Citizenship of Montenegro implies a stable legal connection of an individual with the country, regardless of his nationality or ethnic origin. You can obtain a Montenegrin passport by origin, birth, repatriation, investment or naturalization.
A Montenegro passport is a mandatory identification document for a citizen of the country. Its owners can travel to more than 120 countries around the world without a visa, claim social benefits and free medical care, find employment and start a business without any restrictions, and accept a family for long-term residence in the country. Montenegro is a candidate for EU membership, and the government plans to join the commonwealth by 2025. Accordingly, after the country joins the European Union, holders of a Montenegrin passport will automatically have access to the additional legal status of citizens of the association.
Grounds for obtaining Montenegrin citizenship
According to the Law on Citizenship , citizen status is assigned at birth, with the condition that one of the parents owns the country’s national passport. You can also obtain Montenegrin citizenship by descent or by naturalization. The last option is available to foreigners if they have one of the grounds for issuing a residence permit card and moving on a long-term basis:
- marriage or family reunion;
- acquisition of real estate;
- entrepreneurship;
- employment;
- education.
Birth
If a child was born on the territory of Montenegro or abroad, but at least one of his parents is a citizen of the state, he can apply for local citizenship. Persons over 18 years of age independently submit a request to be included in the register of citizens. Obtaining a national passport is available until the age of 23.
The status of a citizen of the state is assigned to children born or discovered in the territory of the country, provided that their origin is not established (foundlings), the parents are stateless, or for some other reason the newborn cannot inherit their status.
Repatriation
Expats and members of their families who have direct relatives up to the third degree among ethnic Montenegrins are entitled to a passport subject to continuous residence in the country for at least 2 years. Applicants for Montenegrin citizenship must initially obtain a residence permit on the basis of family reunification, and live with temporary residence for at least 2 years.
Applicants must meet the requirements of being at least 18 years of age, having housing and a regular source of income, having no criminal record and no threat to security, national defense, or outstanding tax or other legal obligations. If all conditions are met and supporting documents are provided, a Montenegrin passport is available.
Refugee
The country’s authorities provide international protection to foreigners forced to immigrate due to military conflict, racial or political discrimination. A citizen of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus or another state must prove that he is in danger in his homeland. To obtain Montenegrin citizenship, refugees need to live legally in the country for 10 years.
Naturalization
Foreigners of any nationality and ethnic origin can be granted citizenship through naturalization. The main condition is legal long-term stay in the country with a residence permit card issued in accordance with the official basis of the applicant. You can obtain temporary residence in connection with employment in a local company, studying at a local university, reunification with relatives (including immigrants without Montenegrin roots), marriage with a citizen of the country. Residence permits are also issued to foreigners wishing to purchase real estate or open a business in Montenegro.
After 5 years of residence with residence permit status, in most cases the immigrant needs to obtain permanent residence. After another 5-year period of being in the country as a permanent resident, the applicant can submit documents and become a citizen of Montenegro. The period of naturalization depends on the reason for moving, but according to the general procedure it is 10 years.
Employment
To stay in Montenegro on a long-term basis with a residence permit, the applicant can find a job in a local company. To do this, a foreigner must attach an employment agreement to the dossier for a resident card when submitting an employment agreement to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Initially, a residence permit is issued for a maximum of 12 months with a possible annual extension. The timing of the procedure for assigning naturalization status may be adjusted depending on the conditions of the reissued residence permit and possible changes in the grounds. The standard process lasts 10 years.
Marriage and family reunion
Foreigners who have been in official relations with Montenegrins for more than 3 years and have been living in the country for at least 5 years can acquire citizenship by naturalization. Mandatory conditions: registration of marriage in the country and stay abroad for no more than a month a year. You also need to document the marital status and citizenship of your partner.
Education
Students of local educational institutions can officially stay in the state throughout the entire period of study with a residence permit card. To open a residence permit, you must provide proof of enrollment in a local university. Minor applicants are also required to have parental or guardian consent. After graduation from an educational institution, legal stay in the country with temporary residence is allowed for another 2 years. Montenegrin citizenship can only be obtained if a residence permit is reissued on another basis, for example through opening a company or purchasing real estate. The disadvantage of immigration under a student residence permit, which is worth considering, is that the period of residence in the country is only counted for half, therefore the procedure for assigning naturalization status will be longer.
Buying a property
Since 2015, the law allows the issuance of residence permits to foreigners through the purchase of housing (villas, houses, apartments), as well as household and service facilities, and catering establishments. Initially, temporary residence is issued for 12 months with further extensions an unlimited number of times while the property is owned by the immigrant. The value of the property doesn’t matter. The main thing is the absence of encumbrances (collateral, mortgage). Proof of ownership must be provided as proof. To open a residence permit card, you can buy a house, apartment, as well as commercial real estate, such as office space. After 10 years, citizenship is available to Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and immigrants of other nationalities.
Starting a business
The right to long-term residence in the state is granted to foreign citizens engaged in entrepreneurial activities as the founder of a company. To obtain a residence permit , you must rent or purchase office space and register a company indicating its main type of activity. The applicant for a residence permit must hold the position of director in the company. Documents for company registration are submitted by the founder personally.
The main advantages of business immigration: symbolic starting capital from 1 EUR, quick registration of a new enterprise (on average 2 weeks), minimum requirements for doing business (no need to open jobs for Montenegrins, and also actively engage in business development). It is mandatory to do accounting and pay taxes to maintain your status, even if the company does not make a profit. Citizenship of Montenegro for Russians and entrepreneurs of other nationalities through opening a business is available after 10 years of continuous stay in the country – 5 years with a residence permit card, and another 5 years as a permanent resident.
