Top 12 Mistakes Foreigners Make When Moving to Serbia (and How to Avoid Them)

Relocating to Serbia—whether for work, investment, retirement, or digital nomad life—comes with unique legal and cultural processes. While Serbia is welcoming to foreigners, immigration, real estate, and business rules are specific and can change without much notice.

Over the years, Relocation Serbia has worked with families, entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and investors from all over the world. We’ve seen a pattern: many try to “figure it out” alone, only to waste weeks (or months) and end up in costly, avoidable problems.

Below, we break down the 12 most common mistakes foreigners make when moving to Serbia—and exactly how to avoid them.

While Belgrade, Novi Sad, and other large cities have English-speaking communities, many property owners, realtors, and officials do not speak English.

Case study: A client from Sweden spent 20 days trying to arrange property viewings using Google Translate. Miscommunication with sellers and taxi drivers wasted nearly a third of his 90-day visa-free period.

Avoid this mistake:

• Hire a bilingual relocation professional to handle calls, viewings, and negotiations.

• Don’t rely solely on translation apps for important discussions.

For temporary residence permits in Serbia, you must have a legally registered lease.
Airbnb bookings—even for months—do not count as legal leases for residency.

Why this matters:

• The lease must be between you and the owner.

• It must include terms, start date, and whether you can register residency or a business there.

Pro tip: If the landlord won’t allow business registration, you can use a virtual office through Relocation Serbia.

When you arrive in Serbia, you must register your address within 24 hours with the local police. This is known as your white paper (beli karton).

Skipping it can cause:

• Residency application denial

• Problems when changing addresses

• Legal penalties

Important: The white paper location usually determines where you apply for residency.

If you set up a business in Serbia, keep your finances separate.

• By law, you must have an accountant for most legal structures.

• Entrepreneurs earning under €65,000/year have simpler requirements but should still separate accounts to avoid audits and penalties.

Property law in Serbia is complex—and foreigners face additional restrictions (e.g., agricultural land limitations).

Risk: Signing contracts you don’t fully understand or that a notary fails to verify can make the purchase invalid.

Example: A client tried to buy a property classified as construction land but surrounded by agricultural land—making the sale impossible for a foreigner.

If you obtain residency via a business, you must meet all tax and legal obligations until renewal.

Mistake: Thinking you can skip taxes if you plan to switch to property-based residency later.

Reality: The police can deny renewal or refuse entry for dependents if you fail to comply.

If you have 90-day visa-free entry and overstay, you cannot simply apply for residency afterward.

• You may have to leave, appear before a judge, and risk being banned from re-entry.

While forums can be useful for general tips, immigration and property laws change—and personal experiences may not apply to you.

Always verify with a licensed lawyer or relocation professional before making decisions.

Many clients contact us only when it’s too late—after overstaying, signing a bad lease, or missing deadlines.

Better: Book a consultation early, even if you’re just exploring the idea of moving.

A paid consultation is the first step, not a lifetime of free services. If your situation changes or you need new guidance, you’ll need an additional consultation or a service package.

Notary quality varies by region. Some rural notaries may be unfamiliar with foreign buyer restrictions. Our experience shows lawyers often provide more thorough checks.

Processes like notarization, police registration, and tax filings can be delayed by system outages, holidays, or administrative changes. Professionals can help you work around delays and negotiate with relevant parties.