the markets. The prices there are a little lower than in stores. To save money, choose points away from the city center and feel free to to bargain. Addresses of all Belgrade markets are On this site.

Pies and buns from the bakery will cost 70-90 dinars (0.6-0.8 euros), a piece of cheese pie - 120-140 dinars (1-1.2 euros). Two-course dinner and a soft drink in a mid-range restaurant - 1,300-1,600 dinars (11-14 euros).

Serbia has its own popular fast food - splash. It is a flatbread with minced meat, soft cheese and vegetables. One splash is enough to fill up, it costs 200-230 dinars (1.8-2 euros). A portion cevapcic - fried sausages from minced meat - in snack bars it costs the same.

Connection

You can buy a SIM card in Serbia without a passport at the airport or any kiosk. The largest mobile operators in the country are Yettel, A1 and MTS. For tourists, special prepaid rates are available, valid for up to 15 days. For a package with the Internet, calls and SMS, you need to pay about 400-700 dinars (3.5-6 euros). To extend the validity of the tariff, it is enough to replenish the account.

Mobile operators have promotions - when you buy a SIM card, you can get 10-20 GB of mobile Internet for free.

Work

Unemployment rate in Serbia aboveUnemployment rate in Serbia / Take‑profit.orgthan in Western and Central Europe. A position with a high salary in the country is not easy to find even for locals, so foreigners without knowledge of the language should not expect a large number of offers.

If you are determined to get a job in a local company, save the sites Careerjet.rs And Poslovi.rs. Jobs in the IT field can be found at helloworld.rs. Use social networks to search: create a profile on LinkedIn and subscribe to thematic Telegram channels, for example "Jobs in Serbia». If you know Serbian and English, the chances of getting an offer will be much higher.

Another option is to start your own business and open an IP in Serbia. To do this, you need to contact the Business Registration Agency (APR), fill out statement, bring copies of your passport and "white cardboard" and pay a fee of 5,900 dinars (50 euros). If everything is in order, after 3-5 days you will receive a permit. Registration of an individual entrepreneur may become the basis for obtaining a residence permit in Serbia.

Health

The country has an analogue of the Russian CHI, so free healthcare is available to citizens. Foreigners can apply for voluntary health insurance - the cost of the policy starts from 8,000 dinars (about 70 euros). You can find out the conditions on the websites of insurance companies, for example Dunav Osiguranje or Uniqa.

Without insurance in Serbia, you can only rely on emergency care or go to private clinics on your own. Appointment with a therapist in a large network "Euromedic» will cost 2,500 dinars (21 euros); from a narrow specialist, such as an endocrinologist or gastroenterologist, - 3,300 dinars (28 euros). A day in the hospital will cost 11,000 dinars (93 euros), a PCR test - 2,000 dinars (17 euros), and a general blood test — 1,000–1,200 dinars (9–10 euros).

Now in Serbia NoTourist organization in Serbia strict coronavirus restrictions. It is enough to wear a mask in public places and maintain social distance. Cafes, restaurants and shops are open to everyone every day, but open until 20:00.

Foreigners in Serbia mayApplication for vaccination / Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia free to receive vaccine against COVID‑19, there are Pfizer, Sputnik V, Sinofarm, AstraZeneca and Moderna to choose from. To take root in Belgrade, you need to come to the point at the Belgrade Fair or at the Stara Planina Hotel with a passport and fill out a questionnaire.

Service

You can call a taxi in Belgrade using applications Yandex Go, Car: Go And Pink Taxi. All drivers in the city are required to use the meter, so the Russian service is not very popular. For a trip from the airport to the city center, you will have to pay approximately 2,000 dinars (17 euros).

There is no metro in Belgrade, but buses, trolleybuses and trams run frequently. The application will help you track the movement of public transport in the capital and other cities Moovit.

There are apps for delivering food and drinks from restaurants. Wolt And Glovo.

There are quite a lot of fitness clubs, beauty salons and hairdressing. But if you want to use the services of a Russian-speaking specialist, look for ads in expat communities on social networks and on the portal "Leave.com».