Looking to move to Serbia

HashCash, I don't want to discourage you, but Germany (or at least southern parts) is within driving distance from Serbia, so why not combining the best of both worlds (economic stability and a lot better average income in Germany) with relatively good and relaxed life in Serbia, in the form of frequent vacations?

On a lot more serious note, it's nice that you wish to settle here. You just have to be fully prepared for a lot lower average income here. However, if two of you can generate enough money even here, then you will have absolutely no problems.

Hey flighter!

Thanks for your advice. And to be honest - I don't care about money. Of course I need money to pay for rent and food and so on but I don't want to be rich or something. I just want to be happy and healthy. And in Germany it is not possible. At least not for me. I don't like the mentality anymore. And only having vacations in Serbia is different. I want to leave Germany because I feel like a stranger and need to get out. A couple of weeks in another country unfortunately won't do. So if you or anybody else knows a job for a German native speaker I am open for suggestions!

Nice! Welcome to Serbia then

I personally would love to have a good restaurant with Arabic food here... but wherever I ask of my favourite stuff such is Tabouleh, they just don't have it...

Anyway, which city would you be based in? And, how good is your Arabic, spoken & written?

Thank you very much!

My Arabic is more on the level you'd speak with your family at home. Since my roots are in Morocco my Arabic isn't the same as the one in Saudi Arabia or Lebanon. And yes, I actually thought about an Arabic or Moroccan restaurant. I myself would like to live in Belgrade and I also think that kind of business would be most successful there. I would even import all the goods from Morocco to make it more authentic and I would love to explain everything to every interested person. And of course I would always offer a glass or two of our famous mint tea .
But the problem would be the financial part. It is not cheap to start a business like that. It would be great to have a partner or two to start the business. In that case it is much more realistic to actually work out!

I like your approach to the problem!

When you suppose to come to Serbia?

Let's keep in touch, who knows...

Well I don't know yet. I don't get visa that easily and especially not a permanent residency without any job there. I would like to start working there first to get the legal status and then start saving some money and searching for a partner to do business. I already know where to get good Moroccan wines, where to get specialties or how to produce them myself. So it could also start with a small cafe where you can get used to the tastes and beverages and then maybe open a big restaurant.
But as mentioned - I need to get visa first so I can stay for at least a year and then start all the planning. My girlfriend is from the area around Nis. She also wants to move to the north of Serbia but she also doesn't have an appartment there. So all that we would need to take care of first. Everything else, concerning food, wine, authentic dishes, glasses and furniture you can buy in many countries now or I can travel to Morocco to order things there anytime (I have the Moroccan citizenship and know many people there that would help me).

Hmm, interesting.

First of all, a lot of it depends on if you are married (to her) or not. If you are, and she decides to move back to Serbia while having Serbian citizenship, it goes this way (based on my experience with my non-Serbian wife).

1. Based on the marriage certificate, your entry visa is granted, almost automatically.

2. Once you enter the country, within 24 hours you report your presence to the authorities

3. At the same time, you file a request for temporary residence (your lady will have to gather required documents)

4. Can't really remember how long it takes, but let's say, within 14 days you get the response, and your temporary residence is usually granted, first time usually for only 6 months. Subsequent requests are granted for one year.

5, Once you have temporary residence for at least 3 CONSECUTIVE years, you are eligible to apply for a permanent residence. But, be prepared to wait sometimes over a year for government's response on this.

6. If your permanent residence request is granted, you are issued a government ID for foreigners residing in Serbia, and at the same time you can file a request for citizenship. This process too can take up to a year.

7. All in all, in our case wife entered Serbia in December 2006, and finally got her citizenship in 2012, nearly 6 years later.

In general, if you are married to a Serbian citizen, you generating income here is not one of the requirements to apply for residence permit. However, if you don't have a very solid income here, I highly doubt you will feel comfortable for long, especially because I guess you are used to German standards of living.

Hello HashCash,

Kindly note that your messages along with the relevant replies from flighter have been moved to a new thread on the Serbia forum for a better visibility and interaction with the other members.

Shaazia
Expat.com Team

Hi we are from South Africa and living in Serbia. My husband is now 5 years here, he applied for permanent residence which he got within 5 months and we applied now for citizenship, I can only apply in March then I will be here for 3 years.