What your passport allows
The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that Dutch citizens need no visa for visits of up to 90 days within a six-month period counted from the first entry, and that an ID card can be used for travel. As a visa-free national you normally file the temporary residence application in Serbia during the permitted stay. We fix the filing date with you before you travel.
Signing the power of attorney in the Netherlands
A Dutch notary certifies your signature on the power of attorney we prepare. The notarial document then needs an apostille from the competent Dutch authority. The Netherlands has been in the Hague Apostille Convention since 1965, so nothing further is required. The signed original goes to Belgrade by courier. Other countries are covered on the power of attorney page.
Leaving Dutch tax residence
The Netherlands and Serbia have a double tax treaty in force. Practical points on the Dutch side: when you leave the country for a longer period you are normally expected to deregister from the municipal register, and the tax authority treats the year of departure as a special case. If you hold a substantial shareholding in a Dutch BV, emigration can lead to a protective tax assessment on the unrealised gain. Whether that applies to you is a question for your Dutch tax adviser, and it is better asked before you deregister.
On the Serbian side, tax residency follows where you actually live, or 183 days in a twelve-month period, with 10 per cent tax on salary and 15 per cent corporate tax. Our tax residency page has the tests.
Banks and the company
A Serbian bank asks about owners, control and the source of funds. A Dutch owner of a Serbian company with a lease and a permit has a straightforward story, and we prepare the file. The bank decides.
How it runs, step by step
- You write to us: what the company will do, where you live, who comes with you.
- Written plan, engagement agreement and invoice, then payment by bank transfer.
- Notary and apostille in the Netherlands, and 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 the Netherlands | 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.