How to Obtain a Temporary Residence Permit in Montenegro: Requirements and Benefits

If you are interested in obtaining a temporary residence permit (hereinafter referred to as TRP) in Montenegro, we really recommend you to take a look at this guide. This article will help you find out the easiest way to get this document in Montenegro for a European citizen, as well as give sight of its benefits and required documents for an immigrant and his family, and, above all, advise how to avoid mistakes when applying for a Montenegrin boravak.

Content

Temporary Residence Permit in Montenegro: Key Points

Benefits of the Temporary Residence Permit

5 Steps to Get the Permit

What Documents are Required for a Temporary Residence Permit

Under what Circumstances Can You Get a Temporary Residence Permit

Buying Property

Setting Up a Business

Types of Employment that Allow to Get a Permit

Getting an Education — Student’s Boravak

Family Reunification

Medical Treatment

Other Ways to Get a TRP

Important Tips

Reasons for Refusal of the Temporary Residence Permit

Main Reasons the Obtained Permit Can Be Cancelled

7 Takeaways When Applying for a Residence Permit in Montenegro

The leisure country of Montenegro located on the shores of the Adriatic Sea can boast about low taxes and affordable real estate prices. A decent quality of life is combined with reasonable cost of products and services. Residency, which is relatively easy to get, grants free medicine and public education. A TRP is guaranteed in the following cases:

• Upon buying a cheap apartment, office or a small restaurant (or even a half of the property)
• Upon getting a job or setting up a company with a 1 EUR registered capital (and it is not a joke)
• On the basis of family reunification. The nearest relatives of those who have already received a permit can also get a boravak and reunite with the family.

There are other ways to get a TRP in Montenegro and you will learn about all of them from this article. This is a detailed guide for potential emigrants, who contemplate obtaining a boravak in this warm and picturesque country.

Temporary Residence Permit in Montenegro: Key Points

A TRP is a document that legalizes a foreigner's long-term residence in the country and grants him/her a number of social and economic rights. It is called privremeni boravak in Montenegro. This document is typically issued for 1 year and can be extended afterwards. In some cases the term may be shorter with the limited possibility of extension or without any. In general terms, the validity period of the boravak is 12 months for the following categories: upon purchasing real estate, setting up a business, studying in the university, permanent employment or family reunification. Privremeni boravak is the first step of legalization in Montenegro, which allows you to proceed to permanent residence (stalni boravak) and citizenship.

Note. By boravak we mean privremeni boravak in this article.

Boravak is a plastic card with the following information on it:

• unique identification number;
• first name, last name;
• passport details;
• photograph of the owner;
• validity period.

The identification number, which is assigned upon issuance of a boravak, is entered into the migration registration system. These documents are issued by the Montenegrin Ministry of Internal Affairs — Ministarstvo Unutrašnjih Poslova (MUP).

European citizens can stay in the country without this card for 30 days. It used to be a 90-day visa-free regime for Europeans, but now it is reduced to 30 days. After that you can leave the country and then come back, this is called "visa run". This way is inconvenient if you plan to settle down in Montenegro. Moreover, a tourist is not allowed to work or benefit from the various social and economic rights granted by the residence permit.

Let's take a look at these rights in detail.

Benefits of the Temporary Residence Permit

So, why do you need a boravak? You may say that one of the main reasons is to avoid a visa run. However, there is more than this. Boravak not only allows you to stay in Montenegro without a visa for a long time (in most cases, for a whole year, after which the permit is usually extended), but also provides numerous significant advantages.

With a privremeni boravak you will be able to:

• Legally work in Montenegro. There are some exceptions though. We will tell you about them below.
• Run a business. If you have the intention of doing business and you want to register a company or an individual enterprise, this is a basis for obtaining a TRP..
• Have treatment in public hospitals and receive free medical care. This is one of the most valuable benefits for the average immigrant.
• Invite your family to Montenegro and make TRP for all family members. For example, if you have registered a business, your spouse can apply for a boravak on the basis of reunification with you.
• Send your children to a public kindergarten or school. This is another important benefit for emigrants who have families.
• Open accounts in Montenegrin banks. Boravak simplifies this procedure and enables use of banking services in full on equal terms with country residents.
• Apply for loans and mortgage.
• Register a car with a Montenegrin license plate.
• Pay for Internet and mobile communications as per local tariffs.
• Apply for Schengen and US visas with a high chance of approval.

