Get a Residence or Work Permit in Montenegro
How to get a temporary residence permit in Montenegro?
A Montenegro residence permit is relatively easy and inexpensive to get. If you are looking for a second or third residence or a long stay, it might be a perfect solution for you. It’s possible to obtain residency in Montenegro in a 15-day process.
The temporary residence permit is valid for one year and can be extended on a yearly basis. In addition, in certain cases, it can be converted into a permanent residence valid for five years. This is except for the digital nomad residence permit, which can be valid for up to two years and can’t be converted into a permanent one.
The grounds for a residence permit application in Montenegro may be the following:
- Company ownership (if you employ yourself);
- Employment (working for a Montenegrin company);
- Being a digital nomad (working for a foreign company);
- Real estate property ownership;
- Family reunification;
- Studying;
- Specialization or scientific research;
- Medical treatment;
- Humanitarian reasons;
- Religious services.
If you decide to apply for a residence permit in Montenegro, you will have to be present for the application. Unlike company registration, it can’t be done remotely. The documents you need to present may vary depending on the type of residence permit. However, in all cases, you must prove the validity of your request. In addition, non-conviction proof and accommodation in Montenegro for the residence period are mandatory in each case. Note also that your police clearance must be apostilled. If your country is not a part of the Apostille Convention, the documents should be fully legalized.
If you don’t want to lose your residence status and go from the beginning, you must note the limitations of spending time outside of Montenegro. If you obtain a residence permit as a company CEO, there are no limitations, and you don’t have to spend time in the country. All other residence permit holders are limited to 30 days outside of Montenegro. You can have additional 60 days, but only with a reason and prior notice to the police.
Another important note is that you need to enter Montenegro legally and report your stay from the day you entered the country. Otherwise, your residence permit application will be declined. The temporary residence permit must be submitted to the police branch in the city you plan to reside. If you are entering Montenegro visa-free, you can apply for residence at any time during your regular 90-day stay. However, if you need a visa for Montenegro, you must enter with a D business visa in order to apply. You can check if you need a visa at our Montenegro visa regime page.
Temporary residence based on company ownership or employment (work)
Temporary residence permit based on company ownership is technically a residence permit based on employment. In short, you are not eligible for a residence permit as a company owner, or a co-owner. But you are if you employ yourself as a CEO or any other position.
Mostly, clients opt for the CEO position as it gives them full control over the company. In addition, in this case, you can use the perk of not being limited in the time you can spend out of Montenegro during your residence period. If you are registered as a company CEO, you are not required to spend a certain amount of time in Montenegro. However, if your goal is permanent residence, this may affect it.
No matter if you are registered as a CEO or in another position, your salary must be at least a minimum net salary in Montenegro (€450.00 per month). In addition, salary taxes and social contributions must be paid to the tax authority. This amount varies depending on the net salary, but a minimum is €117.00.
When it comes to the documentation requirements, besides a registered company, these are the documents you need for the residence permit based on employment:
- Passport copy;
- Non-conviction proof from your native country, not older than six months;
- Accommodation in Montenegro – a notarized apartment rental agreement;
- Accommodation proof – an original ownership document of the apartment owner;
- A confirmation from the Ministry of Education of Montenegro that you submitted your education degree for verification;
- A basic medical exam by a licensed doctor in Montenegro;
- Employment proof – a job offer from a Montenegrin company, stating your salary;
- An excerpt from the company registry of Montenegro, to show your company is active;
- 30-day health insurance valid in Montenegro;
- Residence permit police fees.
A combination of registering a company and obtaining a residence permit as the CEO is a very feasible option. Depending on your goals, you can lower your taxes, have corporate and personal bank accounts in a new country, and have easier access to cheaper labor and European customers. Or, you can just have a backup residence in a nice Mediterranean country. You can check out company registration options here.
