VISA REGIME
For holders of national passports and other travel documents:Visa is required
For holders of diplomatic and official passports:Visa is required
Note:Visa is required for holders of an emergency travel document in transit
ENTERING AND LEAVING THE COUNTRY
Visa applications are submitted electronically, using the online forms DS-160 (non-immigrant visa categories) and DS-260 (immigrant visa categories). Applicants aged between 13 and 80 are required to sit through an interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate issuing visas. U.S. visas are not issued at airports.
Citizens of the Republic of Serbia are usually issued the following categories of non-immigrant visas:
-B-1 (business visitors);
-В-2 (tourists or visitors for medical treatment);
-C-1/D (transit visa for crewmembers on ships and aircraft);
- Ј (exchange programme visitors);
- F (pupils and students);
- М (participants in non-academic training programmes);
- Н-2В (seasonal workers);
- H1B (highly-specialised professionals);
- P (work visa for artists, entertainers and professional athletes performing in the U.S.);
- L (intra-company transferees);
- О (foreign nationals with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics);
- I (media staff); and
- V (non-immigrant visa for family members of holders of a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)).
Citizens of the Republic of Serbia staying in the U.S. for official purposes, as the country’s official representatives or employees of international organisations, can be issued the following categories of visa:
- A-1 (high representatives – President, Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, other ministers);
- А-2 (diplomats and members of official delegations);
- G (employees of NATO or other international organisations).
Citizens of the Republic of Serbia are usually issued the following categories of immigrant visa(s):
- К1 (fiancé(e) to marry a U.S. citizen & live in U.S.);
- К-З (spouse of a U.S citizen);
- Е (professionals holding advanced degrees and persons of exceptional ability, employment-based); and
- DV (persons having been selected for the Diversity Visa Programme (in the so-called “green card lottery”) offering permanent residence in the U.S.).
Citizens of the Republic of Serbia require a visa to enter the United States. Visas cannot be obtained at ports of entry. Information about the visa application process can be found on the website of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade: www.belgrade.usembassy.gov. The remaining period of passport validity for tourist travel purposes and for the regulation of stay should be equal to the intended period of stay in the United States. On arrival to the United States, it is common for a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer to ask you about the reasons for your arrival, and the place and length of your intended stay in the United States. A valid U.S. visa is not a guarantee that you will be granted entry into the country; in other words, your visa might be cancelled. Although in possession of a U.S. visa, a foreign citizen may be refused entry if a CBP officer determines that there are reasons for such decision.
When entering the United States, visitors are required to fill in Form I-94 (white in colour) and hand it over to the immigration officer approving entry. The form can be obtained on the plane or while waiting in the passport control queue. Foreign citizens who entered the United States by 7 May 2013 were returned a section of this form which they had to keep, present together with their passport and return when leaving the country. Its loss had to be reported through the Immigration Service website (https://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/form-i94.html).
After 7 May 2013, the CBP stopped leaving a section of Form I-94 in the visitors’ passports, as this information is now kept in electronic form. Form I-94 can be found on and downloaded from the website https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/ as it still has to be presented when submitting certain applications (e.g. for a U.S. driver’s licence). Visitors who entered the United States before 7 May 2013 are still required to return the section of Form I-94 when leaving the country.
When entering the United States, you should also fill in the customs declaration form and hand it over to the customs officer. Bringing in food, alcohol and products of plant and animal origin is highly restricted. Bringing in drugs or medicaments for personal use for a period of stay of up to 90 days is allowed if they are not available in the United States. Drugs and medicaments which are strictly prohibited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may not be brought into the country. More information about prohibited or restricted products can be found at the following website: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing/restricted.
If you have dual citizenship of the Republic of Serbia and the United States of America, be aware that, under the U.S. law, U.S. citizens must use the U.S. travel document only when entering or leaving the United States.
It is not necessary to transfer a valid U.S. visa from an old passport to a new one. In such cases, when entering the United States, visitors should have a valid passport, as well as the previous one with a valid U. S. visa.
SOCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT
No social security agreement has been concluded.
