# Serbian Banks for Non-Residents > Non-residents can open RSD and FX accounts in Serbia: Raiffeisen, UniCredit, Intesa, OTP, Erste. In-person KYC, 1–3 day approval, cards work for Russians. Author: Алёна Дунаева — юрист, Family Office (https://wiki.private.law/authors/dunaeva) Last modified: 2026-07-16T11:48:00.000Z Canonical: https://wiki.private.law/en/serbia-banks Topics: banking Jurisdictions: serbia Semantic tags: personal-banking, corporate-banking, sanctions-blocked-ru --- Serbia is a rare case in Europe: an EU candidate that has not joined the sanctions regimes, with a banking sector populated by major European groups. For a non-resident it is a workable jurisdiction for accounts and cards — provided the client is ready to show up in person. Data as of July 2026. ## The legal baseline The state's official position is set out on the [Welcome to Serbia portal](https://welcometoserbia.gov.rs/opening-bank-accounts-for-residents-and-non-residents): a non-resident may open both a dinar and a foreign-currency account. Opening is in person, against a passport; from there, each bank's own KYC takes over — and it is compliance, not the law, that determines what actually gets approved. ## How opening works in practice Non-resident accounts are opened by Raiffeisen, UniCredit, Banca Intesa, OTP and Erste ([zuniclaw.com](https://zuniclaw.com/en/non-resident-bank-account-serbia/)). There is no remote opening — personal presence only. Foreign documents are accepted with a court-interpreter translation, and Russian documents are exempt from legalisation under a bilateral agreement. With a complete file, approval takes 1–3 business days and the card arrives within 7–10 days ([injac.rs](https://injac.rs/bank-account-in-serbia-for-non-residents/)). One material nuance: several banks keep a closed list of admissible purposes for non-resident accounts — court enforcement, share deals, tenders and the like. The purpose should be checked in advance: practice varies noticeably not just between banks but between branches of the same bank. > 🍓 A non-resident can get a Serbian account — in person, with a clear purpose and after the bank's own KYC. With a residence permit the picture changes completely: full resident retail opens up. There are no jurisdiction-level sanctions restrictions for Russian citizens. ## Non-resident account vs. account with a residence permit The dividing line is residence status. A client with a Serbian residence permit (boravak) opens a standard resident account with the full product range — packages, lending, e-banking ([relocationserbia.com](https://www.relocationserbia.com/major-banks-in-serbia-guide)). For anyone planning to live in the country the sequence is therefore reversed: [residency first](https://wiki.private.law/en/serbia-residence), then the bank. ## State-owned and local players State-owned Poštanska štedionica opens accounts for non-resident individuals — a dinar account with a token monthly fee, RUB among the supported currencies, debit cards issued. It does not open corporate accounts for non-resident companies ([posted.co.rs](https://www.posted.co.rs/en/retail/accounts/foreign-currency.html)). AIK Banka serves both retail and corporate clients: Visa, Mastercard and the domestic Dina scheme, plus Western Union transfers ([gsl.org](https://gsl.org/en/offshore/banks/aik-bank/)). | Bank | Non-resident individuals | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Raiffeisen, UniCredit, Banca Intesa, OTP, Erste | yes, in person | bank-specific KYC; some keep a closed list of account purposes | | Poštanska štedionica (state-owned) | yes | dinar account, currencies incl. RUB; no accounts for non-resident companies | | AIK Banka | yes | Visa, Mastercard, Dina; Western Union | ## The sanctions angle Serbia has not joined EU sanctions. Locally issued Visa and Mastercard cards held by Russian citizens work both in Serbia and abroad as ordinary European cards — a consistent 2026 practice, though there is no formal regulator statement to that effect, so the current policy of the specific bank should be verified. [Digital alternatives](https://wiki.private.law/en/neobanks) are closed for this audience: Revolut is unavailable to Russian residents, which leaves Serbian plastic among the few European options that do not require an EU residence permit. ## Who it fits Profile one: a relocating client with a Serbian boravak, or plans to get one — full retail, European cards, a local salary or dividends from their own d.o.o. Profile two: a non-resident with a specific transactional purpose, such as a share deal or property settlement. The jurisdiction does not fit those looking for remote opening without a visit, or those who need private banking with an investment platform — that is not Serbia's specialisation. Tax consequences of the move are covered in the [Serbian tax overview](https://wiki.private.law/en/serbia-tax). ## FAQ ### **Can a Serbian bank account be opened remotely?** No. Every bank requires a personal visit with the original passport. Foreign documents need a court-interpreter translation; Russian documents are exempt from legalisation. ### **Is a residence permit required?** Not for a non-resident account — a passport suffices. But the service range is narrower and some banks keep a closed list of purposes. Full retail opens with boravak status. ### **Do Serbian cards work abroad for Russian citizens?** As of 2026 practice — yes: Serbia is outside the sanctions perimeter, and locally issued Visa and Mastercard work as ordinary European cards. There is no primary-source confirmation from the regulator, so current practice should be verified with the specific bank. ### **How fast is the opening?** With a complete document set — approval in 1–3 business days, the card within 7–10 days. --- ## FAQ ### Can a Serbian bank account be opened remotely? No. Every bank requires a personal visit with the original passport. Foreign documents need a court-interpreter translation; Russian documents are exempt from legalisation. ### Is a residence permit required? Not for a non-resident account — a passport suffices. But the service range is narrower and some banks keep a closed list of purposes. Full retail opens with boravak status. ### Do Serbian cards work abroad for Russian citizens? As of 2026 practice — yes: Serbia is outside the sanctions perimeter, and locally issued Visa and Mastercard work as ordinary European cards. There is no primary-source confirmation from the regulator, so current practice should be verified with the specific bank. ### How fast is the opening? With a complete document set — approval in 1–3 business days, the card within 7–10 days. --- ## Factual claims - Non-resident accounts are opened by Raiffeisen, UniCredit, Banca Intesa, OTP and Erste (zuniclaw.com).