Visas and visa regime

Diplomatic missions and visa regimes

What is a Visa?

Visa is a permission to enter, stay and transit through the territory of Montenegro.

Mere possession of a visa does not grant the entry to Montenegro. Other legal requirements for granting a foreigner the entry and stay to Montenegro must also be met according to the Law on Foreigners.

Visa regime between Montenegro and other countries is regulated by the Decree on visa regime.  

Visa in itself does not offer a grant of permission to work in Montenegro. Person who intends to work in Montenegro must obtain a temporary residence permit for the purpose of employment or seasonal work, on the grounds of previously issued work permit.

Types of Visas

Law on Foreigners prescribes the following types of visas:

- Airport transit ( A)

- Transit (B)

- Short stay visa (C)

- Long stay visa (D)

Airport transit visa (A) may be issued to a foreigner for one or several transits through the airport international transit area, between internationals flights, without entry into the territory of Montenegro, with validity period of up to 3 months. As a general rule, a foreigner who shall not leave the international transit area in between flights at a Montenegro airport or on international flights shall not require a visa. The Government of Montenegro may stipulate that nationals of certain countries, for the national security and legal order reasons, shall require an airport-transit visa.

Transit visa (B) may be issued for one, two or exceptionally several transits through the territory of Montenegro, with a validity period of up to 6 months. On the basis of a transit visa, a foreigner may stay in Montenegro for a period of up to 5 days upon each journey. Transit visa may be issued to a foreigner if he/she has secured entry into the state to which he/she is traveling. This visa may be individual and collective.

Short stay visa (C) may be issued for one, two or multiple entries into Montenegro for tourist, business, personal or other purposes. Continuous stay or total duration of consecutive stays may not exceed 90 days in the period of 6 months, counting from the date of first entry. Validity period of Visa C for multiple entries is up to one year. Exceptionally this type of visa may be issued for a longer period of validity, but no longer than five year. Short stay visa may be issued to a group of foreigners (collective visa). The validity period of collective visa cannot exceed 30 days and it may be affixed to a group passport.

Long stay visa (D) may be issued to an foreigner for one, two or multiple entries into Montenegro, intending to stay in the territory of Montenegro over 90 days, but no longer than 6 months in the period of one year, counting from the date of first entry. This type of visa may be granted to a foreigner:

- intending to stay in Montenegro in order to perform business or other activities, provide advisory expert activities as agreed by the Agreement on business and technical cooperation, on a long-term production cooperation, and on transfer technologies and foreign investments;

- coming to serve to Montenegro as a member of foreign diplomatic and consular representative office to Montenegro or an international organizations accredited to Montenegro, member of economic and cultural representative office, as well as to the members of his family, i.e. members of his household holding diplomatic or official passports.

In certain cases, a permission for temporary residence in Montenegro may be considered a long stay visa, which may be granted to a foreigner intending to stay longer than 90 days in Montenegro, for the purpose of:

1) employment and work, performing economic or business activity;

2) seasonal work;

3) secondary education and studies

4) participation in student exchange programmes or other youth programmes;

5) specialisation or professional training and acquisition of practical skills;

6) scientific-research work;

7) medical treatment;

8) family reunification;

9) humanitarian reasons;

10) other justified reasons specified by law or international agreement

Visa issuance procedure

As a general rule, a foreigner shall submit a visa application personally. In exceptional, justified cases, a foreigner does not have to apply for a visa personally, but does need to appear at the diplomatic or consular representative office once it is issued.

For a foreigner who is minor, i.e. legally incapable, visa application shall be filed by a parent or his legal representative.

In addition to the visa application, the foreigner shall submit:

• valid travel document (the period of validity of the travel document should exceed that of the visa's by three months);
• one color photo 35x45 mm;
• proof of the purpose of stay in Montenegro (letter of guarantee by a physical person or letter of invitation by a legal entity, state authority in Montenegro or organizer of an international conference or event);
• proof of ensured accommodation (receipt from a tourist arrangement, hotel or other type of accommodation reservation that has been paid in);
• proof of possession of means for sustenance during his stay in Montenegro, as well as for return into the country where he comes from or for travel into a third state (cash, a bank account, traveler’s checks, credit cards etc.);
• proof of the means of travel and intention to return into the state where a foreigner comes from or into a third state (a return airplane or other transportation ticket, a driving license);
• proof of health insurance;
• proof that the consular fee has been charged,
• as well as other corresponding documents based on which the purpose and ensured accommodation in Montenegro can be determined

Reasons for the rejection of Visa application

Visa shall not be issued to a foreigner if:

• There is a general legal obstacle for visa to be issued;
• He/she fails to appear in person, as required upon the request of a diplomatic or consular mission of Montenegro;
• He/she fails to submit the required documents proving the purpose and conditions for the issuance of the visa pursuant to the law;
• He/she fails to submit proof of health and travel insurance;
• He/she stayed in Montenegro for 90 days, without 180 days not having passed from the date of first entry.

The foreigner shall be verbally advised about the reasons why his/her visa was not issued.

Exceptionally, a foreigner may be issued a visa, i.e. approved the entry into Montenegro, if thus required due to the humanitarian reasons, interests of Montenegro or internationally accepted commitments. In these cases, a foreigner may be allowed to enter the country solely on a specified border crossing point.

Shortening the Period of Visa Validity

During the course of border control performing of the entry into Montenegro, the visa validity period may be shortened by the Police at the border crossing point, if:

• It is determined that the foreigner does not have sufficient funds for subsistence;
• The visa validity period is longer than the travel document validity period;
• The foreigner would exceed the limit of 90 days of stay within the period of 180 days starting from the date of first entry.

Entering corrections to the visa

The Police may, in the course of performance of the border control, correct the data mistakenly entered into the visa issued by a diplomatic or consular mission of Montenegro.

Cancellation of visas

A visa shall be cancelled by a diplomatic or consular mission of Montenegro or the Police if the existence of any of the legal reasons. A cancellation of an issued visa shall be entered into the foreign travel document.