Digital nomad residence permit
Digital nomads – persons who work remotely online for foreign companies can obtain a residence permit in Montenegro. Unlike the “standard” residence permit, this one can be valid for up to two years. Additionally, it can be extended for up to two more years. Therefore, the total period of stay in Montenegro for digital nomads is up to four years. Considering this, digital nomads are not eligible for permanent residence applications.
The minimal monthly income a digital nomad needs to present is €1,350.00 per month. This needs to be shown in the work agreement and bank records. In addition, your work contract must clearly stipulate that you are working “online” and “remotely” and that your place of work is Montenegro.
Notably, since their income is technically generated abroad, digital nomads are not eligible for paying any taxes in Montenegro. Considering this, if you want to use Montenegro’s favorable tax system and become a tax resident, you’ll need to choose another form of temporary residence permit.
When it comes to the documentation for the application, you need to prove that you fit the definition of the “digital nomad”, have a clean police record, and have accommodation in Montenegro.
Here is a list of documents you need for the digital nomad residence permit in Montenegro:
- Passport copy;
- Non-conviction proof from your native country, not older than six months;
- Accommodation in Montenegro – a notarized apartment rental agreement;
- Accommodation proof – an original ownership document of the apartment owner;
- Employment proof – a work contract with a foreign company, stating your salary, signed at least three months before your application, and stating that your place of work will be Montenegro;
- Income proof – a bank statement and a company payroll showing a minimum monthly income of €1,350 in the year prior to the application date;
- An excerpt from the company registry of the country in which your employer is registered, not older than three months;
- 30-day health insurance valid in Montenegro;
- Residence permit police fees.
Temporary residence permit based on property ownership
You can get a temporary residence permit in Montenegro by owning a real estate property. However, you are eligible for residency only if you own an apartment, house or office space that you can live or do business in. In order to be eligible for a residence permit, you need to own at least 50% of the property you want to apply for. Therefore, if a property is equally owned, a maximum of two people can apply for a residence permit. While as a foreigner you can own land, you can’t obtain a residence permit based on it. Nevertheless, if you own land, you can obtain residency by registering a company.
If you decide to apply for the residence permit based on property ownership, you will need to present your title deed (List nepokretnosti) for the property. Of course, sustenance means and a non-conviction proof from your native country are mandatory.
Here is a list of documents you need for the temporary residence permit based on property ownership:
- Passport copy;
- Non-conviction proof from your native country, not older than six months;
- Property title deed from the Montenegrin cadaster (List nepokretnosti);
- Sustenance means proof – a bank account with a minimum of €3,650 in it;
- 30-day health insurance valid in Montenegro;
- Residence permit police fees.
Temporary residence permit based on family reunification
A family reunification residence permit is available for spouses and dependents of Montenegro residence permit holders or Montenegrin citizens. Dependents are considered children under 18 years old. Therefore, if you obtain a residence permit as a company owner, employee, or digital nomad, your family can apply on this ground also.
In this case, you’ll need to present the marriage certificate and birth certificates of the children. If only the children are applying for family unification, there has to be a permit from the other parent allowing that.
This is the list of documents you need for the family reunification residence permit:
- Passport copies of each family member;
- Spouse’s Montenegrin residence permit or passport copy;
- Non-conviction proof from the native country for the spouse, not older than six months;
- Marriage certificate;
- Birth certificate for each child;
- Consent of the other parent for the children (if only one parent is in Montenegro);
- Sustenance means proof (work agreement, bank statement, etc.)
- Accommodation proof – apartment rental contract of the spouse and the apartment owner statement;
- 30-day health insurance valid in Montenegro for each family member;
- Residence permit police fees for each family member.
Permanent residence permit in Montenegro
As a foreigner, you can obtain a permanent residence permit if you’ve lived in Montenegro for five years, based on a temporary residence permit. You are eligible to apply if, during this time, you’ve spent a total of up to ten months (or six months at once) out of Montenegro. However, if you were on a residence permit for studying, specialization, or training, only half of the time spent in Montenegro will be accounted for towards the five-year requirement.
