Serbia, located in Southeast Europe shares borders with Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Kosovo* (S/RES/1244 (1999)), Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Historically, Serbia has always been a point of entry for people fleeing wars and persecution. Its refugee, internally displaced person (IDP), and stateless populations consist of individuals from various regions. While for many refugees, Serbia is a country of transit, it is also a country of asylum for those in need of international protection.

The Republic of Serbia ratified the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol in 2001, as well as the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons in 2001 and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness in 2011. According to the Serbian Constitution, every foreigner has the right to seek asylum, while generally accepted rules of international law and ratified international treaties are considered as integral part of the national legal system and should be applied directly.