Skip to content

From Serbia · Europe

Start a US company from Serbia

For Serbian founders who need Stripe, sell into the US as a US vendor or raise from US investors. Stripe doesn't take Serbian businesses, so a US company is a common route. Mercury serves founders living here. A US company effectively managed from Serbia is Serbian-resident, so read that section first.

Launch + Wyoming filing; the tax return is separate.Checked by Saais Patel, compliance reviewer.

At a glance

Mercury takes applications from founders living in Serbia. Wise gives no USD account details there.

The banks, in detail
US tax treaty
None
Local Stripe
No
Mercury
Yes
Currency
RSD
Our fee
from $249
Wyoming's fee
$102.40
Until we file
Refunded in full

You can form a US company while living in Serbia, without an SSN or a US visit, and founders here can apply to Mercury, which decides each application. Wise gives no USD account details to them. Launch starts at $351.40 in Wyoming, including our plan and state filing fee. Stripe doesn't take Serbian businesses, so a US company is a common route to it. The Serbian points: a company effectively managed from Serbia is resident at 15%, dividends are taxed at 15%, and there's no US treaty.

Before you form

Start with whether you need a US company, and where it will be managed.

  • A US company, after advice

    Card payments from customers worldwide

    Stripe doesn't take Serbian businesses. A US company can apply for US Stripe, but managed from Serbia it's Serbian-resident.

    Getting access to Stripe
  • A Wyoming LLC or a C-Corp, after advice

    Selling into the US as a US vendor

    Some US buyers and platforms want a US contracting party. Plan where it will be managed.

    US companies for SaaS
  • A Delaware C-Corp

    Raising from US investors

    US investors usually want a Delaware C-Corp. With no treaty, its dividends to you are withheld at 30% in the US.

    Raising from US investors
  • A US subsidiary

    A Serbian company expanding to the US

    A Serbian company can own a US company as its subsidiary. Serbia has no CFC rules, but ask how its dividends come home.

    US holding companies

BaseAcross's Wyoming LLC and Delaware C-Corp options for founders in Serbia

Wyoming LLC

Owner-run business with US Stripe, after advice.

State filing
$102.40
Yearly state charge
From $60
Wyoming LLC formation

Delaware C-Corp

Raising from US investors; plan where it's managed.

State filing
$110
Yearly state charge
$450 for the model shown
Delaware C-Corp formation

Both charges are the state's, before our plan, optional services and your advisers' fees. Wyoming sets a minimum yearly charge, and Delaware's franchise tax depends on how it's calculated. Staff, stock or premises in another state can bring obligations there. An S-corporation isn't an option, because nonresident aliens can't hold its shares.

Prepare the information

Different documents are needed at different stages.

You provide

Before state filing

  • Your proposed company name, business activity and chosen structure.
  • Owners' names exactly as on their passports, ownership shares, managers and home addresses.
  • Where the company will be effectively managed and controlled, because Serbia's residence test asks.
  • The approved company name and formation details.
  • The responsible party. Without an SSN or ITIN, the application goes on Form SS-4.
  • Accurate mailing and principal business addresses, and your signed authorization where required.
You confirm; we prepare

After formation, for the EIN

  • A passport for each owner the provider asks about.
  • Formation documents, the EIN confirmation and the operating agreement.
  • A real business address, your website, a description of the business and the source of funds, as each provider asks.
The provider verifies

For bank and payment applications

  • Your return, with dividends from the company.
  • A record of where the company is managed.
  • The company's own Serbian returns, if it's resident here.
You and your tax adviser

For the Tax Administration

You don't need a Serbian company to form a US company. The EIN is the US company's tax ID. Send identity documents through a secure request, and only the ones asked for.

How it works

Seven steps from Serbia to a maintained US company.

The state approves the company, the IRS issues the EIN and each provider approves its own account. In Serbia, your tax adviser handles the Tax Administration; we don't file there.

You and your tax adviser

Check the Serbian side first

Decide whether you need a US company at all, where it will be managed, and what the foreign trade law asks of you.

