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

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 and an additional $54 per document for the service of translation and certification of translation of American certificates. The fee is payable by credit card, cash and MoneyOrder made out to the Consulate General of Serbia in Chicago (personal checks are not accepted).

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

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

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 for obtaining a Serbian birth certificate;

· Completed request form for obtaining a Serbian marriage certificate;

· Completed request form for obtaining a Serbian death certificate;

· Completed request form for obtaining proof of citizenship of the Republic of Serbia;

· 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 and an additional $54 per document for the service of translation and certification of translation of American certificates. The fee is payable by credit card, cash and MoneyOrder made out to the Consulate General of Serbia in Chicago (personal checks are not accepted).

· International form (per Vienna Convention): $30 payable by credit card, cash and MoneyOrder made out to the Consulate General of Serbia in Chicago (personal checks are not accepted).

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.