Military service in Serbia: what it means for foreigners and dual citizens

Short answer: A foreigner who holds only a foreign citizenship is not a conscript, because the obligation applies to Serbian citizens. People with dual citizenship, or who became Serbian citizens, are the ones to check. As of the latest reports we found (September 2026), service of 75 days has been announced for March 2027, starting with men born in 2006, but we did not find a report that the law has been adopted. Rules and exemptions can change before then.

Where things stand

• Conscription was suspended in Serbia as of 1 January 2011. Young men still register for service when they turn 18.
• In 2026 officials announced that it will be reintroduced. The defence minister has said first conscripts would be called up in March 2027, and the president has said the service would last 75 days.
• Press reports describe 60 days of training and 15 days of field and range training, an age range of 19 to 27 (up to 30 for those who defer), a civilian alternative of about 150 days for conscientious objectors, and women able to serve voluntarily.
• The first call-ups were reported to concern men born in 2006, with the registration and medical examination stage planned for autumn 2026.
• As of the reports we found, up to September 2026, a new law had been announced for adoption in the autumn, and we did not find a report that it had been adopted. This is the main thing that can still change.

Foreigners

If you are a foreign citizen with a residence permit or permanent residence in Serbia, and you hold no Serbian citizenship, the military obligation does not apply to you. That is the general rule, and the reason is simple: it is an obligation of citizens. This does not change if you live here for years, own a company or have Serbian children.

Dual citizens and naturalised citizens

This is where the question is real. The law that governs military obligations, as described in press coverage of the exemptions, lists reasons for exemption that include:

• being found unfit for service;
• naturalised Serbian citizens who regulated their military service in a previous state, or who have turned 27;
• dual citizens who regulated their service in the other state of which they are citizens.

Students are not permanently exempt: service is deferred until after studies, no later than the end of September of the year they turn 27. We have not seen anything official that addresses citizens who live abroad, so we do not give an answer on that.

If you are a Serbian citizen by descent, birth or naturalisation, the safest step is to ask the Ministry of Defence or your local military department in writing about your own situation, with documents showing any service already done elsewhere. A document from the other state about your service is the thing you will probably need.

What we advise

• Do not assume. Check your citizenship status first, because many people are Serbian citizens without having thought about it, for example through a parent.
• If your son is a dual citizen, check his birth year against the announced first cohort and keep any proof of service in another country.
• Follow the official sources, not social media. Dates and rules were announced before and then changed.

We are a business and residence law practice, not a military-law practice. For individual cases we point you to the competent authority and help with the paperwork.

What this means for families

For a mixed family the question is usually about a son, not about the parent. A boy born to a foreign father and a Serbian mother may hold Serbian citizenship without anyone having registered it. If the family lives abroad, he may also have done service, or be exempt, in the country where he lives. The fact pattern decides everything, so gather the birth certificate, the citizenship papers of both parents and any military papers before you ask.

Why we keep this short

The law was still being prepared when we wrote this, and an article full of confident detail would age badly. We will update the page when the law is published in the Official Gazette. Until then, treat anything you read in the press, including here, as a reason to check with the authority, not as a final answer.

What to watch for

Three signals will tell you when the position becomes clear: publication of the law in the Official Gazette, a call-up schedule from the Ministry of Defence, and instructions from the local military department about registration. Until at least the first one happens, plans for a family member should stay flexible, and big decisions such as school dates or relocations should not hang on a rumour.

Sources

• N1, Serbian defence minister on first conscripts in 2027 (24 April 2026)
• BTA, conscription to begin December 2026 or March 2027 (29 January 2026)
• Vreme, first call-ups and civilian service (July 2026)
• Mondo, who is exempt from military service (25 September 2026)
• Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia

General information as of 2 November 2026, not advice on your individual case. Laws, fees and practice change, so we confirm the current position before every engagement.