You leave this stage with: A structure and tax plan that fits Serbia's rules.

01 / 07

Plan the wait

Formation, the EIN and banking have separate timelines.

Published service estimates and prerequisites for a Wyoming company from Serbia

  1. Wyoming formationSame day
  2. Ordinary EINsix to eight weeks
  3. Expedited EINtwo to three weeks
  4. Bank and payment accountsProvider review
  5. US Stripe accountStripe's review
  1. Wyoming formation

    Same day

    The clock starts
    Complete filing accepted by the state
    What can change it
    Our order checks and filing batch come first. Expedited filing changes our queue; it doesn't speed up the EIN.
  2. Ordinary EIN

    six to eight weeks

    The clock starts
    EIN application after formation
    What can change it
    Included in the plan. This is our published estimate; the IRS queue can change.
  3. Expedited EIN

    two to three weeks

    The clock starts
    EIN application after formation
    What can change it
    Optional $199 service. An estimate, with issuance controlled by the IRS.
  4. Bank and payment accounts

    Provider review

    The clock starts
    Company and owner information ready
    What can change it
    Mercury, Stripe and any other provider set their own timing, may ask for more documents and can decline an application.
  5. US Stripe account

    Stripe's review

    The clock starts
    US bank account and website ready
    What can change it
    Stripe reviews the business and the person behind it, and can decline.

These are service estimates, not promised completion dates. The IRS and each provider set their own processing times. Names or addresses that differ between documents slow every stage.

What it costs

The same price from Serbia as from anywhere.

Charged in US dollars, with the Wyoming state fee passed on at cost. Where you live changes which bank we introduce you to, not the price.

LLC cost calculator

Launch

To start

$351.40

$249 our fee + $102.40 Wyoming fee

Renews from $309 a year

OperateBilled yearly

To start

$2,490.40

$2,388 our fee + $102.40 Wyoming fee

Renews from $2,448 a year

Included in both plans

  • State formation filing
  • Registered agent and registered office
  • EIN application without an SSN
  • LLC Operating Agreement or corporate bylaws
  • Bank and payment application guidance
  • Filing calendar and reminders

What changes because you live here

The filing is the same from anywhere. Four things aren't.

Treaty status, payment availability, bank eligibility and time zones. Sources checked 14 October 2026; account approval remains with the provider.

1 of 4: The tax treaty

The tax treaty

The tax treaty: None

There's no US–Serbia income tax treaty.

US-source dividends, interest and royalties paid to you are withheld at 30% unless a US exemption applies. Pay for work you do in Serbia generally isn't US-source income, so nothing is withheld on it.

How Serbia sees it

Managed from Serbia, a US company is Serbian.

Residence, the rate and dividends come from PwC's summary, and the investment rule from the National Bank of Serbia's text of the law. They run alongside the US steps below.

  1. If it's managed from here

  2. When it pays you a dividend

  3. When you invest in it

    You

    Free under the foreign exchange law, under the law on foreign trade.

Worked example

A one-person LLC run from Belgrade, worked through

This is an illustration, not a quote. How Serbia classes the LLC, and how it pays you, are for your tax adviser.

  1. Your Wyoming LLC makes RSD 9,000,000 of profit, and you manage it from Belgrade.

  2. Its place of effective management is in Serbia, so it's Serbian-resident, and corporate tax at 15% is RSD 1,350,000.

  3. Paying the remaining RSD 7,650,000 to you as a dividend costs 15% more, or RSD 1,147,500.

  4. There's no US treaty to settle which country taxes first, so plan it with your tax adviser.

What Serbia expects

Owning a US company doesn't take you out of Serbia's tax system.

Serbia treats a company effectively managed there as resident at 15%, taxes residents' dividends at 15%, and has no income tax treaty with the US.

Where it is managed

A company is Serbian-resident if it's established in Serbia or has its place of effective management and control here. It then pays corporate tax at 15%.

Dividends

Dividends are investment income, taxed at 15%. Serbia has no CFC rules.

