Many who leave come back later in life. Here is what non-residents need to buy an apartment in Serbia.
If you want to invest your savings in an apartment in Serbia, City Expert’s licensed agents guide you through the process and help with the documents.
The white card
First register your residence (the “white card”). In Belgrade this is done at the Police Administration for the City of Belgrade, Foreigners’ Department, Savska 35, or electronically.
A bank account and marital status
Then open an account in a Serbian bank with your passport and white card. If you come with a spouse, you need proof of marital status, or proof that you are not married.
Preliminary contract or contract
A preliminary contract is needed only for loan buyers, though cash buyers may also make one; it is the basis for transferring money from a foreign bank. Cash buyers go straight to the contract. We request additional documents from the seller so that everything is legally in order, and our lawyers prepare the contracts.
Money transfer, certification, clausula intabulandi
Transfer the money to your foreign-currency account in Serbia and pay within the Serbian bank; cash payments are possible up to 9,999 euros under the anti-money-laundering law. Our agents send the documents to the notary and book the certification. Once the money reaches the seller, the seller signs the clausula intabulandi, the permission to register you in the cadastre.
No VAT refund or transfer-tax relief
A non-resident has no right to a VAT refund or to relief from the property transfer tax. Expect these costs:
- the contract certification fee (depends on the value, usually up to €500)
- property transfer tax of 2.5% of the value, paid after the tax decision arrives (the largest cost)
- bank costs and commissions
If you need extra money for the apartment, credit advisers can help. Fill in the form and expect an answer from our agents within 24 hours.