Guide
How to Open a Company in Serbia as a Foreigner in 2026
Foreign nationals and companies can set up a business in Serbia on the same terms as locals, and we run the whole process from choosing the form to registration and banking, remotely if needed.
A foreign citizen can open a company in Serbia and own 100% of it, with no residence permit, no citizenship and no local partner. Almost the whole process runs remotely: with a notarized power of attorney we file the application with APR, collect the decision and obtain your PIB tax ID while you stay where you are. The one step that does not depend on you alone is the business bank account, because each bank applies its own identification rules, and if you also intend to work in the company yourself, residence and a work permit are a separate matter. There is no special "company for foreigners" and no extra permission to ask for. The real decision is which setup fits your plan: a new Serbian company (usually a d.o.o.) that stands on its own, a branch that trades in your parent company's name, or a representative office that can only do research and groundwork and cannot trade. Our company formation services in Serbia cover the whole process, including the parts that can be done without you leaving your country. If you also intend to move here, start from the hub for foreign founders, which separates the company route from the residence route.
What you should know
- You can own 100% of the company and be its only director. Serbia sets no nationality limits and no minimum investment beyond the symbolic 100-dinar capital.
- You do not have to come to Serbia. With a special power of attorney, notarized in your country and (where needed) apostilled, we register the company, obtain the tax ID and help open the bank account on your behalf.
- Pick the right vehicle. A d.o.o. is a separate company that protects your personal assets and can trade freely. A branch is not a separate entity, trades in your parent firm's name, and is taxed here as a resident. A representative office can only research and prepare the market, cannot trade, and cannot hold its own account. If you are weighing a sole trader against a company, liability and how you take money out decide it, as our guide to sole trader vs LLC in Serbia sets out.
- The document list is shorter than you expect. An individual founder needs a passport, plus the director's details, a registered address in Serbia, the founding act and the registration application. If the founder is a foreign company, add a register extract and constitutive documents with an apostille and a court interpreter's translation.
- Expect about one to two weeks and roughly 68 euros in state fees. APR usually issues the registration decision within a few working days once the file is complete, and notary, translation and bank steps add the rest. Since May 2023 the application is filed electronically only and signed with a qualified electronic certificate; filing it yourself also needs a card reader, the NEXU application and a payment card, whereas when we file none of that is your problem.
- The business account is the step where the bank sets the rules. Registration and the PIB we handle under your power of attorney, but every bank has its own identification and client-checking requirements, so check whether the director must attend in person before you plan on doing absolutely everything remotely.
- You only need a residence or work permit if you plan to work in Serbia yourself, for example as an employed director; pure ownership needs neither. Forming a company can also be a basis for temporary residence, and for that route a starting capital of around 250 euros is usually recommended.
- Obligations start the moment you are registered. Companies, including a d.o.o., keep double-entry books, tax records run from day one, and the beneficial owner is recorded within 30 days. That is why we set up your monthly bookkeeping before you issue the first invoice.
- Plan for tax on money leaving the country. Dividends, interest and royalties paid abroad carry a withholding tax (as a rule 20%), which a double-taxation treaty between Serbia and your country often reduces.
| Setup | Best for | Can it trade? | Liability |
|---|---|---|---|
| New company (d.o.o.) | Most foreigners doing real business in Serbia | Yes | Limited, your personal assets are protected |
| Branch of a foreign company | Extending an existing foreign firm into Serbia | Yes | The parent company is liable |
| Representative office | Market research and groundwork only | No | Cannot trade or hold its own account |
How we handle it
- 01 Advice and choosing your setup We start with a short talk about what you actually want to do in Serbia, then recommend the setup that fits: a new d.o.o., a branch or a representative office. We explain the differences in liability, taxation and the right to trade in plain language before you commit.
- 02 Preparing your documents We draft the founding documents and tell you exactly what to bring: usually just your passport, plus, for a corporate founder, a register extract and articles with an apostille and a certified Serbian translation.
- 03 Director, address and power of attorney We help you appoint a director and secure a registered address (seat) in Serbia. You sign a notarized power of attorney in your own country and we run the whole registration for you, no trip required.
- 04 Registration and tax ID We file the application electronically with APR (mandatory since 2023), sign it with a qualified electronic certificate, and follow it to the registration decision, your company number and PIB, usually within a few working days.
- 05 Business bank account We prepare the bank file and pick the bank that suits your business with you. Identification and client-checking rules are each bank's own, so we confirm in advance whether the director has to attend in person and what can be finished remotely.
- 06 Bookkeeping and first obligations From day one we set up bookkeeping and your tax records, record the beneficial owner, track withholding tax on payments abroad and, if you plan to work here, the residence and work-permit route.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner open a company in Serbia without living here?
Yes. Foreign individuals and companies form a business on the same terms as locals, and mere ownership needs no residence or stay in Serbia. You do not even have to come here: with a notarized power of attorney we complete the whole registration for you. Residence and a work permit are needed only if you also want to work here, for example as an employed director.
How much does it cost to open a company in Serbia?
The APR state fee to register a d.o.o. online is about 8,000 dinars (around 68 euros). On top of that come notary certification and, for foreign documents, a certified translation, so a typical setup runs to a few hundred euros depending on how much needs translating. The share capital itself can be as little as 100 dinars.
How long does it take?
Once your documents are complete, APR usually issues the registration decision within a few working days. Counting document preparation, translation and opening a bank account, plan for about one to two weeks in total.
What documents does a foreigner need?
For an individual founder a passport is enough, plus a chosen director and a registered seat (address) in Serbia. If the founder is a foreign company, you also need a register extract and constitutive documents with an apostille and a court interpreter's translation. Electronic registration with APR, obtaining a PIB, and opening a bank account follow.
Do I need a qualified electronic signature?
The application is filed with APR electronically only and signed with a qualified electronic certificate. If you filed it yourself you would need that certificate, a card reader, the NEXU application and a payment card for the fee. When we file under your power of attorney, you need none of it.
Can the bank account be opened without coming to Serbia?
Registration and the PIB are handled under a power of attorney, but the account is opened by the bank under its own identification and client-checking rules, and those differ from bank to bank. So before you plan everything remotely we check with your chosen bank whether the director must attend in person and which documents it wants.
Does the company need an address in Serbia?
Yes. The company is registered at a seat address in Serbia and that address goes into the APR register. We help you secure a seat and appoint a director before the application is filed.
What happens right after registration?
You open the business account, set up bookkeeping and start filing tax returns, and for a d.o.o. the beneficial owner is recorded within 30 days. Companies keep double-entry books, so we track the deadlines for you against the tax calendar.
Can I get a residence permit by opening a company?
Not automatically. Serbia’s official guidance for foreign business owners states that setting up a company is a valid purpose of residence but on its own does not guarantee that a visa or a residence and work permit will be granted. The listed ground is self-employment, which sits under the employment basis and is handled through the single permit; "business owner" is not a separate ground. Our guide on residence by company formation sets out what the route actually requires.
What tax applies when I send profit abroad?
Dividends, interest and royalties paid abroad are subject to withholding tax, as a rule 20%. The rate can be reduced by applying the double-taxation treaty between Serbia and your country.
Can I open a franchise in Serbia as a foreigner?
A franchise is not a separate legal form. In practice you set up a normal Serbian company (usually a d.o.o.) which, under a franchise agreement with the foreign brand owner, operates under their brand and standards for a fee.
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