Investments
Under the program launched by local authorities in 2019, foreigners could obtain Montenegrin citizenship through the purchase of real estate and obtain a national passport for the country. The investment amount was at least 250,000 EUR – in underdeveloped regions; or from 450,000 EUR – in the capital, tourist cities . Mandatory charitable contribution – 100,000 EUR and 15,000 EUR as a fee for the applicant’s request. The total cost (including payment of state fees, administrative fees, etc.) is about 400,000 EUR and 600,000 EUR, respectively, from the main applicant. Participation in the program was available to members of the investor’s family (spouse, children), but in this case the amount of investment is higher (the amount depends on the number of relatives). For one family member (up to 4 people) a fee of 10,000 EUR is paid, and for each subsequent member – 50,000 EUR.
How to become a citizen of Montenegro: a step-by-step guide
The terms and conditions of the citizenship procedure depend on the foreigner’s original reason for moving. By naturalization, you can obtain a national passport in several stages:
- Opening of a residence permit .
Foreigners planning to obtain Montenegrin citizenship must personally submit an application for temporary residence at one of the departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at their place of residence. You should first collect a dossier in which, in addition to general mandatory documents, provide confirmation of the basis and accompanying extracts. The standard processing time for an application is 40 days. They may be extended if additional evidence or an interview is required. In most cases, the residence permit is initially issued for 12 months with a possible annual extension. Each time a document is updated, evidence of the basis must be presented.
Residents of Ukraine, Belarus, and the Russian Federation do not need to apply for a visa to enter Montenegro, but they must obtain a receipt confirming their application to government agencies. You are allowed to legally stay in the country with it until a residence permit card is issued. - Assignment of permanent residence .
After 5 years of living in Montenegro with a residence permit, permanent residence is available to foreigners. The status of a long-term resident allows a foreigner to enjoy the rights and benefits of the country’s native residents, but he cannot find employment in local government agencies, vote in elections, or serve in the army. Documents for obtaining permanent residence should be submitted to the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the place of registration. The issuance of permanent residence is possible only if a number of conditions are met: staying abroad for no more than 10 months over a five-year period, timely renewal of the residence permit, availability of housing and finances for self-sufficiency, compliance with local laws and visa rules. The application is reviewed within six months. Close relatives, as well as the spouse of a citizen of Montenegro, do not need to request permanent residence – they can apply for a national passport through the accelerated naturalization procedure. - Request for citizenship.
After living in Montenegro as a temporary and then permanent resident for a total of 10 years, naturalization of a foreigner is possible. The immigrant must demonstrate a good level of civic behavior, as well as a high degree of integration into the local society (availability of income, permanent housing, knowledge of the national language at a sufficient level for communication). - Obtaining a Montenegro passport.
If the application for status is approved, immigrants apply for a national passport at the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the city of residence. To draw up a request and receive the finished document, the applicant’s personal presence in government agencies is required. Children of Montenegrins can apply for citizenship without the need for long-term residence on the territory of the state. To do this, you need to provide proof of family ties and a parent’s ID card.
List of required documents
To submit a request for citizenship, the applicant must prepare a dossier. Among the required documents:
- passport (original and copies of pages with personal data);
- application completed in the state language;
- Residence permit / permanent residence permit (original and copy);
- an extract confirming legal residence in the country for the period established in accordance with the basis;
- document confirming the presence of a stable income; an application from a citizen of Montenegro with a guarantee of financial support for the immigrant (based on family reunification/marriage);
- certificate of good conduct;
- rental or ownership agreement;
- application for renunciation of previous citizenship;
- additional documents depending on the reason for the move (for example, tax statements, marriage certificate, etc.).
Requirements for an applicant for citizenship
An applicant for Montenegrin citizenship must meet a number of conditions:
- be unconvicted;
- have a confirmed place of residence and a permanent source of income in the country;
- comply with the visa regime (in Montenegro, the Schengen zone and other states visited by the applicant);
- do not have diseases that potentially threaten the health of local residents;
- speak the national language at a level sufficient to communicate with local residents; basic knowledge of the history, cultural characteristics, laws of Montenegro;
- have no debts on tax payments or loans.
Obtaining a passport of a citizen of Montenegro
A passport of a citizen of Montenegro is a document confirming a stable legal connection with the state, which is issued on the basis of a certificate of citizenship. The applicant’s dossier must also contain a current passport, residence registration, and a receipt for payment of the state fee. Documents are submitted to the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the applicant’s city of residence; the production time for a new identity card is up to a month. The national internal passport of Montenegro is produced in the form of a book with a red cover, marked with the state coat of arms. The personal data of a citizen of the country is recorded inside the document.
What does citizenship of Montenegro give?
Foreigners who have obtained Montenegrin citizenship receive rights equal to the native residents of the country:
- free access to more than 124 visa-free countries;
- opportunity to find employment on an equal basis with local residents;
- receiving social government payments (in connection with the birth of a child, retirement, for health reasons, etc.);
- registration of mortgages and loans using a simplified procedure;
- the right to vote and be elected in national elections, to hold government positions in government agencies.
Montenegro is a good option for obtaining a second citizenship
Among the main reasons for the popularity of Montenegro as a destination for immigration of residents of the CIS countries:
- comfortable, mild climate, access to the sea;
- easy to learn language;
- low prices for housing, food, transport;
- relatively simple and affordable conditions for moving.
The main advantage of Montenegrin citizenship is the prospect of obtaining an EU passport , and, accordingly, privileges for residents of the European Union in the next few years. Applicants for status must comply with all requirements for foreigners established by local laws. Particular attention should be paid to the preparation of the dossier. Even one mistake in the application or certificate can cause the applicant’s request to be rejected. Accompanying migration lawyers facilitates quick and successful registration of citizenship.