The draft law on ratifying the Agreement between Serbia and the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) outlines a range of privileges for participants of EXPO 2027 in Belgrade, aiming to create a favorable legal, fiscal, and administrative environment.
Expo visa for easier entry
A major benefit is the introduction of a special “Expo visa” (long-stay visa D), issued through an accelerated procedure and free of charge. This visa covers official participants, their staff and families, media representatives, artists, and volunteers, allowing them to enter, reside, and work in Serbia without obtaining separate residence or work permits.
Legal and tax benefits
Official participants may establish “Office of the Section Commissioner,” recognized as a domestic legal entity and registered in a special registry. These offices will receive tax exemptions on profits from commercial activities at the exhibition and on property used for the event. VAT paid for pavilion construction, installation, management, and necessary goods and services will be refundable. Staff and family members not residing in Serbia will be exempt from income tax on payments from their home offices.
Customs and administrative privileges
Commissioner offices will be exempt from import duties and VAT on goods imported for institutional and non-commercial purposes. Temporary import of equipment and personal belongings for staff will also be facilitated. To simplify procedures, a “single access point” will serve as a central service for visas, customs, and other administrative requests.
The agreement stresses that all privileges are exclusively for functional purposes related to EXPO 2027 and not for personal benefit.
