WORK VISAS &RESIDENCE PERMITS Expanding list of non-visa countries and work permits drop for creative team members of film crew
Serbian Government has been working on simplifying administration and processes in relation to filming in the country. Therefore, actors and members of creative team including cast are not required to obtain work permits in order to shoot in Serbia. However, if the filming period is longer than 90 days, actors and creative crew members must obtain a permit for temporary residence in Serbia.
We talked to Nevena Milošević, associate at SOG / Samardžić Oreški & Grbović Law Firm on this matter
Do international film crews shooting in Serbia need to have a temporary residence permit? Any foreign citizen (including film crew members) staying in Serbia for more than 90 days within 6 month time period must obtain a temporary residence permit, except in case a visa is required prior to coming to Serbia. Visa regime for entering Serbia for every country may be checked here.
How long it takes to get a temporary residence permit? It takes about 4 weeks to get a temporary residence permit, as of the day of filing the request for issuance of application. What is the procedure? Where do you submit the application? The Ministry of Interior, Foreigners Department is the competent authority for the issuance of temporary residence permits. A foreign citizen applying for a temporary residence permit should submit general formal documents (passport, health insurance, evidence of the place of stay, financial means) and documents proving reason for staying in Serbia. In case of members of a production crew and/or actors’ group this is typically a cooperation agreement between international and Serbian production companies and evidence that the crew members are seconded to Serbia to produce the audio-visual work. On the day of submission of the application the date of receiving a temporary residence permit will be scheduled (in most cases within 4 week time period). In the meantime, a passport will be returned to the applicant and he/she can travel freely. In addition, please note that the physical presence of the applicant is required.
Do international film crews shooting in Serbia need to have a work permit? As a general rule of thumb, foreigners who are members of production crews or actors’ groups no longer have to obtain work permits in order to shoot in Serbia. However, according to the Foreigners Employment Act production crew includes only authors (i.e. creative members) who are involved in the production of a movie or TV series. Therefore, other crew members (technical stuff) must obtain a work permit. How long it takes to get a work permit? Usually, it takes around 2 weeks to obtain a work permit. What is the procedure? Where do you submit the application? The National Employment Agency is a competent authority for the issuance of work permits. Work permit can be issued based on: (1) self-employment; (2) secondment; or (3) employment. Depending on the basis for issuance of work permit different documents should be submitted to the National Employment Agency. However, in each of these cases an agreement concluded between a domestic producer and a foreign citizen is required.
PRODUCTION GUIDE | SERBIA - 2019
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