diff --git a/ruma-client-api/src/r0/context/get_context.rs b/ruma-client-api/src/r0/context/get_context.rs
index 38f5833e..94df7efe 100644
--- a/ruma-client-api/src/r0/context/get_context.rs
+++ b/ruma-client-api/src/r0/context/get_context.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use ruma_common::Raw;
 use ruma_events::{AnyRoomEvent, AnyStateEvent};
 use ruma_identifiers::{EventId, RoomId};
 
-use crate::r0::filter::RoomEventFilter;
+use crate::r0::filter::{IncomingRoomEventFilter, RoomEventFilter};
 
 ruma_api! {
     metadata: {
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ ruma_api! {
             default,
             skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none"
         )]
-        pub filter: Option<RoomEventFilter>,
+        pub filter: Option<RoomEventFilter<'a>>,
     }
 
     #[non_exhaustive]
diff --git a/ruma-client-api/src/r0/filter.rs b/ruma-client-api/src/r0/filter.rs
index 1090a706..05aa03ac 100644
--- a/ruma-client-api/src/r0/filter.rs
+++ b/ruma-client-api/src/r0/filter.rs
@@ -26,22 +26,23 @@ pub enum EventFormat {
 }
 
 /// Filters to be applied to room events
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
-pub struct RoomEventFilter {
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Default, Outgoing, Serialize)]
+#[incoming_derive(Clone, Serialize)]
+pub struct RoomEventFilter<'a> {
     /// A list of event types to exclude.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then no event types are excluded. A matching type will be excluded
     /// even if it is listed in the 'types' filter. A '*' can be used as a wildcard to match any
     /// sequence of characters.
-    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
-    pub not_types: Vec<String>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "<[_]>::is_empty")]
+    pub not_types: &'a [String],
 
     /// A list of room IDs to exclude.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then no rooms are excluded. A matching room will be excluded even if
     /// it is listed in the 'rooms' filter.
-    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
-    pub not_rooms: Vec<String>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "<[_]>::is_empty")]
+    pub not_rooms: &'a [String],
 
     /// The maximum number of events to return.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
@@ -51,27 +52,27 @@ pub struct RoomEventFilter {
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then all rooms are included.
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub rooms: Option<Vec<RoomId>>,
+    pub rooms: Option<&'a [RoomId]>,
 
     /// A list of sender IDs to exclude.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then no senders are excluded. A matching sender will be excluded even
     /// if it is listed in the 'senders' filter.
-    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
-    pub not_senders: Vec<UserId>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "<[_]>::is_empty")]
+    pub not_senders: &'a [UserId],
 
     /// A list of senders IDs to include.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then all senders are included.
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub senders: Option<Vec<UserId>>,
+    pub senders: Option<&'a [UserId]>,
 
     /// A list of event types to include.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then all event types are included. A '*' can be used as a wildcard to
     /// match any sequence of characters.
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub types: Option<Vec<String>>,
+    pub types: Option<&'a [String]>,
 
     /// If `true` include only events with a URL key in their content.
     /// If `false`, exclude such events.
@@ -85,16 +86,17 @@ pub struct RoomEventFilter {
     pub lazy_load_options: LazyLoadOptions,
 }
 
-impl RoomEventFilter {
+impl<'a> RoomEventFilter<'a> {
     /// A filter that can be used to ignore all room events
     pub fn ignore_all() -> Self {
-        Self { types: Some(vec![]), ..Default::default() }
+        Self { types: Some(&[]), ..Default::default() }
     }
 }
 
 /// Filters to be applied to room data
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
-pub struct RoomFilter {
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Default, Outgoing, Serialize)]
+#[incoming_derive(Clone, Serialize)]
+pub struct RoomFilter<'a> {
     /// Include rooms that the user has left in the sync.
     ///
     /// Defaults to false if not included.
@@ -103,54 +105,55 @@ pub struct RoomFilter {
 
     /// The per user account data to include for rooms.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub account_data: Option<RoomEventFilter>,
+    pub account_data: Option<RoomEventFilter<'a>>,
 
     /// The message and state update events to include for rooms.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub timeline: Option<RoomEventFilter>,
+    pub timeline: Option<RoomEventFilter<'a>>,
 
     /// The events that aren't recorded in the room history, e.g. typing and receipts, to include
     /// for rooms.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub ephemeral: Option<RoomEventFilter>,
+    pub ephemeral: Option<RoomEventFilter<'a>>,
 
     /// The state events to include for rooms.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub state: Option<RoomEventFilter>,
+    pub state: Option<RoomEventFilter<'a>>,
 
     /// A list of room IDs to exclude.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then no rooms are excluded. A matching room will be excluded even if
     /// it is listed in the 'rooms' filter. This filter is applied before the filters in
     /// `ephemeral`, `state`, `timeline` or `account_data`.
-    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
-    pub not_rooms: Vec<RoomId>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "<[_]>::is_empty")]
+    pub not_rooms: &'a [RoomId],
 
     /// A list of room IDs to include.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then all rooms are included. This filter is applied before the
     /// filters in `ephemeral`, `state`, `timeline` or `account_data`.
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub rooms: Option<Vec<RoomId>>,
+    pub rooms: Option<&'a [RoomId]>,
 }
 
