In 2021, a state located on the Adriatic coast announced a freelancer visa, and after six months, it introduced the first amendments to the bill.
One is a national D visa valid for 12 months with no restrictions on entry/exit, and the other is a freelancer residence permit for 2 years with one possible extension for another couple of years, exempting holders from income tax payments.
For further residence in the territory after four years, nomads are required to take a six-month break, which legally makes obtaining permanent resident status impossible. Only holders of a residence permit (borvaka) with 5 years of residency, who have not left the country for 180 consecutive days, can apply for permanent residency. However, at the end of the 4-year period, “nomads” may change their residency basis in the country and become holders of a visa type that provides for permanent residency. This is possible through:
- purchasing property;
- registering a company;
- entering into an employment contract with a local company.
For Russians, the nomad visa is processed in the country. The diplomatic mission is located in Moscow. The official website is not operational, but the visa department accepts applications from citizens three days a week without an appointment. Nomads who have entered the country on a national visa can submit documents for a residence permit at the MUP at their place of registration.
Freelance Visa Specifics in Montenegro
In 2023, the country entered the top five for remote work. Besides its favorable climate and living standards (ranked 52nd among 186 countries), it attracts with affordable prices and friendliness towards foreigners. The Digital Nomad Visa is designed for people working remotely using digital technologies and with companies outside of Montenegro. It includes the self-employed and entrepreneurs.
Support for non-resident entrepreneurs allows trouble-free registration of sole proprietorships or LLCs. For Russians with startup ideas, this is an opportunity to move to a warm country on a freelancer visa, choose a promising business direction in the field of information technology, and become a permanent resident. Along with the applicant, the residence permit is issued to a spouse/wife and children under 18, provided there is a monthly income of €310 per person.
Visa Cost
To obtain it, one must pay a consular fee equivalent to that of a long-term exit visa. The cost for an adult and a child is €65 and €32, respectively. The fee is paid in advance, and the receipt is attached to the application package.
In the table below, we have written what expenses expats will have when applying for a digital nomad visa in Montenegro in 2025.
| Fees, duties and other expenses for obtaining a visa | Cost |
| State duty | from 42 до 67 € |
| Document translations | up to 50 € |
| Medical insurance | 45 € |
| “List nepokretnosti” from the cadastre from the owner | 40 € |
| Full support of visa processing | from 2000 € |
| Residence permit in Montenegro through business registration | from 3900 € |
Additionally, you need to take into account the cost of air travel to Montenegro from your place of stay, as well as the cost of living in the country and renting real estate if you plan to live there. Living expenses in Montenegro in 2025 are approximately as follows:
| The average cost of renting a house | 340 € – 650 € |
| Medicine | medical insurance – 350 € per year
+ free medicine for holders of a residence permit |
| Utilities | Due to the lack of central heating and water supply, everything is tied to electricity. For a family of three, the costs will be about 60€ per month |
| Car rental | from 250 € per month |
| Gasoline | from 1.5 € per liter |
| Home Internet | from 20 € per month |
What Taxes Are Paid in Montenegro?
Personal income tax is calculated at a rate of about 9-15%. People with salaries up to 700 € per month are exempt from payment. Upon receipt of amounts from 701-1000 €, a tax of 9% is levied. Residents pay 15% from high incomes.
The rate for the self–employed with income: 8,400 – 12,000 € is equal to 9%. However, local municipalities can raise up to 13%. In the tourism and agricultural sectors, it is possible to reduce to a minimum. Sole proprietors who have opened a business in lagging regions have not paid income taxes for 8 years. The total amount of the exemption does not exceed 200,000 €.
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Required Documents and Requirements
Article 43 lists the full range of documents required for obtaining a digital nomad visa, with a requirement for translation in Montenegro by a court translator. Additional items for expat freelancers are indicated in the amendments:
- A foreign passport valid for the period of residence in the country and obtaining the visa;
- A contract for performing remote work using electronic gadgets;
- Proof of means of subsistence with a certificate from the workplace indicating a salary of at least €1350;
- An employer’s cover letter;
- An extract from the business registry;
- A bank account statement confirming income for the quarter and the remaining amount;
- A criminal record certificate no older than 6 months from the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
- A rental agreement and List nepokretnosti from the cadastre from the owner – €40;
- Receipts for payment of the borvaka duty – €42- €67;
- Medical insurance, issued in Montenegro for a month.