For the permanent residence permit application, you will have to show basic skills in the Montenegrin language. The permanent residence is valid for five years and can be extended multiple times.
How can we help you get a temporary residence permit in Montenegro?
At Like a Bird Migration Consulting, we offer you a one-stop service for getting a temporary or permanent residence permit in Montenegro. Our offers include handling the documentation, translation, verification, and residence permit fees. You only need to appear in person to apply, with our assistance.
You can check out our package offers below, contact us, or schedule a free consultation so we can advise you on which residence permit plan would be the best for you. If you want to know how we work, read our service standards.
Request an Offer
Residence Permit
Based on Work- Package includes:
- Documentation gathering
- Court interpreter translation
- Diploma nostrification
- Medical exam
- Health insurance
- All application fees
Residence Permit
for Digital Nomads- Package includes:
- Documentation gathering
- Court interpreter translation
- Health insurance
- All application fees
Residence Permit
for Company Owners- Package includes:
- Company registration
- Documentation gathering
- Court interpreter translation
- Diploma nostrification
- Medical exam
- Health insurance
- All application fees
Residence Permit
for Property Owners- Package includes:
- Documentation gathering
- Court interpreter translation
- Property ownership document
- Health insurance
- All application fees
Residence Permit
for Family Unification- Package includes:
- Documentation gathering
- Court interpreter translation
- Health insurance
- All application fees
Residence Permit
Extension- Package includes:
- Documentation gathering
- Company registry excerpt
- Court interpreter translation
- Medical exam
- All application fees
Permanent Residence
- Package includes:
- Documentation gathering
- Court interpreter translation
- All application fees
Residence for Company Owner and Family
- Package includes:
- Company registration
- Documentation gathering
- Court interpreter translation
- Diploma nostrification
- Medical exam
- Health insurance
- All application fees
Residence Permit for Property Owner and Family
- Package includes:
- Documentation gathering
- Property ownership document
- Court interpreter translation
- Health insurance
- All application fees
Not sure what you need?
Schedule a Free Consultation
If you are not sure about your options or eligibility, or you just have additional questions, we can offer you a free consultation and help you come up with a plan.
Do You Need Other Services?
Resident and Working Permits
We provide full service for your relocation to Montenegro:
- Resident and working permits
- Digital nomad residence
- Resident permits for property owners
- Permanent residence
Company Registration
We are your one-stop shop for company registration in Montenegro:
- LLC registration
- Preparation of founding documents
- Bank account opening
- Virtual office address and CEO registration
Accounting and Corporate Services
With our partners we provide a full set of accounting and corporate services:
- Accounting
- Mandatory monthly and yearly tax filing
- Workers’ registration
- Tax advisory
Remote Operations and Centers Set Up
Decrease your expenses by setting up remote operations in Montenegro:
- Customer support centers
- Dispatch centers
- Call centers
- IT development centers with skilful local worforce
Corporate Remote Work Retreats
Set up a corporate remote work retreat in Montenegro for your team:
- Choose a coastal or mountain retreat
- Customize your teams’ experience
- Work in beautiful surroundings
- Unique team-building experience
Long-Term Accommodation Rentals
Depending on your preference, we are offering short and long-term rentals:
- Apartments
- Houses with backyards
- Long-term hotel accommodation
- Select your property remotely via video service
Virtual and Real Office Rent
We are offering a vast choice of offices and co-working spaces:
- Virtual office address
- Co-working spaces
- Fully equipped office spaces of various sizes
- Conference and meeting venues
Montenegro Tours and Exploring
We are offering various tours to explore and get to know Montenegro:
- Sightseeing
- Active tours – hiking, biking, canyoning, sailing, etc.
- Wining and dining
- Travel companions
Long-Term Rent-a-Car
You can count on us to offer you long-term vehicle rent:
- Bikes
- Motorbikes and scooters
- Various cars, depending on your preferences
- Vans and minivans
