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🔎 Representative Office

Representative office in Serbia
— market presence without trading

Establish your company's presence in Serbia without trading obligations. Conduct market research, promote services, and build partnerships — the safest way to test the market.

from 200 EUR
9+ years in business
500+ companies registered
🌍 3 languages
📍 Belgrade, Serbia
🔎 What is a representative office

What is a representative office (predstavništvo)?

A representative office (predstavništvo) is a registered presence of a foreign company in Serbia. It is designed for non-commercial activities only — market research, promotion, and networking. It cannot trade, invoice, or generate revenue.

What it CAN do

  • Market research — study the Serbian market, competitors, regulations, and business opportunities.
  • Promotion — advertise the parent company's products and services, attend trade fairs and exhibitions.
  • Networking — build relationships with potential clients, partners, distributors, and government institutions.
  • Preparatory work — lay the groundwork for future commercial operations (branch or DOO).

What it CANNOT do

  • Trade or generate revenue — cannot sell products or services in Serbia.
  • Issue invoices — all invoicing must be done by the parent company.
  • Sign commercial contracts — cannot enter into business deals on behalf of the parent company.
  • Hire employees directly — staff must be engaged through the parent company or service agreements.

Taxation

Since a representative office cannot generate Serbian-source income, it has minimal tax obligations. It does not pay corporate income tax. However, it may need to file certain informational returns and register for VAT if applicable. Operating costs are funded by the parent company.

When to choose a representative office

A representative office is ideal when you want to test the Serbian market before committing significant resources. It is the lowest-cost, lowest-risk way to establish a physical presence, build local contacts, and gather market intelligence. If results are positive, you can later convert to a branch or DOO.

How it works

Registration in 4 steps

1

Document collection

We list all required parent company documents and guide you through apostille and certified translation requirements.

2

Preparation

We prepare the registration application, representative decision, and power of attorney documents.

3

Court registration

Representative offices are registered at the Commercial Court (not APR). We submit the complete application.

4

Office established

You receive the registration confirmation. The representative office can begin its promotional and research activities.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is a representative office (predstavništvo)?

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A representative office is a registered presence of a foreign company in Serbia that can conduct market research, promote products and services, and build business relationships — but cannot trade, issue invoices, or generate revenue.

What CAN a representative office do?

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Market research, promotion of the parent company's products and services, attending trade fairs, building business partnerships, and preparatory activities for future business entry into Serbia.

What CANNOT a representative office do?

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It cannot trade, issue invoices, sign commercial contracts, hire employees directly, or generate revenue in Serbia. All commercial activities must be handled by the parent company.

How is a representative office taxed?

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Since a representative office cannot generate Serbian-source income, it has minimal tax obligations. It may need to file certain informational returns but does not pay corporate income tax on Serbian operations.

When should I choose a representative office?

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Choose a representative office when you want to test the Serbian market before committing to full operations. It is a low-cost, low-risk way to establish market presence and gather intelligence.

How long does registration take?

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Registration at the Commercial Court typically takes 1-2 weeks. Document preparation (apostille, translations) may require 2-4 weeks. Total timeline is usually 3-5 weeks.

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