Status issues and civil registry | Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York

Scheduling an appointment for consular services is mandatory and must be done via email: consulate.newyork@mfa.rs.
Please include your full name, and a preferred date and time for the consular service in your email.

At the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Serbian citizens may register the following civil status changes for entry into the civil registries of the Republic of Serbia:

· Birth of a child born abroad

· Marriage concluded abroad

· Death of a Serbian citizen abroad

· Death of a foreign spouse of Serbian citizen for the purpose of recording the termination of marriage in Serbia

Changes that must be registered exclusively in Serbia and cannot be processed through the consulate:

· Name Change based on a foreign court decision or acquisition of foreign citizenship

· Registration of divorce abroad or name change resulting from a divorce abroad

ISSUANCE OF VITAL RECORDS AND CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATES

The Consulate issues extracts from the birth, marriage, and death registers (in both domestic and international formats), as well as certificates of Serbian citizenship or non-citizenship.

The Consulate may also assist in obtaining a certificate of no impediment to marriage (proof of single status) from Serbia for marriage abroad.

REGISTRATION OF BIRTH ABROAD

A child born abroad to at least one Serbian citizen parent acquires Serbian citizenship if the Serbian parent registers the birth before the child turns 18. Young adults aged 18–23 may submit the request independently.

Required documents include:

· Completed Birth Registration and Citizenship Registration forms

· Original foreign birth certificate, apostilled and translated into Serbian Cyrillic by a Serbian court-certified translator (original and translation are retained)

· Valid foreign passport of the child

· Valid Serbian passports of the parents (or foreign passport of non-Serbian parent)

· Copy of Serbian marriage certificate of the parents (if not previously registered in Serbia, the marriage must be registered concurrently)

· Acknowledgment of paternity if the child is born out of wedlock

· Statement of allegiance to Serbia for children aged 16 and above

Consular fee: $10 (payable by credit card, except American Express)

If submitted by mail, all signatures and copies of documents must be notarized.

CHILD’S NAME IN SERBIA

The name to be used in Serbia (first and last name combined) must not exceed three words. If it does, a statement on name abbreviation must be signed.

The child may bear one or both parents' surnames. If only one parent is listed on the birth certificate, the child must bear that parent’s surname.

If child bears name of the parent not listed on the birth certificate, the missing parent must sign Attestation of Paternity.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PATERNITY

Serbian citizen father of a child born out of wedlock may acknowledge paternity at the Consulate, in the presence of both parents with their valid passports. If the child is over 14, his/her presence is also required.

REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE CONCLUDED ABROAD

To register a marriage for entry into the Serbian marriage registry, the following must be submitted:

· Completed Marriage Registration form signed by the Serbian spouse(s)

· Statement on the post-marriage surname, signed by both spouses

· Original foreign marriage certificate, apostilled and translated into Serbian in Cyrillic by a Serbian court-certified translator (original and translation are retained)

· Valid Serbian passport(s) or foreign passport of non-Serbian spouse

Consular fee: $10 (credit card only, except American Express)

If submitted by mail, all signatures and passport copies must be notarized.

REGISTRATION OF TERMINATION OF PREVIOUS MARRIAGE

Foreign divorce judgments must be recognized by a Serbian higher court to be legally valid in Serbia. This must be done before registering a new marriage, a birth of a child born in a new marriage, or purchasing property in Serbia.

The previous surname may be resumed within 60 days from the date of recognition of the divorce by the Serbian court.

REGISTRATION OF DEATH ABROAD

To register a death that occurred abroad, submit the following:

· Completed Death Registration form

· Original foreign death certificate, apostilled and translated into Serbian in Cyrillic by a Serbian court-certified translator (original and translation are retained)

· Original Serbian passport of the deceased (to be canceled and returned to family)

· If no passport is available, provide other documents proving Serbian citizenship and last place of residence in Serbia

If registering the death of a foreign spouse of a Serbian citizen (for marital status update), also include:

· Death Registration form

· Apostilled and translated foreign death certificate

· Copy of the Serbian spouse’s valid passport

Consular fee: $10 (credit card only, except American Express)

If submitted by mail, the signature on the form must be notarized.

VITAL RECORDS AND CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATES

Birth, Marriage, Death, and Citizenship Certificates are issued to the person named in the record, their close family members (parents, children, spouses, and siblings), adoptive parents or guardians only.

Required documents:

· Completed request form

· Valid ID document (passport or ID card)

· Proof of name change if applicable (e.g., foreign marriage certificate, court decision, naturalization certificate)

· Proof of relationship if requesting someone else’s certificate

Fees:

· Domestic form: $28

· International form (per Vienna Convention): $30
(Payable by credit card, except American Express)

VERIFICATION OF CITIZENSHIP STATUS

Persons needing proof of non-citizenship of Serbia for acquiring foreign citizenship may apply through the Consulate.

Required documents:

· Completed application form

· Valid ID (Serbian or foreign passport)

· Foreign birth certificate

· Proof of legal residence abroad (e.g., foreign passport, Green Card, valid U.S. visa)

Fees:

· Citizenship check: $45

· If citizenship confirmed, certificate: $12

· If not a citizen, confirmation of non-citizenship: $18

All fees are payable by credit card (except American Express). Mailed applications must include notarized documents and a prepaid return envelope.

CERTIFICATE OF NO IMPEDIMENT TO MARRIAGE

To obtain this certificate from Serbia, provide:

· Completed request form

· Valid Serbian passport or ID

· Copy of ID of intended spouse

Fee: $50 (credit card only, except American Express)

All mailed documents must be notarized and accompanied by a prepaid return envelope.

CHANGE OF NAME

Serbian citizens who change their name abroad (e.g., due to naturalization or court decision) should also initiate a name change process in Serbia to ensure consistency in official records.

The name change must be submitted in person or through an authorized representative to the local municipal administration in Serbia.