Note. Those who have decided to settle in Montenegro and obtain citizenship afterwards, a temporary residence permit is the first step towards this goal. Having lived in the country for 5 years with this document, you will be able to apply for a permanent residence permit (stalni boravak). 10 years after you get the first boravak and renew it regularly, you will be allowed to apply for citizenship.

5 Steps to Get the Permit

The document is issued at the local office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Montenegro, i.e. at the police office. In Montenegro, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is called Ministarstvo Unutrašnjih Poslova (MUP).

Application for boravak, like any bureaucratic procedure, is a challenging thing. The good news is that this process is relatively simple in this country.

Upon arrival and registration at your place of temporary residence within 24 hours, which is mandatory for any foreigner to the country, you can proceed with obtaining a boravak.

Here are the five steps you have to take on your way to boravak:

Step 1. Collect the required documents (you will learn the details below).

Step 2. Pay the state fee (the cost varies depending on the basis for obtaining the permit and municipality, and ranges from 20 to 60 EUR). Payment is made at a bank or post office, which is often located in the same building as the MUP.

Step 3. Submit the application and the documents to the nearest MUP office. Please note that in such popular cities as Budva the queue of applicants is quite long, so it is better to come at 5-6 a.m.

Step 4. Pass several procedures in this department. You will have your photo and fingerprints taken, as well as asked for a digital signature. That’s why you will have to appear in person at the office.

Step 5. Wait from 20 to 40 days and receive a plastic card certifying receipt of your boravak. You have to receive it personally. You can check the status of the card in MUP. A lot of applicants are disappointed with the absence of online notifications about the status of the card, but we have to deal with it.

Good to know. You don’t have to worry that your visa-free term expires while you are waiting for the permit. As soon as you submit for privremeni boravak, your status will change from tourist to intermediate one. This means that you will be allowed to live in Montenegro while waiting for the permit to be issued. And you won't have to pay for a tourist registration.

What Documents are Required for a Temporary Residence Permit

The documents required for an emigrant to obtain a TRP in Montenegro are divided into two categories: basic and special ones. All applicants submit basic documents, the list of which is relatively small. The set of special documents depends on what basis you have chosen to obtain a boravak. For example, these could be real estate documents, a marriage certificate, etc.

Regardless of the basis you choose, you will need to collect the following documents:

• A foreign passport with the validity period at least three months longer than the term of the estimated residence permit. In other words, it must be valid for another 15 months.
• Confirmation of registration, which should be made by a foreigner upon arrival (pink receipt).
• Tourist medical insurance. It must be issued by a Montenegrin insurance company and valid for at least a month.
• Police clearance certificate from the country of origin (according to your passport). This document should have a wet stamp on and be issued by the consulate or the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
• Proof of your financial sufficiency (e.g. bank statement, employer guarantee or sponsorship letter). Since boravak is mostly issued for one year (in case of real estate purchase it will never be longer than a year), you must have at least 3.650 EUR (10 EUR per day) in your bank account in any Montenegrin bank. If the document is issued for a shorter term, financial security requirements are proportionally reduced.
• Confirmation of accommodation. If you have real estate in this country, you will have to provide a certificate of ownership. In other cases, a notarized rent agreement should be submitted.
• State fee payment receipt for privremeni boravak.

Basic set of documents should be supplemented by special documents according to the grounds that you have chosen for privremeni boravak application.

Documents must be translated into Montenegrin by a court translator. Also, an apostille is required for most of the European countries.

Note: although the list of documents required for the foreigner to get a TRP is contained in the Law on Foreigners (Article 43), it is not exhaustive. In addition, some points in the law are not clarified. In particular, a precise amount of financial support has not been established. Therefore, you need to be prepared for additional requirements. Before submitting an application, we recommend you to confirm the list of documents in a specific MUP.

