Applying for a residence permit

If you enter Montenegro as a guest, you can stay for up to 3 months. If you would like to stay longer in Montenegro as a foreigner, you will need a residence permit. We will of course also be happy to help you apply for this residence permit.

Requirements for obtaining a residence permit

The requirements for obtaining a residence permit are

1. a job in a company here in Montenegro
2. an employment/job in your own company (founded by us with you)
3. Purchase of a property (apartment or house)
4. Study here in Montenegro (residence permit for students)

Documents required

When you first apply for a residence permit, you will need the following documents:

1. Passport (valid)
2. Birth certificate international (if it is international, it does not need an apostille; if it is not international, it needs an apostille)
3. Police clearance certificate normal with apostille
4. when registering the spouse: international marriage certificate (if it is international, it does not need an apostille; if it is not international, it needs an apostille)
5. when registering the children: international birth certificates (if she is international, she does not need an apostille; if she is not international, she needs an apostille), if separated: custody declaration, confirmation from the other parent

The requirements as to which documents are needed in which form with or without an apostille change from time to time. That’s why we always write here the best you can and should have, so that there are no problems with the application. It’s better to have too much than too little.

Not as many documents are required for the annual renewal of the residence permit.

Residence permit via your own company or job

Most of them actually set up their own company, as they intend to work here anyway. You will then be employed in your own company, e.g. as a managing director, and will then receive your residence permit. If you are married, both the spouse and the children will receive residence permits via the hired manager. If you are not married, the partner must also be employed by the company and will receive the residence permit.

Of course, you can also obtain a residence permit through a job in another company.

Note: Because many people always ask: the German pension as income is unfortunately not sufficient for the residence permit.

Residence permit for a property

If you buy an apartment or a house here in Montenegro, you will automatically receive your residence permit. Of course, this must also be applied for at the office. The residence permit is tied to the property and must be renewed annually. In this case, there is also the possibility of a permanent residence permit after five years, as is the case when founding a company. If you sell the apartment or house, you will automatically lose your residence permit.

The comprehensive documents are required when you first apply for a residence permit. For the annual renewal, you actually need quite a few documents again. However, we will assist you in obtaining all these documents here in Montenegro.

Note: In this case, you only need to note that you must also take out health insurance in Montenegro. Statutory health insurance is automatically included when a company is founded and/or hired – in the case of obtaining a residence permit via a property, health insurance must be taken out separately.

How do I obtain a permanent residence permit or even Montenegrin citizenship?

You can apply for a permanent residence permit in three different ways:

1. you marry a Montenegrin, then you can apply for permanent residence after 5 years or apply for citizenship after 10 years if you wish
2. you set up your own company, own at least 52% (i.e. more than 51%) of the company shares and are employed as managing director
3. you have owned a property (house/apartment) for more than 5 years

The residence permit is first applied for and then renewed annually. After five years you can apply for a permanent residence permit and after 10 years you can actually apply for and obtain Montenegrin citizenship. Montenegro only allows one citizenship, which means that you would have to renounce your previous citizenship in order to take on Montenegrin citizenship. The processing of the application can take a long time and can also be rejected initially and you then have to try again. The 5 or 10 years are therefore only guidelines.

Application procedure

First of all, we will of course accompany you through all the steps necessary to apply for a residence permit.

So, from your side, you make sure in advance that you already have the above-mentioned documents from your current home country. This is a prerequisite, of course. Then you have to plan about 3-4 working days for the formalities that have to be done here in Montenegro BEFORE the application.

Incidentally, a picture of you will be taken at the office and you will have to pay an “X” amount for the processing of your application. You will then receive a sheet of paper telling you when you can collect your residence permit.

Note on picking up the residence permit: The managing director actually has a little more time to pick up the residence permit, so it does not have to be picked up on the date stated on the piece of paper, but can also be picked up later. All other employees have to pick up their residence permit more or less on the deadline, otherwise there will unfortunately be some problems.