Serbia

01The country in 30 seconds

Serbia is a popular, easy first stop for Russians moving abroad. You can fly in without a visa, freelance legally, and build a life in Belgrade or Novi Sad. The hard parts are banking — Russian cards don't work — and finding a good long-term flat.

• No visa needed for short stays — check the exact time limit before you travel
• Freelancers can register as a sole trader and use it for residency
• Flat 10% income tax, plus a simple fixed monthly tax for sole traders
• Mir cards and Russian-issued Visa/Mastercard do not work here

02Who it's for

Serbia works well if you match a few things.

It fits you if: - You freelance or work remotely for a foreign employer - You want to stay in Europe without needing a Schengen visa - You are okay handling some Serbian bureaucracy and paperwork - You want a real residence permit, not just endless tourist visa runs - You like city life in Belgrade or Novi Sad - You are ready to set up a new way to pay, since Russian cards won't work

Not for you if: - You are not ready to register as a sole trader or company to work legally - You expect to bring a Russian bank card and use it right away

03Entry & visa

Russian citizens can enter Serbia without a visa. This makes Serbia one of the easiest countries to fly into and start your move.

The exact visa-free stay limit can change. Serbia has adjusted its visa rules before, partly due to pressure from the EU. Don't rely on a fixed number — check it right before you travel.

If you want to stay longer, you will need a residence permit. Start that process well before your visa-free time runs out.

04Residency & legalization

There is no special "digital nomad visa" in Serbia. Most people get residency through work or business instead.

The main routes are: - Employment with a Serbian company - Owning or working for a registered business (company or sole trader) - Family reunification, if close family already lives in Serbia - Owning property in Serbia - Studying at a Serbian university

For freelancers and remote workers, the most common path is registering as a flat-rate sole trader ("preduzetnik paušalac") and using that registration as the basis for a residence and work permit.

05Work & taxes

Freelancing and remote work for a foreign employer is legal in Serbia. There is no special digital nomad visa — you register as a sole trader instead, and that registration also supports your residence permit.

You become a Serbian tax resident if you spend 183+ days a year in Serbia, or if your family and home ("center of vital interests") are here. Residents pay tax on worldwide income. Non-residents only pay tax on income earned in Serbia.

Standard income tax is a flat 10%. The first RSD ~34,221 you earn each month is tax-free.

Most freelancers use a simpler system called "paušalno oporezivanje" (flat-rate tax). Instead of taxing your real profit, the tax office sets one fixed monthly amount — usually around RSD 30,000-60,000 (about €250-500) — based on your type of work and city. No full bookkeeping needed.

This flat-rate option has limits: your yearly turnover must stay under RSD 6,000,000 (about €51,000).

Foreigners can register as a paušalac with just a foreign passport. But to actually live and work in Serbia this way, you generally also need a residence and work permit linked to that registration.

06Banks, cards & money

Mir cards do not work in Serbia. Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard don't work either — international sanctions cut them off from the global card networks, so they only work inside Russia now.

What actually works: - Cash — bring it with you, or withdraw and exchange once you're there - Cards from banks outside Russia, not under sanctions — these usually work at ATMs and card terminals

You can open a local bank account as a foreigner, but banks generally want to see a residence permit and a registered lease. In practice, you'll usually manage this only after you're legalized, not on day one.

07Renting a place

Start with a short-term place for your first few weeks — Flatio or Airbnb work well while you look for something long-term.

For a real rental, check 4zida.rs, nekretnine.rs and cityexpert.rs (City Expert also works as a rental agency). Expat Facebook groups and word-of-mouth help too. Most listings are in Serbian, so use a translator or a local agent.

A normal deposit is 1-2 months' rent. You should get it back within about 30 days after you move out.

Standard contracts run 12 months. A shorter lease is possible but usually costs more. A fixed-term contract is normally better for you as the tenant — with an open-ended one, the landlord can raise the rent anytime. Notice to end a lease is usually about 30 days.

