Why a bank can refuse

The ground for refusal comes from the anti-money-laundering law. If a bank cannot carry out all the prescribed customer due diligence measures — including obtaining and assessing the reliability of information on the origin of assets that are or will be the subject of the business relationship — it does not establish a business relationship. So a refusal is not always about you personally: sometimes the bank simply could not gather the required information.

What helps on a second attempt

First: a complete set of documents, plus copies. Second: written proof of your ground, if you have one — an employment contract, a sole trader registration, a housing lease. Third: documents on the origin of funds, where larger transfers are involved. And fourth, the most practical: try another branch or another bank. According to reports, the outcome often depends on the particular clerk and branch, not only on bank policy.

What does not work

Explaining the purpose in words without paperwork — that is not enough for a bank, even when the purpose is honest. Turning up without copies: they will have to be made on the spot or you will have to come back. And assuming that 'I need the account to buy a flat' is itself an argument: according to reports, some banks require a notarised preliminary purchase contract.

A complaint: 15 days for a reply

If you consider the refusal unfounded, you can file a complaint — prigovor — with the financial service provider. Under the National Bank of Serbia's rules, the provider must send the client a written reply to the complaint within 15 days. If the reply is unsatisfactory or absent, the next step is the National Bank of Serbia itself, which reviews complaints about financial service providers.

What to do step by step

Collect the full set with copies. Go to another bank or branch rather than stopping at the first refusal. If the refusal is in writing and seems unfounded, file a complaint and wait for a reply within 15 days. If there is no reply or it is unsatisfactory, turn to the National Bank of Serbia. And in parallel keep an alternative: while the matter is being resolved, part of your payments can go through services that open accounts faster.

Data checked on 11 October 2026. Observations on bank practice come from reports by community members.