Under what Circumstances Can You Get a Temporary Residence Permit

A TRP in Montenegro is issued for a clear reason proving your need to stay in the country for a long time. The list of these reasons is revised from time to time. For example, they recently stopped issuing boravaks on the basis of yacht ownership. However, at the end of 2022 they introduced a new background for a permit – for “digital nomads”.

What are these reasons now?

• Purchase of real estate.
• Setting up a business (this can be either a company, or an individual enterprise).
• Employment, permanent or seasonal. This also includes the recently launched program for “digital nomads.”
• Studying at local universities, internships, research and student exchange.
• Family reunification. Boravaks for the closest relatives of a Montenegro citizen or a person who has already received a temporary or permanent residence permit.
• Long-term medical treatment.
• Some rarer reasons like volunteering, religious or humanitarian purposes.

The validity period of the boravak and the required documents will depend on the reason you choose. Let's review each method of obtaining a privremeni boravak, so you could choose the most suitable for you.

Buying Property

One of the easiest ways to get a privremeni boravak is to own real estate in this country. The cost of the property is not important, which makes the Montenegrin boravak so attractive for the emigrant. What really matters is the type of property, be it residential or commercial premises. You won’t get a residence permit if you buy a land plot. If you can’t afford a villa at the Adriatic seaside, you may buy an apartment, studio, office or small commercial property, like a cafe. Moreover, it is enough to purchase half of the premises.

You should add an extract on the transfer of ownership to the set of documents. In some municipalities, the MUP may require other documents to prove ownership of the property. If the certificate of indemnity has not yet been received, you can replace it by a purchase and sale agreement, this is applicable to any municipality.

This option of getting a boravak allows senior citizens, rentiers and freelancers to settle in Montenegro.

Terms of purchase:

• At least 3.650 EUR on your bank account. Although, it is difficult to open an account without having a boravak. This information is needed just once and not required for renewal of the TRP.
• Payment right away, without getting a mortgage.
• Absence of utility and tax debts of the property.
• Real estate cannot be located in the border zone.
• A plot without premises on won’t allow you to get the permit. There should be a building on site.
• Foreigners are not allowed to buy an agricultural plot or a piece of forest.

The residence permit will be valid for one year. It will never be less, except for the situation when the validity of a foreign passport expires earlier. In this case, the TRP term will vary from 3 months. You can then extend it for another year. Documents for renewal of boravak must be submitted 30 days before the end of its validity period.

Things to consider:

• If you sell the property, you will also lose boravak.
• A TRP obtained on the basis of the real estate purchase does not allow you to work legally or give access to free medical care. That is why you’re required to provide proof of solvency from a local bank. You can buy local healthcare insurance for 30 EUR per month (or 200 EUR per year) and get the same medical treatment as free medical care provides. It will be twice as expensive for people over 68 years old.
• The term of the real estate ownership is not counted towards the duration of citizenship in Montenegro. However, based on the ownership of real estate under boravak, you can obtain a permanent residence after 5 years.

Note. The program for obtaining Montenegrin citizenship by investment, which was in force in 2019-2023, has been cancelled. From now on, owners of even luxury real estate will get citizenship on a general basis.

Setting Up a Business

Another simple way to get boravak is to establish a business in the country with an authorized capital of 1 EUR or register as an individual entrepreneur. It is not necessary to hire employees. You can set up a business not only in person (by contacting the Central Register of the Commercial Court), but also by the power of an attorney. Any foreigner from 18 to 68 years old can become a founder of a company or individual entrepreneur. If you become a CEO at 67 years old, you can extend your boravak as many times as you need.

Steps to make:

• Select the form of ownership. D.O.O. (an analogue of LLC) or preduzetnik (an analogue of an individual entrepreneur). If you are applying for a D.O.O., you have to appoint yourself as a director to obtain a permanent residence permit.
• Register a business. You may use the agent services to simplify the process.
• Open two accounts, corporate and personal, at a local bank. Corporate one is opened on the basis of the authorized documents.
• Submit an application to MUP. This should be done personally.

Additional documents:

1. registration documents that confirm establishing of a business, as well as registration at the tax authority;
2. nostrification, which means confirmation of a diploma of higher or secondary education.

