The Passport Booking Hell in Serbia: How to Get Your Travel Document When Appointments Are Booked Until September?
Summer is in full swing, and so is the massive panic over getting passports in Serbia! If you thought getting a passport was a simple task, think again. In Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, and other cities, passport appointment slots are literally booked until September! Yes, you read that right — until September!
Where are all the appointments?
In Serbia’s capital, almost all passport appointment slots are booked months in advance. For example, in New Belgrade, there are no free appointments from mid-July until August 12th. Similar situations exist in other Belgrade municipalities, as well as in Novi Sad, where the first available appointment might be July 22nd, and in some police departments even August 12th. Niš is slightly better, but even there, appointments are booked until the end of August, and September is already fully booked.
Need a passport urgently?
If you need a passport urgently, the situation is even worse. The electronic booking system via the eUprava portal does not offer free slots for urgent cases. However, you can try going to any police station, not necessarily the one where you reside. But even that is not a guarantee of success, as some suburban municipalities do not have electronic booking options and are overwhelmed with demand.
How much does a passport cost?
The cost of obtaining a passport varies depending on the situation. If your passport is valid for less than 6 months, the fee is 3,000 dinars; if valid for more than 6 months, the fee is 4,000 dinars. Losing your passport or requesting an urgent procedure increases the cost to 8,000 or 9,000 dinars.
Passports for children?
Children under 14 receive passports with shorter validity periods — from 3 to 5 years depending on age. Children over 14 receive passports valid for 10 years, just like adults. Parents, don’t forget to check your children’s passports before traveling!
What do you need to get a passport?
To obtain a biometric passport, you must personally submit an application at a police administration or station, with a valid ID card, your old passport (if you have one), proof of payment, and possibly a photo. For urgent cases, proof of urgency is required.
Why is it like this?
The holiday season and mass travel to the sea and abroad have caused huge demand for passports. The electronic booking system cannot handle such a volume of requests, and police capacities are limited. The result? People crowd, panic, and are left without the possibility to get a passport on time.
Conclusion
If you plan a vacation or travel abroad, check your passport in advance! Don’t wait until the last moment, or you’ll face the hell of booking and waiting. And if you’re already in this situation, prepare for a race against time, nerves, and possible extra costs.
And hey, if you’ve already been through this adventure, share your experience in the comments — maybe you’ll save someone’s nerves or we’ll all have a laugh at this absurd situation!
Slug: passport-booking-hell-serbia
