Location: Serbia
Event: As of March 22, the Serbian Ministry of Health announced 555,897 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Serbia and 4,966 deaths. 14,474 people have been tested in the past 24 hours, with 4,769 confirmed cases among them. In total, there are an estimated 5,899 hospitalized cases.
(Updated) country-wide measures: The Government of Serbia reports that the following countrywide measures will be in effect starting 6:00 a.m. on Monday, March 22:
- All cafes, bars, restaurants, night clubs, and shopping malls will remain closed.
- All food stores and cultural institutions (cinemas, theaters, galleries, and libraries) may operate until 9:00 p.m.
- Other businesses may be open until 8:00 p.m. under the following conditions:
- All facilities that remain open must provide a minimum of 9 m2 per person or visitor. The exception are fitness centers, spa centers, gyms, and similar facilities which must provide 16m2 per person. This means that if a store or a hair salon has a space of 90m2, a maximum of 10 people may be inside at the same time. This number includes the employees of these businesses.
- Bars, cafes, and restaurants may sell take-away food and drinks over the counter. Delivery services may be provided 24-hour a day.
- Hotel restaurants and bars may serve only hotel guests until 9:00 p.m.
(Previous) country-wide measures from the Serbian Government that remain in effect:
- Face coverings are mandatory indoors and on public transport, as well as outdoors if contact with other people cannot be avoided.
- Public transport is limited to half of its declared capacity.
- Public gatherings of more than five people are prohibited indoors and outdoors. Excluded from this measure are work organizations, schools, and similar facilities, which are subject to the prescribed limit on the number of persons within the square footage of the facility (minimum 4 m2 per person).
- Employees should work from home wherever possible.
- Visits to patients in hospitals are banned.
- Visits to elder-care homes are limited to 15 minutes.
- The recommended distance between people outdoors is 1.5 meters.
(Previous) entry into Serbia measures that remain in effect:
- As of January 14, the Government of Serbia is reporting that travelers entering Serbia from North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, or Bulgaria do not require a negative PCR test to enter Serbia.
On December 22, the Serbian Government began reporting that passengers whose travel originates in the United States can present either a negative PCR test or negative antigen test. This includes passengers who transit another airport on their way from the United States to Serbia, but not those whose point of origin is outside the United States.
- On December 20, the Serbian Government began reporting that foreigners seeking to enter Serbia, U.S. citizens included, will need to provide a negative PCR test, issued within the previous 48 hours. These measures are reported to not apply to several categories of travelers, including:
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- Foreign citizens in transit, with 12 hours allowed between entry to and exit from Serbia.
- Minors up to 12 years of age, provided the parent, custodian or any other person accompanying the minor has a negative PCR test, if it is needed.
- Crew and cabin crew of aircraft whose final destination is Serbia.
- Crew, personnel, and passengers in transit through Serbia’s international airports.
- Accredited staff of foreign diplomatic and consular missions, as well as offices of international organizations. Also included are family members with diplomatic status in Serbia.
- Foreign citizens who have been granted temporary residence or permanent residence in Serbia (see below)
- The Serbian Government also reports that foreign citizens with temporary or permanent residence in Serbia may enter without a negative PCR test, but will be required to quarantine at home for 10 days, as well as contact the nearest designated COVID-19 clinic or public health institution, within 24 hours of arrival, through the following official website: www.e-zdravlje.gov.rs. These individuals can also be tested in Serbia. If their PCR test is negative, they will no longer be required to quarantine at home.
- Detailed information on these measures can be found on the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
Travel to the United States:
- Effective January 26, 2021, all airline passengers to the United States ages two years and older must provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of travel. Alternatively, travelers to the U.S. may provide documentation from a licensed health care provider of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel. Please check the CDC website for additional information and Frequently Asked Questions.
Travelers should be prepared for restrictions to change with little or no advance notice. Visit the website of the Government of Serbia for additional information.
U.S. citizens are encouraged to enroll in our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts, and check our Embassy COVID-19 webpage for updated information as it is released.
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory for Serbia is Level 3: Reconsider Travel.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Warning for COVID-19 advising travelers to avoid non-essential travel.
U.S. Department of State recommended actions:
Assistance:
