🇦🇺 Relocating from Australia
Moving to Serbia from Australia
Australian citizens can enter Serbia visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Australia has a significant Serbian diaspora — particularly in Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia — meaning many Australians have Serbian ancestry and may qualify for citizenship by descent. For residency, the most common pathways are company formation and property purchase. Australia has a tax treaty with Serbia, and Australians who establish tax non-residency generally stop paying Australian income tax on non-Australian income.
- Visa-free entry: 90 days within any 180-day period — no visa required
- Most common pathway: Property purchase or company formation — both common for Australians seeking long-term residency or investment
- Tax treaty with Serbia: Yes — Australia-Serbia double taxation agreement.
- Full process managed by a bilingual on-the-ground team
40+%
Lower cost of living than Australia
5-7 days
Avg. company registration
EU
Corporate tax rate
22+
Free trade agreements
What changes by nationality
What Australian nationals specifically need to know
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Entry rules, tax treaty provisions, document requirements, and banking considerations vary by nationality. Here are the specifics that apply to Australian passport holders.
Entry & visa rules
Visa-free access
90 days within any 180-day period — no visa required. Serbian border authorities stamp your passport on entry — the stamp date begins your 90-day window. Keep this date in mind when planning your stay or permit application. Overstaying creates complications for future permit applications.
Tax treaty
Serbia — Australia tax treaty
Yes — Australia-Serbia double taxation agreement. Australians who establish Australian tax non-residency stop paying Australian income tax on non-Australian income. The ATO applies residency tests strictly — formal advice recommended before relying on non-residency status.
Most common residency pathway
How Australian nationals typically obtain residency
Property purchase or company formation — both common for Australians seeking long-term residency or investment. This is the pathway we most commonly process for clients from Australia. The specific documents required differ slightly from other nationalities — we provide a personalised checklist after the eligibility call.
Ancestry & citizenship
Serbian heritage in Australia
Australia has a large Serbian diaspora — significant emigration from Yugoslavia occurred in the 1960s and 1990s. Many Australians with Serbian grandparents or parents qualify for citizenship by descent. If you have a Serbian-born parent or grandparent, Relocation Serbia conducts a lineage assessment to confirm eligibility for citizenship by descent — which requires no residency in Serbia.
Your options
Three ways Australian nationals establish themselves in Serbia
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Most clients from Australia use one of these three pathways. The right one depends on your goals, timeline, and whether you have Serbian ancestry.
For Individuals & Families
RESIDENCY VIA COMPANY FORMATION
Register a Serbian DOO in 5-7 days - €1 minimum capital. The company registeration immediately qualifies you for a temporary residence permit. Most common for remote workers, entrepreneurs, and self-employed Australian nationals.
LEARN ABOUT RESIDENCY >>>
For Long-Term Settlers
RESIDENCY VIA PROPERTY PURCHASE
Australian citizens can freely purchase Serbian property. Ownership is a recognised basis for a temporary residence permit. Combines investment and residency into a single coordinated process.
LEARN ABOUT REAL ESTATE >>>
For Those With Serbian Ancestry
CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT
If you have Serbian ancestry - typically a Serbian-born parent or grandparent - you may qualify for Serbiam citizenship without even living in Serbia. Applicable to a significant number of Australians.
LEARN ABOUT CITIZENSHIP >>>
What to avoid
Common mistakes Australian nationals make when relocating to Serbia
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These are the errors we see most frequently from clients arriving from Australia. Each one is avoidable with proper preparation.
- Not properly establishing ATO non-residency before relying on Serbian tax rates — the ATO residency test has specific factors
- Underestimating the distance and document shipping times when retrieving documents from Australia for applications
- Not accounting for Australian superannuation rules which have specific non-resident implications
- Assuming Serbian property purchase is like Australian conveyancing — the process is different and requires a local legal partner
- Not registering with the Australian Embassy in Belgrade upon arrival for a long-term stay
Questions
Australian national FAQ
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The questions we answer most from clients relocating from the Australia.
Do Australians need a visa to enter Serbia?
No. Australian citizens can enter Serbia visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Serbia is not in the Schengen zone, so the Schengen 90/180-day rule does not apply to Serbian entry. For longer stays, a temporary residence permit is required — company formation or property purchase are the most common bases.
Will I stop paying Australian tax if I move to Serbia?
If you establish Australian tax non-residency under the ATO's residency tests — primarily the domicile test and ordinary concepts test — you generally stop paying Australian income tax on non-Australian income. Australian-sourced income (rental income, some dividends) may still be taxable in Australia. The Australia-Serbia tax treaty prevents double taxation on most income types. The ATO applies residency tests rigorously — we recommend working with an Australian tax advisor before assuming non-resident status.
What happens to my Australian superannuation if I move to Serbia?
Your superannuation remains in your Australian fund and continues to accumulate (if you are still contributing). Access rules remain determined by Australian law — generally accessible from age 60 for those meeting conditions of release. You do not need to withdraw or transfer your super upon leaving Australia. Tax treatment of super distributions as a non-resident is a specialist area — consult a financial advisor.
Is property in Serbia a good investment for Australians?
Serbia's property market has been appreciating, particularly in Belgrade. Compared to Australian capital cities, Serbian property is dramatically more affordable — a comparable central apartment in Belgrade costs a fraction of Sydney or Melbourne prices. Rental yields in Belgrade central areas can be attractive. Property purchase also qualifies you for a Serbian temporary residence permit. We discuss the investment case on the consultation call.
Ready to move to Serbia from Australia?
Book a eligibility call. We'll confirm your pathway, timeline, and cost — no obligation.
Specific to Australian nationals · Bilingual team
· Belgrade & Novi Sad offices