Privremeni boravak is issued for one year and can be extended as long as you are running a business in the country. The main thing is to submit accounting reports and pay taxes on time. Keep in mind that you will have to show a minimum income by transferring 450 EUR per month to your account. The amount may change, it corresponds to the Montenegrin minimum wage. The tax on this amount will be about 120 EUR.

The spouse and children receive privremeni boravak as family members.

Lifehack: hire a local accountant. He will handle all the formalities for a small fee.

Types of Employment that Allow to Get a Permit

The right to a privremeni boravak is granted to employees of Montenegrin employers. This applies to both permanent employees, and to seasonal ones. Since Montenegro is a tourist country, local hotels, restaurants and yachts actively hire foreign citizens for seasonal work. That’s why thousands of foreigners receive boravaks on this basis.

You can get a job without a visa for at least 3 months and obtain a boravak.

In addition to the basic set of documents you will also need:

1. an invitation from the employer with indication of your position;
2. nostrification of a higher education diploma or other document confirming the required qualifications;
3. local certificate of passing a medical assessment;
4. if you are supposed to provide contract services, you will have to confirm it with a corresponding agreement that will have to be submitted to the MUP (the analogue of the Ministry of Internal Affairs).

As a result, you will receive a work and residence permit. It will be valid for 1 year for permanent employees and 3 or 6 months for seasonal employees.

Things to consider:

• A TRP obtained on the basis of permanent employment can be renewed twice. You can get a new residence permit after submitting the initial set of documents.
• Seasonal workers are allowed to renew the boravak for only 2 months, while the total stay shouldn’t exceed 8 months per year.
• If you lose your job, but want to keep the boravak, you will urgently have to look for a new one. You will have only 8 days to do this, after that the TRP is revoked. The employer is obliged to notify the police about the fired employee. If you manage to find a new job later, you will have to reapply.
• Seasonal work will not be included into the residence term sufficient to obtain permanent residence and citizenship. Only the length of permanent work in Montenegro will be counted.

What if you are a“digital nomad”? There’s a chance to obtain a residence permit for freelancers and those who plan to work remotely for foreign (non-Montenegrin) companies, enjoying the mild climate of the country at the same time. If you work for yourself, the individual entrepreneur has to be registered outside of Montenegro.

This option became available not so long ago due to the increasing popularity of the “digital nomad” lifestyle. This type of boravak has been provided since the end of 2022. Except for the standard set of documents, the applicant should submit an employment contract or other evidence of work, as well as proof of financial solvency, which has to be at least 1.350 EUR a month. The document is issued for 2 years at once, which is an advantage. The set of documents may vary in different municipalities, because this program is new.

A “digital nomad” will be required to pay income tax of 15% when working in Montenegro. The “digital” TRP is extended for two years at once, but after this term expires, you have to take a 6 months break (which can be spent somewhere in Bali). Then you are allowed to reapply. Your family members may apply for boravak on the basis of family reunification.

Getting an Education — Student’s Boravak

Despite Montenegro being a small country, it has universities where foreign students and scientists can study and research. You may get the right to receive a student’s boravak under the following conditions:

• admission to a higher education institution;
• participation in the international student exchange program;
• conclusion of a contract for internship, practice or professional training with the university,
• scientific and research activity. To obtain permission for research, you need to be a Doctor of Science or enroll in a local doctoral program.

Additional documents:

1. certificate of admission to a higher education institution or other document confirming your relation to the university (contract, certificate of internship or professional training with indication of its duration, confirmation of participation in a student exchange program);
2. consent of parents or guardians (for minor students);
3. bank or sponsorship statement confirming the ability to pay for accommodation in the country, local medical insurance for a month and a ticket back.

Students obtain privremeni boravak for one year, which is extended if they continue education. When the study is finished, boravak can be extended for the next 9 months for finding a job. Student exchange participants have the same right.

Things to consider:

• The period of studies is included in the term required for permanent residence and citizenship, but only half of this time.
• If you are expelled from the university, your boravak will be cancelled.
• Student exchange participants who plan to work part-time will be allowed to work not more than 15 hours a week.

