My name is Vienna. I moved to Serbia in 2020 and spent five years figuring out a system that nobody explained clearly. This is what came out of that experience.
I built the guide I wished existed when I arrived My name is Vienna. I moved to Serbia in 2020 and spent five years figuring out a system that nobody explained clearly. This is what came out of that experience.
Why I built
VO Expat Consulting
When I moved to Serbia in 2020 to study for my Master of Laws degree, I had no idea how much of my time and energy would go into navigating administrative systems. I was coming from Kenya, arriving in a country I didn’t know, trying to figure out residency, paperwork, MUP appointments — all of it — mostly on my own.
The information I found online was scattered and contradictory. Friends gave me different advice. Official sources were hard to interpret. And what worked for one person didn’t always apply to my situation. I spent hours trying to piece together a clear picture of what I actually needed to do — and what to realistically expect.
“I kept thinking: there should be one place that explains this clearly, honestly, and is actually up to date. So eventually, I built it.”
— Vienna M. Okone, Founder
Over the next five years, I went through it all. I navigated temporary residence through education, then through a common-law partnership, then through marriage after getting married here in Serbia. I dealt with MUP, address registrations, document legalization, banking, public health insurance, and eventually buying property as a foreigner.
In 2025 I obtained permanent residence — and in August of that year, I became a Serbian citizen. Each step taught me something new about how the system works, where the gaps are, and what people most need to know before they walk into an office or submit an application.
VO Expat Consulting is everything I wished I’d had when I arrived — structured, practical, realistic, and kept up to date. Because processes change, and outdated guidance can cost you time, money, and a lot of unnecessary stress.
VM
Vienna M. Okone
Founder, VO Expat Consulting
1
2020
Moved from Kenya to Serbia to pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) degree
2
2020 – 2024
Navigated temporary residence through education, common-law partnership, and marriage
3
2024
Got married in Serbia and purchased property as a foreigner
4
2025
Obtained permanent residence in Serbia
5
August 2025
Became a Serbian citizen
What I stand for
Guidance built on three principles
01
Always up to date
Processes in Serbia change. I keep guides current because outdated information was one of the most frustrating things I encountered — and it can genuinely derail your application.
02
Realistic expectations
I tell you what actually happens — including the delays, the inconsistencies, and the things that vary by individual circumstance. No sugar-coating, no false confidence.
03
Lived experience
Everything here is grounded in my own firsthand experience navigating these systems. Not secondhand advice, not guesswork — real knowledge from someone who has been through it.
Processes in Serbia change. I keep guides current because outdated information can genuinely derail your application or cost you unnecessary time and money.
I tell you what actually happens — including the delays, the inconsistencies, and the things that vary by individual circumstance. No sugar-coating.
Everything here is grounded in my own firsthand experience navigating these systems — not secondhand advice, not guesswork.
Whether you're just arriving or deep into a process, I'm here to help.