Indians will no longer be able to travel visa-free to Serbia from January 1, 2023. This decision was followed by the official announcement of the Serbian Government, declaring a ban on visa-free travel for all Indian travellers.
The already existing provision of visa-free entry into Serbia for all Indian travellers with a stay of up to 30 days has been suspended by the government of Serbia. Given the specifications of the European Union Visa Policy, the central European nation initiated this decision. Now, Indians will have to additionally apply for a visa before travelling to this country in South East Europe.
No more visa-free travel for Indians to Serbia from 2023
The Indian Embassy in Belgrade declared – “From 1 January 2023, all Indian nationals visiting Serbia would require a visa to enter the Republic of Serbia. The existing arrangement of visa-free entry into Serbia for all Indian passport holders for staying in Serbia for up to 30 days has been withdrawn by the Government of Serbia.” The statement circulated by the government further read- “Indian nationals, who intend to visit Serbia on or after 1 January 2023, should apply for a visa at the Embassy of Serbia in New Delhi or in the country of their residence.”
Indians can still enter Serbia with a valid Schengen, UK, or a US visa
The Indian Embassy in Belgrade has asked the Indians in its travel advisory to acquire a visa from the Serbian Embassy in Belgrade before their journey to the country after January 1, 2023. Presently, visa-free travel for Indians for a period of 90 days is still applicable for those who hold a legitimate US, UK or Schengen visa. The statement by the government furthermore mentioned- “Also, it may be noted that holders of Indian passports having a valid Schengen, UK visa, or visa of the United States of America, or residence permit of these countries may enter visa-free to the Republic of Serbia up to 90 days during a six-month period, and within the validity of said visas or residence permits.”
Along with Indians, Serbia has banned a visa-free travel provision for natives of Tunisia, Burundi, and Guinea-Bissau. From November 20 itself, these countries were issued the revised advisory.
Hero Image Credit: Anastasia Dvi/Unsplash; Feature Image Credit: Nikola Cirkovic/Unsplash
This story first appeared on Travel+Leisure India and South Asia.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question: Which countries can Indians go to without a visa?
Answer: Indians can travel visa-free to Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Fiji, Maldives, Macau, Indonesia, Maldives, and several other countries. However, Indians will no longer have visa-free travel to Serbia from January 1, 2023.
Question: Which country ended free travel for Indian passport holders?
Answer: The already existing provision of visa-free entry into Serbia for all Indian travellers with a stay of up to 30 days has been suspended by the government of Serbia.
Question: Can Indians go to Serbia?
Answer: Indians will no longer have visa-free travel access to Serbia from January 1, 2023. However, visa-free travel for Indians for a period of 90 days is still applicable for those who hold a legitimate US, UK or Schengen visa.
Question: For how many days can an Indian stay in Serbia without a visa?
Answer: Visa-free travel for Indians for a period of 90 days is still applicable for those who hold a legitimate US, UK or Schengen visa.
