Banking

A limit of 2000 euro exists on the amount of money you can take out of the country. If you are bringing in a larger amount than this and plan not to spend it all and exit the country with more than 2000 euro you will have to declare it upon your arrival to the customs officials. You will obtain a declaration form which you must present at your departure. Failure to comply may result in the confiscation of all funds at departure.

Dinar is the only legal tender in Serbia. Exchange offices are ubiquitous in major cities, and they routinely accept euros, U.S. dollars and pounds sterling. If exchanging U.S. dollars, you might be required to present a valid form of ID and the procedure may take longer as note serial numbers are recorded. There are no such formalities when exchanging other currencies. Officially aepproved exchange offices display licenses with the seal of the National Bank of Serbia. Banks also perform currency exchange, but almost always at less favorable exchange rates than small exchange offices. Either way, there is no commission charged. There are also exchange machines which can be found at the airport and in major shopping malls. The exchange rate can fluctuate in excess of 1% from one day to the other, but in overall, major fluctuations do not occur over short periods of time.

Traveler's cheques can be difficult to cash in, as not all banks will accept them, and finding one that will may prove to be a time-consuming effort. Unless you have no alternative, try not to rely on these for your visit to Serbia.

Emergency numbers for cardholders:

• Visa: (011) 301-15-50
• MasterCard: (011) 301-01-60
• Diners Club: (011) 344-06-22

If you run out of cash, max your credit card, etc. or need money urgently, you can use the services of Western Union for fast money transfers. They are represented by many commercial banks and the Post offices. Whatever the currency your money is being sent in, you will receive the money in Euros.

Both credit and debit cards are now widely accepted, though the situation is somewhat different in rural areas. The most commonly accepted cards are Visa, Visa Electron, Master and Maestro. Diners and American Express are less prevalent. Cards are rarely used in bakeries, fast food outlets and tobacco stores, and never in farmers' markets so it's good to have some cash handy, if shopping at these. ATMs are numerous in major cities. Most banks[1] will not charge a commission for retrieving cash at their ATMs, but your own bank may impose additional expenses. Check before you leave.