Serbia ends visa-free travel from India to comply with EU policy

Indian citizens will not be allowed to enter Serbia without a visa from January 1, 2023, the Serbian government has said. Serbia said the decision was taken keeping in mind the demands of European Union's visa policy.  “The existing arrangement of visa-free entry into Serbia for all Indian passport holders for staying in Serbia up to 30 days has been withdrawn by the Government of Serbia,” the government said in a statement.

Earlier, Indian citizens could enter Serbia without a visa for 30 days every year. 

A travel advisory for Indians has been released by the Indian embassy in Belgrade, the Serbian capital.

The embassy has asked holders of ordinary Indian passports to obtain a visa from the Serbian Embassy in Belgrade prior to traveling to the country after January 1.

Indian citizens who currently possess a valid Schengen, UK, or US visa would still be able to enter Serbia for a 90-day period without a visa.

Along with Indians, Serbia has stopped allowing nationals of Burundi, Tunisia, and Guinea-Bissau to travel without a visa. 

For these countries, however, the facility has been withdrawn from November 20.

Maldives, Thailand, Indonesia, Mauritius, and other nations continue to be visa-free travel destinations for Indians.

The decision to stop letting Indians in to Serbia without visa comes as Europe battles a rise in illegal immigration. 

EU's visa policy

The European Union has adopted a common visa policy, which facilitates the entry of legal visitors. The European Union says the border-free Schengen Area cannot function properly without a common visa policy, according to EU's official website.  

A common visa policy was established by the EU for transit through the territory of Schengen states for no more than 90 days in a 180-day period through international transit routes.  

What is visa-free travel? 

Visa-free travel allows citizens of one country to visit another country without having to obtain a visa. The benefit is afforded to both nations on the basis of an agreement, unless a nation decides to open its borders to foreign nationals unilaterally, according to the Henley Passport Index which puts out a global ranking of countries according to their citizenry's freedom to travel.