Family Reunification Residency in Montenegro

Montenegro’s dolce vita, natural beauty, and cultural richness are attracting more and more expats, retirees, and digital nomads looking for a new affordable home in the heart of Europe. Fortunately, Montenegro citizens and holders of a temporary or permanent residence permit are eligible to sponsor their spouses and dependent children so that they can join them in their new Montenegro adventure.

Your family members require a residence permit in Montenegro if they wish to stay for more than three months. The residency for family reunification in Montenegro is typically issued for 12 months, and can be renewed indefinitely for as long as the main applicant fulfills the requirements for legally staying in Montenegro.

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Who is considered a Family Member?

A temporary residency based on family reunification can be issued to foreign nationals who constitute immediate family to the main applicant, including his/her:

husband or wife
minor children (under the age of 18) including adopted and step children
adoptive or biological parent of the minor children (in case of no marriage)

For other family members such as parents, siblings, and other near relatives obtaining a residence permit based on family reunification in Montenegro is generally not possible. Digital Nomads granted a temporary residence permit in Montenegro also have the right to family reunificaton.

The Requirements

Your immediate family members – spouse and/or underage children – must meet certain eligibility and requirements for the granting of a residene permit in Montenegro, which include:

Valid Travel Document: Passport or ID card with at least 15 months of validity (in case you want to apply for a 1-year residency)
Marriage Certificate: Recent extract from the register, not older than 6 months & apostilled (Apostille not needed for all countries)
Birth Certificate: Recent extract from the register, not older than 6 months & apostilled (Apostille not needed for all countries)
Adoption Papers: In case of adopted underage children
Proof of Accommodation: Notarized rental contract over the period of the residency or ownership evidence of a property title (not older than 1 month)
Copy of the sponsor’s residency ID
Criminal Background Check: Required for spouses and 16+ aged children, not older than 6 months & apostilled (Apostille not needed for all countries)
Proof of Subsistence: Either 3.650,00€ in a Montenegrin bank account, pay slips, or sponsor’s Montenegrin employment contract
Travel Insurance: 30-day policy with a Montenegro-based insurer

To put it briefly, you (as the sponsor) must show that you have sufficient, regular income and other resources to support your family, as well as provide properly-sized accommodation for your new life in Montenegro. Bear in mind that both parents need to either be physically present or have written consent from each other on the residency application day of their dependent children.

Spouses of Montenegrin citizens and permanent residency holders can start working immediately upon obtaining residency. In contrast, if the sponsors only hold a temporary residence permit in Montenegro, their spouses need to wait until the second year before being allowed to start working.

Residency Renewals

Immediate family members can renew their residence permits for as long as their sponsor stays a legal resident of Montenegro, but also in the following cases:

the sponsor who is a Montenegrin citizen dies
the marriage with the sponsor (wife or husband) has lasted for at least three years in Montenegro
underage children who have been temporary residents of Montenegro for at least three years (based on family reunification) can renew their residency when turning 18
the sponsored family member becomes a victim of domestic abuse irrespective of the times spent in Montenegro as a temporary resident

Your Path to Permanent Residency

Transitioning from a temporary residence permit to permanent residency in Montenegro is a meaningful step in your immigration journey. The family-based option does not differ from other pathways to permanent residency when it comes to eligibility criteria:

You must have had a valid temporary residence permit and lived in Montenegro for at least 5 years
Out of those 5 years, you have not spent more than 10 months out Montenegro or 6 months in a row
You must prove your Montenegrin language ability (A2: basic proficiency) – does not apply to children below the age of 14 and retirees older than 65
Children can be granted permanent residency if either at least one of their parents has Montenegrin citizenship, both parents have permanent residency in Montenegro, or one parent has permanent residency while the other has died or is unknown

Permanent residency applications are typically processed within 6 months. A permanent residency ID in Montenegro is valid for 5 years and you can renew it indefinitely. However, there is an exception for children under the age of 4 who have to renew their residency ID every two years until they reach 4 years of age.

Need help with family reunification?

We can assist you through the entire process