A school student over 14 years old can also get a boravak. The child has the opportunity to obtain a residence permit apart from his parents. For example, if passports of the parents expire and the child has to continue education, he can get an independent school boravak, which will be valid for 1 year.

Family Reunification

Family reunification implies issuing a TRP for a foreigner whose near relative is a citizen of Montenegro or has already become a temporary resident of this country. For example, if a UK citizen registered a business here and received a privremeni boravak on this basis, his family will also receive this status.

The near relatives are:

• spouse (as confirmed by a marriage certificate);
• children under 18 years old (as confirmed by birth or adoption certificates).

Documents required:

1. a copy of the boravak or passport with Montenegrin citizenship of the inviting person;
2. documents confirming family connection: marriage, birth/adoption certificates with a notarized translation into Montenegrin;
3. a local bank account statement of the inviting person (3.650 EUR per person, which is minimum annual security) or a letter of guarantee from the employee;
4. accommodation confirmation (own or rented).

Main aspects of getting a family boravak:

• The main thing is that a residence permit has to be obtained by one family member first, even if all family members came together. However, they can submit for the boravak renewal all together at the same time (but it depends on the city).
• The inviting person has to come to MUP with his family member, who submits for boravak.

How this type of boravak is renewed:

• annually, as long as family connection is preserved;
• after the marriage with a citizen of Montenegro is annulled, if this marriage lasted more than 3 years and you lived in the country all this time.
• in case of widowhood.

Things to consider:

• TRP is not issued to family members of a foreigner who was hired for seasonal work. If the job is permanent, you have a right for family reunification.
• You will not get a boravak if the marriage appears to be fictitious.
• If a couple divorces within three years after receiving the first boravak, then the ex-spouse of the citizen of Montenegro will lose the right to his/her the boravak. In this case, you will have to look for another reason for the permit renewal.
• After receiving a privremeni boravak on the basis of reunification, family members do not have the right to legally work in Montenegro within a year.

Medical Treatment

If you require treatment or medical rehabilitation in Montenegro, privremeni boravak will be issued on the basis of the certificate from a medical institution. In this case, boravak is provided for the term of your treatment. This term is indicated in the certificate according to the agreement concluded with the clinic.

Treatment, by the way, also includes health sanatorium programs, for example, at the popular thermal resorts, if they are arranged in the facilities with medical status, such as the Institute of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation and Rheumatology in Igalo.

If you need to continue treatment and stay in the country for longer, it will be enough to send another certificate from a medical institution to MUP, and the boravak will be renewed.

Other Ways to Get a TRP

There are some other reasons to apply for boravak. Let's see who else can get a temporary residence permit in Montenegro.

EVS Volunteers. Privremeni boravak is granted to persons aged 18 to 30 who travel to the country under the agreement with the European Voluntary Service (EVS) to work on a non-profit basis. The document is issued for a term from 2 months to 1 year and is not renewed, since volunteer programs are short-term.

Persons coming to perform religious ceremonies and church services. A TRP is issued on the basis of a certificate from a religious community officially registered in Montenegro and having its headquarters in the country. This boravak will be valid for up to 1 year.

Humanitarian reasons. To apply, you will need to prove that you have become a victim of a crime against human rights and leaving the country is dangerous for your life and health. These cases are exceptional.

Application for boravak for the reason of having a yacht moored in the Montenegro marina is no longer available.

Important Tips

Several tips that you need to keep in mind when applying for a TRP in Montenegro:

• You don’t need to know the Montenegrin language to receive a privremeni boravak. Language exam will be necessary if you apply for permanent residency or citizenship.
• Renewal of boravak has to be arranged in advance, no later than 30 days before the expiration date. It will be extended at the MUP office at your place of residence. If you resubmit an application and the reason remains the same, you will need fewer documents. The exact list of the required documents is specified in your MUP. You will also need a copy of your old permit.

Reasons for Refusal of the Temporary Residence Permit

Are there any reasons to refuse a boravak? Yes, there are such cases. If you plan to travel to this country and stay there for a long time, you have to scrutinize common reasons for boravak refusal. As a rule, some refusals are associated with inattention of the applicant, while others are associated with a deliberate attempt to mislead the Montenegrin authorities.