USEFUL INFORMATION
HEALTH SITUATION — Although having health insurance is not required for entering the United States, it is recommended that visitors obtain one, as healthcare services are rather expensive. Medical examination by a general practitioner, for example, can cost between 150 and 200 U.S. dollars.
SECURITY SITUATION — Visitors should be aware that the United States could be a target of terrorist attacks. Up-to-date information about terrorism, including useful travel-related information about security measures taken by U.S. authorities, can be found at the following website: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/index.shtm.
Crime is present in most cities, more specifically, in certain neighbourhoods which are considered less safe. Serbian citizens are therefore advised to avoid places and areas which are not safe enough, if possible. A matter of particular concern is drug-related crime which prevails in the U.S. states bordering Mexico, specifically California, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.
In case of any trouble, you should call the police at 911 immediately. Additionally, you are advised to contact the competent diplomatic or consular mission of the Republic of Serbia in the United States. The hurricane season in south-eastern U.S. states lasts from June to the end of November. Current information about hurricanes can be found on the National Hurricane Center website: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/. A dry and very warm climate in California often gives rise to forest fires which can spread very quickly, especially if accompanied by strong winds. Visitors should therefore keep themselves updated with the information provided by local authorities and the media.
TRANSPORT — During a short stay in the United States, Serbian citizens may drive a motor vehicle with their national (Serbian) driver’s licence if it is for the appropriate category of vehicle. Citizens whose licences are on the old form must have an international driving permit. Please note that certain U.S. states may have special rules or restrictions on using a national driver’s licence.
To purchase your own motor vehicle, you need to have a driver’s licence issued by the U.S. state of residence.
Operating a vehicle by an uninsured motorist constitutes a serious violation of road safety regulations (a felony).
OTHER INFORMATION — All types of credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express) are accepted. Exchange offices are very rare and can be found mainly at airports and in larger hotels. Therefore, if you are planning to travel to the United States and want to bring some money in cash, you should exchange it for U.S. dollars ahead of journey. Under U.S. law, U.S. citizens and foreign nationals staying in the U.S. are prohibited from travelling to Cuba. The law specifies the cases when this is possible with the appropriate approval given by U.S. authorities. Furthermore, the import of all types of Cuban products and publications into the United States is prohibited. Purchase and consumption of alcohol is regulated by U.S. state laws. Most states prohibit the purchase or consumption of alcohol by persons under the age of 21.
When going shopping, you should keep in mind that displayed product prices do not include taxes. Tax regulations vary from state to state.
Contact information:
For consular assistance and protection while in the United States, you may contact:
1. Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Washington, D.C. (1333 16th St NW
Washington, DC 20036), at the telephone number: +1 (202) 706-0209, and e-mail addresses: info@serbiaembusa.org and consular@serbiaembusa.org;
*The Embassy covers the following U.S. states: Alabama AL, Arkansas AR, Delaware DE, District of Columbia DC, Florida FL, Georgia GA, Louisiana LA, Maryland MD, Mississippi MS, North Carolina NC, Oklahoma OK, South Carolina SC, Tennessee TN, Virginia VA, and West Virginia VVV.
2. Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York (address: 62 West 45th Street, 7 Floor, New York, NY 10036), at the telephone number: 00 1 212 59 64 241, and e-mail address: consulate.newyork@mfa.rs;
*The Consulate General in New York covers the following U.S. states: Connecticut CT, Maine ME, Massachusetts MA, New Hampshire NH, New Jersey NJ, New York NY, Pennsylvania PA, Puerto Rico PR, Rhode Island RI, Vermont VT, and Virgin Islands VI.
3. Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago (address: 201 East Ohio Street, Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60611), at the telephone number: 00 1 312 67 06 707, and e-mail address: info@scgchicago.org.
*The Consulate General in Chicago covers the following U.S. states: Alaska AK, Arizona AZ, California CA, Colorado CO, Guam GU, Hawaii HI, Illinois IL, Indiana IN, Idaho ID, Kansas KS, Kentucky KY, Michigan MI, Minnesota MN, Missouri MO, Montana MT, Nebraska NE, Nevada NV, New Mexico NM, North Dakota ND, Ohio OH, Oregon OR, South Dakota SD, Texas TX, Utah UT, Washington WA, Wisconsin WI, and Wyoming WY.