Permanent Residency in Montenegro
Permanent residency in Montenegro cannot be obtained directly; it becomes available after five consecutive years of holding temporary residence. The most common ways to work and live in Montenegro on a long-term basis are:
- Family-based residence: through sponsorship (family reunification) by a Montenegrin citizen or an immediate family member who is already a permanent resident.
- Work-based residence: for example, by becoming the director of your own company in Montenegro, since regular employees generally receive only short-term permits tied to their employment contracts.
- Property-based residence: by owning at least 50% of a property (residential or commercial) in Montenegro.
While each application process ultimately leads to the permanent residency ID, also known as the ‘Stalni Boravak‘ in Montenegrin, the application procedures and associated costs vary depending on your background and whether you are a citizen/permanent resident of an EU country.
Non-EU Applicants (3rd Country Nationals)
Anyone who is not a citizen of the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland is considered a third-country national under Montenegrin and EU law. Below you’ll find an overview of the process, requirements, timelines, and costs for applying for permanent residency in Montenegro.
The Program’s Requirements
To apply for a permanent residence permit in Montenegro, you must have held a temporary residence permit continuously for at least five years and meet certain additional requirements:
- Hold a valid passport or other identification from your country of origin.
- Be able to support yourself financially through passive income, employment, your own company, or a combination of these sources.
- Have not spent more than 10 months outside Montenegro (or more than 6 consecutive months) during the last five years of temporary residency.
- Proof of Accommodation: Either a notarized rental agreement or original property title proving ownership of real estate in Montenegro.
- Language Requirement: You must demonstrate basic knowledge of Montenegrin by taking the 90-minute ‘A2 language exam,’ which assesses Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking skills. This requirement does not apply to individuals under 14 or over 65 years of age.
Requirements for Spouses and Children
The residency of your dependents is directly tied to your permanent residency status. If you hold permanent residency in Montenegro, your spouse is automatically eligible for a permanent residence permit provided you are legally married and can prove it. The same applies to your children in the following three cases:
- One parent is a Montenegrin citizen and holds legal residency in Montenegro
- Both parents are permanent residents of Montenegro at the time of the child’s birth
- One parent holds permanent residency in Montenegro, while the other is unknown or deceased
For children under the age of 4, the permanent residency ID is valid for two years (instead of five years for adults and older children) and can be renewed upon expiry.
Permanent Residency Benefits & Responsibilities
Permanent residents of Montenegro enjoy nearly the same rights and benefits as citizens, except for a few special things, such as voting rights and access to public sector employment. They have the right to:
- Work and access unemployment benefits
- Study and enroll in vocational or professional training programs
- Access public healthcare through Montenegro’s health insurance system and receive social security benefits
- Take advantage of available tax reliefs
- Join or form trade unions (applies to both employees and employers)
Your permanent residence permit in Montenegro may be revoked if you spend more than one continuous year outside the country. If your permit is revoked, you can requalify by holding temporary residency in Montenegro for at least three consecutive years. You also have the right to appeal the decision.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- You can apply for permanent residency in Montenegro if you have held a temporary residence permit for more than five consecutive years.
- It allows you to live in Montenegro permanently, as well as work, study, and receive social benefits in the same way as Montenegrin citizens.
- Processing time: up to 6 months.
- You can include your spouse/partner and dependent children under the age of 18 in your residency application.
- The residency is valid for five years and must be renewed within 8 days of expiry (after 5 years).
EU Citizens
EU citizens and their (third-country national) family members can also acquire a permanent residence permit in Montenegro if they have legally resided there continuously for at least five years. This means they must not have spent more than one year in total, or more than six consecutive months, outside Montenegro and/or the European Union during the five years preceding their residency application.
There are a few cases in which permanent residency can be granted earlier:
- Permanent residency is granted immediately to spouses of Montenegrin citizens, or to spouses of former Montenegrin citizens who lost their citizenship due to marriage.
- An EU citizen who is close to retirement age and has spent the previous three years in Montenegro as a temporary resident, during which they were (self-)employed for at least one year.
- An EU citizen who has spent at least two years in Montenegro on a temporary residence permit and is unable to work due to illness or disability.
- An EU citizen who suffers a permanent disability as a result of a workplace injury.
- An EU citizen who maintains a temporary residence permit in Montenegro while working abroad in an EU country and visiting Montenegro at least once a week.
- Third-country nationals married to an EU citizen who had spent at least two years in Montenegro on a work-related visa and then passed away (the required period may be shorter in cases of fatal work-related injuries).
- Spouses and dependent children under the age of 18 of EU citizens who hold a permanent residence permit in Montenegro.
EU citizens enjoy faster processing times (3 months instead of 6 months for non-EU applicants), and their permanent residence permits are issued for 10 years, rather than the standard 5 years. Under Montenegro’s special immigration rules for EU citizens, applicants can also include the following family members in their permanent residency application:
- Biological or adopted children under 22 years of age
- Your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent children
- Relatives who are seriously ill or financially dependent on you
Info: EU citizens risk losing their permanent residency status if they remain outside Montenegro continuously for more than 2 years.
EU Blue Card Holders
Holders of an EU Blue Card can also qualify for a permanent residence permit in Montenegro under the following conditions:
- Has continuously resided in Montenegro for at least five years, without spending more than 18 months outside Montenegro or the European Union (and no more than 12 months consecutively) during this period.
- Alternatively: Has spent at least two years in Montenegro and, prior to that, an additional three years living in an EU country.
Need help with obtaining permanent residency in Montenegro?
Turn your vision of life on the Adriatic into reality — start your company or apply for residency on other grounds in just a few simple steps with adriacom.
– or –