The most common reasons for refusal:

1. The set of documents was not full or the reason for boravak could not be confirmed. This happens when the applicant has not carefully studied the MUP requirements or decided to ignore them. Scrutinize the terms of getting the privremeni boravak according to the reason you have chosen and make sure that you have all the necessary documents.
2. The applicant forgot to check the expiry date of the passport. Another frustrating mistake caused by inattention. Please note that your foreign passport has to be valid not only for the entire period of the boravak, but also for three months after.
3. When submitting documents and filling out the application form, the applicant intentionally or accidentally entered incorrect data and tried to mislead MUP. A common example is an attempt to misrepresent a fictitious marriage as a real one. It's even worse if the documents are fake.
4. The person came to Montenegro illegally, did not register on the territory or violated the terms of stay in the country.
5. The applicant has a criminal history. A residence permit may be refused if the applicant was imprisoned for more than six months for a criminal offense.
6. Other problems in the biography of the applicant may prevent the renewal of the document: debts, bankruptcy, negative immigration cases and other facts that MUP considers suspicious.
7. A foreigner threatens the security or public health of the country and has been banned from entering and getting residence in Montenegro. You will be refused not only from boravak, but also from visa-free tourism.
8. Financial solvency, medical insurance or accommodation have not been confirmed. Check the requirements to the basis you have chosen for obtaining a TRP and fulfill these conditions. If you were refused only because of insufficient funds on your account, you just need to deposit it and apply again. In addition, you may replace it with another document, for example, a sponsorship letter.

Main Reasons the Obtained Permit Can Be Cancelled

1. Violation of local laws, including non-payment of taxes.
2. Deportation.
3. Leaving the country for more than 30 days during the year (in total). The exception is for the emigrants who have set up a company and are acting as directors. If you need to leave for a longer period, but plan to maintain your resident status, you should notify MUP. In this case, you can be away for up to 90 days.
4. Type of activity of a foreigner contradicts the purposes of obtaining a residence permit. As a rule, this concerns illegal work. For example, you came as an exchange student and have the right to work part-time 15 hours a week, but got a full-time job.
5. Fictitious marriage. In this case, one party of this shady deal does not receive boravak, while the other one loses it. It's not worth the risk.
6. The conditions under which the privremeni boravak was issued became invalid. This is the most common reason for refusal to renew a permit. It means, a TRP was issued, but then the person sold the property or quit his job, so the basis for long-term residency in the country disappeared. If you plan to stay in Montenegro, you will need to choose another basis that you can confirm and reapply. One of the easiest ways is to set up a small business.

Is there a chance that MUP employees made a mistake? If you are sure that the refusal was unreasonable, you may try to challenge it in court. The application must be submitted to the court within 8 days after the refusal.

7 Takeaways When Applying for a Residence Permit in Montenegro

As you see, obtaining a residence permit in Montenegro is a completely feasible task. Let's summarize the main points:

1. Without a residence permit, the visa-free term to stay in the country is 30 days, then you will have to leave the country and return after some time.
2. Boravak allows you to stay in Montenegro for one year, after which the TRP can be extended.
3. A document in the form of a plastic card confirming a residence permit is called privremeni boravak. It is issued at the local office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs — MUP.
4. Boravak grants not only long-term residency in the country, but also a significant range of social and economic advantages.
5. There are several reasons to apply for privremeni boravak: purchase of residential or commercial real estate, setting up a company or registration as an individual entrepreneur, digital nomad program, education and research activities, treatment, volunteering, religious purposes, humanitarian reasons and reunification with a family.
6. The easiest ways to obtain a boravak are setting up a business and purchasing real estate.
7. It is enough for one person to obtain a TRP to relocate the whole family.

The main thing is to decide on the purpose of staying in the country, because the reason you choose will define a required set of documents, costs, the validity period of the boravak, as well as the length of experience for further obtaining permanent residency and citizenship.

About the Author

The author is Tatyana Kigim. She has been writing articles for more than 15 years and has experience working in the media and writing books.