MontenegroResidence permit / permanent residence

Residence permit for EU citizens in Montenegro

A special Montenegrin regime for European Union citizens and their families, including spouses and children holding passports of countries outside the EU. Applications are received by the Ministry of the Interior, and separate forms and permit cards are approved for this category. The ground is citizenship of an EU country or kinship with such a citizen alone; property, business and an employer play no part. The rules will take effect when Montenegro joins the European Union.

Source: Ministarstvo unutrašnjih poslova Crne Gore — Pravilnik o obrascima zahtjeva i dozvola za privremeni i stalni boravak državljana država članica Evropske unije i članova njihovih porodica

Who this residence permit is available to

The rulebook divides applicants into two groups, and a separate form is approved for each.

EU citizens

Hold the citizenship of one of the member states of the European Union
File the application and receive the permit card in the form approved specifically for them (Form 2 and Form 4)
Do not have to prove kinship with anyone in Montenegro — the ground is EU citizenship

Family members, including third-country nationals

The spouse, children and other family members of an EU citizen — whatever their own citizenship
Complete a separate form for a family member (Form 1) and receive their own permit card (Form 3 and Form 5)
Prove kinship with or marriage to an EU citizen — it is that link which opens access to the regime

When the programme is not a fit

I am a citizen of a country outside the EU and am not related to or married to an EU citizen

The ordinary procedure of the Law on Foreigners — a residence permit through employment, study or another ground unconnected with EU citizenship.

I need status now, not at some point in the future

The rulebook for EU citizens and their families will enter into force only on the day Montenegro joins the European Union. Until then only the general residence permit under the Law on Foreigners is available — and it is issued today.

I want Montenegrin citizenship rather than merely a residence permit

A separate naturalisation procedure — the rulebook on residence deals only with staying in the country, not with the issue of a Montenegrin passport.

What it costs

The cost of reimbursing the production of the permit card.

Production of the permit cardReimbursement of the cost of producing the plastic card	5 EUR

Documents to gather

The rulebook does not introduce a separate list of attachments — this is what the forms themselves require.

A completed application form: Form 1 for a family member applying for temporary residence, Form 2 for permanent residence
A valid travel document (passport)
A statement of who is filing the application — the EU citizen themselves or a family member — and how the applicant is related to the EU citizen
Details of the first and the last previously approved temporary residence — for an application for permanent residence
A photograph for the permit card: the rulebook prescribes a card format of 86×54 mm with a photograph of 28×35 mm

How the process runs

The rulebook itself describes only the forms. In practice the filing procedure and the processing times are taken from the general Law on Foreigners — until Montenegro joins the EU it is that law which determines the procedure.

1
Preparing the form and the supporting documents
The applicant completes the form approved by the rulebook: Form 1 if a family member is applying, or Form 2 if the EU citizen themselves is applying for permanent residence. A valid travel document and details of the kinship with the EU citizen are attached to the form.
2
Filing the application in person with the Ministry of the Interior
Under the general rule of the Law on Foreigners the application is filed in person — at the territorial unit of the Ministry of the Interior for the place of stay in Montenegro.
3
Consideration of the application by the Ministry of the Interior
up to 6 months
The Law on Foreigners gives the Ministry up to six months to decide on an application for permanent residence. The rulebook on forms sets no separate processing time of its own.
4
Issue of the permit card
An approved permit is issued as a plastic card with the applicant's photograph. The applicant reimburses the Ministry 5 euros for the cost of producing the card. This is the only amount the rulebook itself names.

Timelines and rights

Validity

The rulebook enters into force on the day Montenegro joins the EU. Until that day arrives, no permits are issued under it.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Residence permit for EU citizens	Digital nomad visa	Azil
Visa term	The rulebook enters into force on the day Montenegro joins the EU	Issued for up to 2 years, renewable while the employment continues	Usually 1 year with renewal, or indefinite (refugee)
Grounds	Citizenship of an EU member state or the status of a family member of such a citizen	Remote income	Persecution
Money	Reimbursement of the cost of producing the permit is EUR 5	A stable remote income; specific amounts are often not stated	There are no special requirements as to means; accommodation is provided in a centre

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

The rulebook lays down the form of the permanent residence permit for EU citizens and their family members. It will take effect on the same day Montenegro joins the EU.

Frequently asked questions about Residence permit for EU citizens

Who may apply under this programme?

The rulebook is intended for citizens of the member states of the European Union and for their family members, including citizens of countries outside the EU where they are married or otherwise related to an EU citizen. A third-country national without such a link cannot use this route.

Can an application be filed under this rulebook already?

No. The text of the rulebook states expressly that it enters into force on the day Montenegro joins the European Union. Until that day arrives no permits are issued under it, and EU citizens and their relatives arrange residence permits on the general grounds of the Law on Foreigners.

How much will the permit cost once the regime takes effect?

The rulebook names one amount — 5 euros as reimbursement of the cost of producing the permit card. The rulebook sets no other charges: it approves the forms of application and of permit, not the level of state fees.

Which forms does the rulebook introduce?

Five forms: an application by a family member for temporary residence (Form 1), an application for permanent residence (Form 2) and three permit cards — for the temporary residence of a family member, for the permanent residence of an EU citizen and for the permanent residence of their family member (Forms 3–5).

Who approved the rulebook and when?

The Montenegrin Ministry of the Interior signed the rulebook on 26 December 2018; the text was published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro no. 86/2018 of 28 December 2018. On the Government portal the document card is shown as published on 31 March 2020.

Other ways to move to Montenegro

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Montenegro.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.