Investing abroad

Serbia's foreign exchange law lets a resident invest in a company abroad freely, under the law on foreign trade. Keeping your own money in a bank abroad is allowed only on the National Bank's terms.

No US treaty

There's no US–Serbia income tax treaty. US-source dividends paid to you are withheld at 30%.

Residence

You're resident if your residence or your centre of business and vital interests is in Serbia, or after 183 days here in 12 months.

On the record

We form US companies. We aren't Serbian tax advisers. These are the rules as they're generally published, they change, and how they apply to you depends on details this page can't know. Take this list to a tax adviser in Serbia before you order, and we'll tell you what the US forms need.

After formation

Someone has to own each filing, in each country.

US information reporting

A US LLC with one foreign owner is usually a disregarded entity that files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions with you. Money you put in, take out or are paid for your work can count even in a year without sales. The IRS penalty for not filing starts at $25,000.

For a calendar-year company, the return is usually due 15 April, and Form 7004 requests an extension before then. A C-Corp, or an LLC with more than one owner, files different returns.

Form 5472 and the pro forma 1120

State and Serbian checks

Keep the registered agent active and track the state's yearly charge. In Serbia, declare dividends, and expect corporate returns if the company is managed here.

US-created companies are exempt from BOI reporting under FinCEN's current rule, effective 14 August 2026. Banks and payment providers still verify who owns the company.

Who handles each formation, banking and filing responsibility
TaskWho handles itWhere the responsibility ends
Formation and EIN applicationBaseAcross prepares and submitsThe state approves formation; the IRS issues the EIN.
Bank and payment applicationsYou, with our guidanceThe provider verifies the information and decides.
Serbian returnsYou and your tax adviserWe provide the US company records they need.
Annual state filingYou, or our optional filing serviceReminders are included; managed filing and the state charge are separate.
US federal returnsYou and your US tax preparerLaunch and Operate remind you; they don't file the return.

Prepare the conversation

Take these questions to your tax adviser before you order.

Bring the owners, where each lives, the operating agreement, where the company will be managed and the business activity. Each question is also in Serbian.

Download the checklist for your tax adviser (.txt)
  1. 01
    EN

    Would my US LLC's place of effective management and control be in Serbia, making it resident and taxed at 15%?

    SR

    Da li bi se mesto stvarne uprave i kontrole mog američkog LLC-a nalazilo u Srbiji, tako da bi bio rezident i oporezovan po stopi od 15%?

  2. 02
    EN

    How does Serbia class my US LLC: as a company or as transparent?

    SR

    Kako Srbija tretira moj američki LLC: kao pravno lice ili kao transparentan entitet?

  3. 03
    EN

    Are dividends from it taxed at 15%, and how do I declare them?

    SR

    Da li se dividende od njega oporezuju po stopi od 15% i kako ih prijavljujem?

  4. 04
    EN

    With no US–Serbia treaty, how do I get credit for US tax withheld?

    SR

    Pošto ne postoji ugovor o izbegavanju dvostrukog oporezivanja sa SAD, kako da ostvarim kredit za porez plaćen u SAD?

  5. 05
    EN

    Does the foreign trade law ask me to register my stake in the US company?

    SR

    Da li zakon o spoljnotrgovinskom poslovanju traži da registrujem svoj udeo u američkoj kompaniji?

  6. 06
    EN

    Would a Serbian sole trader or company serve me better than a US company?

    SR

    Da li bi mi preduzetnička radnja ili domaće privredno društvo bolje odgovarali od američke kompanije?

  7. 07
    EN

    How should I keep records for the US return and my Serbian return?

    SR

    Kako da vodim evidenciju za američku poresku prijavu i za svoju poresku prijavu u Srbiji?

Questions

Questions from Serbia.

If yours is not here, email us at hello@baseacross.com before you order.

Can a Serbian resident own a US LLC?

Yes. US law doesn't require an LLC's owners to be US citizens or residents, and formation, the EIN and the bank applications all happen remotely. Serbia's foreign exchange law lets a resident invest in a company abroad freely. The Serbian question is where it's managed.

