What your passport allows
The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists Australian citizens with ordinary passports as visa-free for up to 90 days in a six-month period from the first entry. Visa-free nationals normally file the temporary residence application in Serbia during that stay, so the filing date is agreed before you travel. The distance matters here: a long flight and a long courier route mean we build more slack into the calendar.
Signing the power of attorney in Australia
An Australian notary certifies your signature on the power of attorney we prepare. The document is then apostilled. Australia has been in the Hague Apostille Convention since 1995, so nothing more is added. The signed original travels to Belgrade by courier, usually a matter of days, and the APR registration starts when it arrives. Details for other countries are on the power of attorney page.
No treaty, so plan the tax
Serbia and Australia are not on each other’s list of double tax treaties in force as of January 2025. Without a treaty there is no tie-breaker if both countries consider you resident, and no reduced treaty rate on dividends. Residency is decided under each country’s own rules.
When you cease to be an Australian tax resident, a capital gains tax event can apply to many of your assets as if they were sold at that moment. How it applies depends on what you own and on your choices when you file. That is a job for your Australian tax adviser before you leave. We tell you what Serbia needs and what to ask, and our tax residency page gives the Serbian tests.
Banking
A Serbian bank wants a clear picture of the company, the owners and the source of funds. A Serbian company, a lease and a residence permit make that easy to explain. We prepare the file. The bank decides.
How it runs, step by step
- You write to us: your state, the business, who is moving with you and when.
- Written plan, engagement agreement and invoice, then payment by bank transfer.
- Notary and apostille in Australia, then the original to Belgrade by courier.
- Registration at the APR, usually about five working days after the original arrives.
- Residence application in Serbia, the registered address with the white card, and the bank account.
What it costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our fee for company registration (d.o.o.) | €370 |
| Sworn translation of the power of attorney in Belgrade | €40 per power of attorney |
| Notary and apostille or legalisation in Australia | at local rates |
| State fee at the Business Registers Agency (APR) | per APR tariff |
| Registered address in Belgrade, with the white card (beli karton) | €480 for 12 months |
| Visa D | €550 per person, only if your passport needs one |
| Temporary residence permit | €850 per person |
| Basic bookkeeping | from €100 a month |
Third-party costs are always separate and charged at cost, with receipts. We send a written estimate before you pay anything, then an engagement agreement and an invoice. Payment is by bank transfer only.
Sources: Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visa regime pages; Hague Conference on Private International Law, Apostille Convention status table; KPMG Serbia, list of Serbia’s double tax treaties (situation 1 January 2025). Checked 2 November 2026. General information, not tax advice for your case. Rules change, so we confirm your position in writing before you sign anything.
Checked by our lawyer. Updated 2 November 2026. Next review: February 2027.