08SIM card & internet

Three main mobile operators: mts (the largest, about 41% of the market), Yettel (about 32%), and A1 (about 26%).

eSIM is available — A1 and Yettel both sell eSIMs (A1's activation costs around 500 RSD, about $5, plus your package). Globaltel also sells eSIMs online.

A starter prepaid SIM costs roughly 500-1,000 RSD (about $5-10). A decent monthly data plan, around 30-50GB, costs about 999 RSD (about $10).

Home broadband starts around 3,000 RSD/month (about $26-30) for ~60 Mbps. Fiber plans in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš cost from about 3,200 RSD (about $28+) for up to 300 Mbps. Real speeds are often lower than advertised outside these fiber networks — the national average is around 34 Mbps down.

09Healthcare & insurance

Public healthcare is mainly for Serbian citizens and residents who pay into the mandatory health fund (RFZO), or people covered by a bilateral agreement between Serbia and their home country. As a tourist, or without a residence permit, you'll usually pay out of pocket or rely on private insurance.

Once you have a residence permit and pay local contributions — through a job or as a registered entrepreneur — you get access to public healthcare like a citizen.

Basic private health insurance costs about €40-50/month (around €500/year). A fuller international expat plan costs €50-150/month. A private GP visit runs about €30-60; a specialist, €50-100.

Good private hospitals are mostly in Belgrade (like NEW Hospital and Sava Memorial Hospital), with some private clinics in Novi Sad. In smaller cities like Niš, options are limited — for serious care, people often travel to Belgrade.

10Transport

In Belgrade, public transport (buses, trams, trolleybuses) has been free since January 2025. Novi Sad and Niš run their own separate bus systems, and those still charge fares.

For rides, use app-based options like CarGo (a local, usually cheaper alternative to street taxis) or Yandex Go. Avoid hailing taxis on the street — this is where foreigners get overcharged most often.

A foreign driving licence works for your first 90 days as a visitor. Russia is part of the international agreement Serbia recognizes, so a Russian licence plus your passport should work without extra paperwork in that window — but double-check at a local traffic police point, since practice can vary.

Once you get a temporary residence permit, your foreign licence is only valid for 6 months from the day the permit was issued. After that, you need to exchange it for a Serbian licence — the same rule applies once you get permanent residence.

11Safety & important laws

Serbia is generally seen as safe for foreigners. Most Western governments rate it "exercise increased caution" rather than high-risk. Petty crime and scams are the real issue, not violent crime.

Common scams: overpriced street taxis (especially near the airport and tourist areas), and padded bills or bad exchange rates in touristy spots. Stick to CarGo, Yandex Go, or a taxi firm you book ahead, and check your bill and exchange rate before paying.

Carry your ID or passport at all times — police can ask for it. Don't take photos near military sites or anything that looks official or guarded.

You must register your address ("bela karta") within 24 hours of arrival — 48 hours if you're staying with a private host instead of a hotel. Missing this can cost a fine of up to 15,000 RSD.

Emergency numbers: 112 (general), 192 (police), 194 (ambulance), 193 (fire).

12How much money you need per month

Total: $1,100-1,600 per month, living outside the city centre

13Step-by-step moving plan

1. Check your passport is valid, and check the MUP website for the current visa-free stay rules before you fly.
2. Book a short-term place (Flatio or Airbnb) for your first few weeks.
3. Fly to Serbia and register your address ("bela karta") within 24-48 hours of arrival.
4. Look for a long-term rental on 4zida.rs, nekretnine.rs or cityexpert.rs, or use a local agent.
5. Get a local SIM or eSIM (mts, Yettel or A1) so you have working internet right away.
6. Register as a flat-rate sole trader ("paušalac") if you plan to freelance.
7. Apply for a temporary residence and work permit, based on your sole trader registration.
8. Open a local bank account and set up private health insurance.
9. Sign a 12-month lease once you've found the right flat, and settle in.

14Useful links & Telegram

• Welcome to Serbia — Temporary Residence
• Welcome to Serbia — Healthcare and Health Insurance
• MUP (Ministry of Interior) — Information for Foreigners
• Serbia Tax Administration (PURS) — Flat-Rate Entrepreneur Tax
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Driver's Licence and Vehicle Insurance