Can Serbia tax my US company as Serbian?

It can. A company is Serbian-resident if it's established in Serbia or has its place of effective management and control here, wherever it was formed. It then pays corporate tax at 15%.

How are dividends from the company taxed in Serbia?

At 15%, as investment income. Serbia has no CFC rules, so undistributed profit isn't taxed to you through them.

Can I keep money in the US company's account?

The account is the company's, not yours. Serbia's foreign exchange law lets residents keep their own money in banks abroad only on the National Bank's terms, so ask your tax adviser before moving personal funds.

How much does a US company from Serbia cost?

Launch starts at $351.40: $249 for the plan plus $102.40 for the Wyoming filing. The plan and Wyoming's minimum yearly charge then total $309 a year. Your tax adviser's fees, US return preparation and Serbian filings are separate. Wyoming's license tax can be more than its $60 minimum.

Should I form a Wyoming LLC or a Delaware C-Corp from Serbia?

A Wyoming LLC suits an owner-run business that needs Stripe or sells to US customers, once you know where it will be managed. A Delaware C-Corp suits raising from US investors. Nonresident aliens can't hold shares in an S-corporation.

Can I get an EIN without an SSN or ITIN?

Yes. Without an SSN or ITIN, the application goes on Form SS-4 instead of the IRS's online tool. We prepare it after the company is formed, and the IRS issues the number.

How long does it take from Serbia?

Each stage has its own clock. Wyoming's published turnaround is same day once a complete filing is accepted. Our ordinary EIN estimate is six to eight weeks after the application, or two to three weeks with the $199 expedited option. Banks, payment providers and Stripe each set their own review times. These are estimates, not promises.

Can I open a Mercury account from Serbia?

Usually you can apply. Serbia isn't on Mercury's list of countries it doesn't serve, and the list goes by where you live. Mercury still reviews each company and can decline.

Can I use Wise Business for the US company?

Not for USD account details. Wise says it can't give them to founders living in Serbia. Mercury is the one to check first.

Do I need a US company for Stripe in Serbia?

For Stripe itself, usually yes. Stripe doesn't list Serbia among the countries it supports. A US LLC with an EIN and a US bank account can apply for a US Stripe account, and Stripe can decline.

Do I pay US tax on work I do from Serbia?

Generally not. Pay for work you do in Serbia is generally not US-source income, so a US company with no US office or staff often owes no US income tax on it. A single-owner LLC still files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions with you.

Does Serbia have a tax treaty with the USA?

No. There's no US–Serbia income tax treaty in force. US-source dividends, interest and royalties paid to you are withheld at 30% unless a US exemption applies.

Does BaseAcross file the US and Serbian returns for me?

On Launch and Operate, we add deadlines and reminders; you or your accountant file the federal returns. Managed annual state compliance is an optional $149 service fee a year, with the state's charge separate. Your Serbian returns are for you and your tax adviser.

Does my new US LLC need a BOI report?

US-created companies are exempt under FinCEN's current BOI rule, effective 14 August 2026. A company formed outside the US and registered to do business there is a different case. Banks still collect ownership details for their own checks.

Sources and editorial scope

Check the published rules behind the explanation.

Prepared by the BaseAcross team and reviewed by Saais Patel, compliance reviewer. Sources checked . This is general formation information, with source links for the tax and banking context. An individual tax or legal review remains with your qualified advisers.

Residence, the rate and dividends come from PwC's Worldwide Tax Summaries; the investment rule from the National Bank of Serbia's consolidated text of the law. Confirm the current position with your tax adviser before acting.

Ready when you are

Answer the questions. We do the filing.

It takes about four minutes. You see the whole order, state fee included, before anything is charged.

Compare the plans

Your company's route

Nothing charged yet

From

Belgrade

Serbia

To

Wyoming

LLC · Cheyenne, WY

Plan
Launch
First year
$351.40
To order
10 steps
Start from Serbia

Launch · $249 + $102.40 Wyoming · Same day