A certificate of no criminal conviction in Serbia (also known as a criminal record certificate, certificate of no criminal record, or certificate of no criminal conviction) is usually something you don’t think about until a foreign institution asks for it, and suddenly you have to figure out how to get it quickly.
In fact, if you’re reading this article, I’m guessing you’re probably:
- Spent some time in Serbia, most likely with a visa D
- have a registered address/temporary residence here, and
- In the meantime, you have left or are in the process of moving and now another country requires you to provide documentation covering the period of your stay.
This most often occurs when you are applying for a job abroad, buying real estate, enrolling in college, or going through immigration or administrative procedures, and then the following questions are asked:
How do you actually get this document? And how to obtain it if you are no longer in Serbia or you are not sure which institution kept your records?
This guide walks you through the entire process, so keep reading.
What is a Certificate of No Conviction (Police Certificate/Certificate of No Criminal Record)?
A certificate of no criminal convictions, also called a certificate of no criminal record in Serbian administrative practice, is a document containing data from the criminal record.
In practice, it is official proof that a person has (or does not have) a criminal record in Serbia, and is usually used when foreign institutions require background checks as part of employment, immigration, or legal procedures.
Who needs a certificate of non-conviction from Serbia?
As already explained, a certificate of no criminal conviction from Serbia is usually required when a foreign institution requires proof that you have not been convicted during the period of your stay in Serbia.
Therefore, this is not an obligation imposed by Serbian law, but comes from foreign procedures.
Most of the time, this happens when:
- If you’re going abroad for work.
- apply for permanent residence or citizenship.
- Are you enrolling in a foreign university, or
- You are dealing with foreign administrative or licensing bodies.
And this process requires a background check from each country where you have resided.
Drugim rečima, ako ste ikada imali prijavljenu adresu u Srbiji, dugoročnu vizu (viza D) ili privremeni boravak, vrlo je verovatno da će se od vas tražiti da dostavite uverenje o neosuđivanosti iz Srbije u ovim situacijama.
What does it look like to be a non-believer?
A certificate of no criminal conviction in Serbia is issued as an official document in paper form containing information from the criminal record.
In practice, the certificate of (non)conviction in Serbia usually contains:
- the name of the authority issuing the document (police/organizational unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs) and official designations (number/date);
- Applicant’s identification data (as recorded with the authority)
- a statement confirming whether the person has a record of conviction (or confirmation that he has no record, depending on the results and format of the document);
- official signature/seal (as a public document).
Of course, this document is issued in Serbian, which means that it will not be accepted in this form in almost all international proceedings.
In practice, the next step is a certified translation by a court interpreter into the language required by the foreign institution (usually English, German or another official language of the country in which the document is filed).
Also, depending on the country and procedure, a notarized translation and/or an apostille may be required to confirm the authenticity of the original document
How to get a certificate of non-conviction in Serbia?
You can obtain a certificate of no criminal conviction in Serbia in three ways:
- online (with restrictions),
- in the police, or
- through an authorized representative (such as a lawyer).
In practice, most foreign clients submit a claim through a lawyer, especially if they are no longer in Serbia.
The online option exists through the eGovernment portal, but is currently mainly available to citizens of Serbia who have electronic identification and a qualified electronic certificate. For foreign nationals, this option is usually not available.
In order to obtain a certificate of no criminal conviction in Serbia, it is usually necessary to have a valid passport or identity card, as well as personal data that you used during your stay in Serbia. If you have previously had a temporary residence, the registration information can significantly speed up the process.
There is also an administrative fee, which will be discussed below.
Where do you get the idea of innocence in Sri Lanka?
The competent authority for issuing certificates of no criminal conviction in Serbia is the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Serbia (MUP).
As far as territorial jurisdiction is concerned, in practice, the application is submitted to the competent police department or station. For foreign nationals, the key factor is the registered address/history of residence in Serbia.
Ako strani državljanin nije prijavio boravak u skladu sa propisima tokom boravka u Srbiji, može doći do poteškoća u pribavljanju uverenja u očekivanom obliku, pa u tom slučaju može biti potrebno angažovati advokata u Srbiji radi prethodne pomoći.
Is it possible to apply online or from abroad?
As already mentioned, Serbia has an eGovernment service for applying for a certificate of no criminal conviction online, but the conditions are currently such that this option is available mainly to Serbian citizens with electronic identification and a qualified certificate.
Za strane državljane koji ne mogu da koriste eID usluge, pravno najsigurniji način je podnošenje zahteva putem ovlašćenog zastupnika u Srbiji, najčešće advokata specijalizovanog za imigraciono pravo.
What is the cost of a certificate of non-conviction in Serbia?
The official administrative fee for a certificate of no criminal conviction in Serbia is 1,190 RSD (about 10 €).
However, if you plan to use the document abroad, the total costs are usually higher, as obtaining a certificate is only the first step.
In this case, you will usually need:
- Apostille, which costs Rs 3,160 (about €27),
- Certified translation by a court interpreter (the price depends on the language and length of the text),
- And the service of a lawyer, which is paid for a special fee.
However, even with all the additional costs, the base price remains relatively low.
How long does it take to get a certificate of innocence?
A certificate of no criminal conviction should be issued within eight days from the date of submission of the application, but in practice the processing time may vary depending on the workload of the police department and the complexity of data verification (especially for foreign nationals).
Certificate of No Conviction in Serbia – Legal Aid
Obtaining a certificate of no criminal conviction from Serbia is often a necessary step in completing your employment, immigration or administrative proceedings abroad, but the process can quickly become complex, especially if you are no longer in Serbia or are not sure which institution kept your records.