-impl RoomFilter {
+impl<'a> RoomFilter<'a> {
     /// A filter that can be used to ignore all room events (of any type)
     pub fn ignore_all() -> Self {
-        Self { rooms: Some(vec![]), ..Default::default() }
+        Self { rooms: Some(&[]), ..Default::default() }
     }
 }
 
 /// Filter for not-room data
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
-pub struct Filter {
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Default, Outgoing, Serialize)]
+#[incoming_derive(Clone, Serialize)]
+pub struct Filter<'a> {
     /// A list of event types to exclude.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then no event types are excluded. A matching type will be excluded
     /// even if it is listed in the 'types' filter. A '*' can be used as a wildcard to match any
     /// sequence of characters.
-    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
-    pub not_types: Vec<String>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "<[_]>::is_empty")]
+    pub not_types: &'a [String],
 
     /// The maximum number of events to return.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
@@ -160,32 +163,32 @@ pub struct Filter {
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then all senders are included.
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub senders: Option<Vec<UserId>>,
+    pub senders: Option<&'a [UserId]>,
 
     /// A list of event types to include.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then all event types are included. A '*' can be used as a wildcard to
     /// match any sequence of characters.
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub types: Option<Vec<String>>,
+    pub types: Option<&'a [String]>,
 
     /// A list of sender IDs to exclude.
     ///
     /// If this list is absent then no senders are excluded. A matching sender will be excluded even
     /// if it is listed in the 'senders' filter.
-    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
-    pub not_senders: Vec<UserId>,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "<[_]>::is_empty")]
+    pub not_senders: &'a [UserId],
 }
 
-impl Filter {
+impl<'a> Filter<'a> {
     /// A filter that can be used to ignore all events
     pub fn ignore_all() -> Self {
-        Self { types: Some(vec![]), ..Default::default() }
+        Self { types: Some(&[]), ..Default::default() }
     }
 }
 
 /// A filter definition
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Outgoing, Serialize)]
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Default, Outgoing, Serialize)]
 #[incoming_derive(Clone, Serialize)]
 pub struct FilterDefinition<'a> {
     /// List of event fields to include.
@@ -206,15 +209,15 @@ pub struct FilterDefinition<'a> {
 
     /// The presence updates to include.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub presence: Option<Filter>,
+    pub presence: Option<Filter<'a>>,
 
     /// The user account data that isn't associated with rooms to include.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub account_data: Option<Filter>,
+    pub account_data: Option<Filter<'a>>,
 
     /// Filters to be applied to room data.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub room: Option<RoomFilter>,
+    pub room: Option<RoomFilter<'a>>,
 }
 
 impl<'a> FilterDefinition<'a> {
diff --git a/ruma-client-api/src/r0/message/get_message_events.rs b/ruma-client-api/src/r0/message/get_message_events.rs
index 3427fcbb..8d724a79 100644
--- a/ruma-client-api/src/r0/message/get_message_events.rs
+++ b/ruma-client-api/src/r0/message/get_message_events.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use ruma_events::{AnyRoomEvent, AnyStateEvent};
 use ruma_identifiers::RoomId;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-use crate::r0::filter::RoomEventFilter;
+use crate::r0::filter::{IncomingRoomEventFilter, RoomEventFilter};
 
 ruma_api! {
     metadata: {
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ ruma_api! {
             default,
             skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none"
         )]
-        pub filter: Option<RoomEventFilter>,
+        pub filter: Option<RoomEventFilter<'a>>,
     }
 
     #[non_exhaustive]
@@ -135,11 +135,12 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_serialize_some_room_event_filter() {
         let room_id = room_id!("!roomid:example.org");
+        let rooms = &[room_id.clone()];
         let filter = RoomEventFilter {
             lazy_load_options: LazyLoadOptions::Enabled { include_redundant_members: true },
-            rooms: Some(vec![room_id.clone()]),
-            not_rooms: vec!["room".into(), "room2".into(), "room3".into()],
-            not_types: vec!["type".into()],
+            rooms: Some(rooms),
+            not_rooms: &["room".into(), "room2".into(), "room3".into()],
+            not_types: &["type".into()],
             ..Default::default()
         };
         let req = Request {
diff --git a/ruma-client-api/src/r0/search/search_events.rs b/ruma-client-api/src/r0/search/search_events.rs
index 65117056..da646c33 100644
--- a/ruma-client-api/src/r0/search/search_events.rs
+++ b/ruma-client-api/src/r0/search/search_events.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use ruma_events::{AnyEvent, AnyStateEvent};
 use ruma_identifiers::{EventId, RoomId, UserId};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-use crate::r0::filter::RoomEventFilter;
+use crate::r0::filter::{IncomingRoomEventFilter, RoomEventFilter};
 
 ruma_api! {
     metadata: {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ impl<'a> Categories<'a> {
 }
 
 /// Criteria for searching a category of events.
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Outgoing, Serialize)]
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Outgoing, Serialize)]
 pub struct Criteria<'a> {
     /// The string to search events for.
     pub search_term: &'a str,
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ pub struct Criteria<'a> {
 
     /// A `Filter` to apply to the search.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
-    pub filter: Option<RoomEventFilter>,
+    pub filter: Option<RoomEventFilter<'a>>,
 
     /// The order in which to search for results.
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]