It can be purchased from SafetyWing for €45 per month. It covers emergency expenses for an adult and a child. For sole proprietors, an extract from the registry to confirm company registration and contracts with clients for providing services in a remote format is required. Local authorities accept documents only with wet seals. Russians do not need an apostille.
Recent Changes in Visa Matters in Montenegro
This year, there have been no amendments to the law for obtaining digital nomad visas and other types. Changes affected tourists. For trips, just a foreign passport and tickets are needed. For tourists and the host side, the requirement to register and pay a resort fee remains: €1 per day.
Statistics on the popularity of Digital Nomad Visa in Montenegro
Data from Google Trends and Yandex.Wordstat show consistently high demand for the Digital Nomad Visa program to Montenegro. The country remains popular for tourists and digital nomads alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
The official deadline for reviewing documents at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Montenegro (CBM) is up to 40 calendar days. However, in practice, in most cases, the decision is made within 20-30 days, subject to a complete set of properly executed documents. In cities with a lower workload of migration services, such as Podgorica, deadlines are often reduced to 15 working days.
The national visa of category D provides the following terms. The first entry is within 90 days from the date of issue. The application for a residence permit must be submitted no later than 30 days after entry.
Registration at the place of stay (“white cardboard”) – within 24 hours after check-in. Submission of documents to the Municipal Unitary Enterprise – no later than 7 days from the date of completion of tourist registration.
A foreign passport must be valid for the entire period of the planned stay plus a reserve. The validity period of the passport must be at least 2 years + an additional 2-3 months for the period of consideration of the application.
Medical insurance must be issued on the territory of Montenegro and remain relevant for the entire duration of the visa. The cost of basic insurance is from €30.
The certificate of absence of a criminal record must be stamped and not older than 6 months. No apostille is required for Russian citizens. It is important to know that electronic certificates are not accepted in Montenegro. In addition, many municipal unitary enterprises (police departments) do not accept certificates received through the MFC.
To confirm remote work, you must provide a work contract concluded at least 3 months before submitting the application, a clear indication in the contract of a monthly salary of at least € 1,350, the original extract from the register of legal entities in which the employer is registered, and confirmation of registration with the tax service (for entrepreneurs). Representatives of private businesses can obtain a Montenegrin residence permit by opening a company.
Bank statements – no older than 30 days at the time of submission. Employment contracts – valid for the entire period of the requested residence permit. Tax returns (for the self–employed) – for the last accounting year.
It is required to provide a bank statement for the last 3 months confirming a regular income of at least € 1,350 per month. In some cases, you may be asked to show the movement of the account for the previous year or the account balance of at least €16,250. If the income is indicated in a currency other than euros, you will need an additional letter from the bank indicating the equivalent in euros.
The rental agreement must be notarized, include all family members applying for a residence permit, and contain a fixed rental price of at least 150€. In most cities, a 1-year contract is sufficient, but in a Bar they require a 2-year contract. A statement of real estate (list nepokretosti) must be attached to the contract from the landlord, no older than 6 months.
All documents in foreign languages must be translated into Montenegrin by a court interpreter and notarized.
“White cardboard” is a tourist registration, which is issued upon arrival in Montenegro. It is necessary to register with the tourist service and pay the tourist fee (1 euro per day per person, 0.50 euros per day for a child over 12 years old). This registration is a mandatory document when applying for a digital nomad residence permit.
After the main applicant receives a residence permit, it is possible to issue a residence permit for family members under the reunification program. Additional documents will be required: a marriage certificate (for a spouse), a birth certificate (for children), all family members must be included in the rental agreement, and medical insurance for each family member. Each family member needs their own copy of the lease agreement.
The reunification procedure is possible only after the main applicant receives a residence permit. Relatives’ documents must be submitted within 60 days from the date of issue of the main residence card. Consideration of applications from family members takes 15-25 business days. The validity period of the residence permit for family members coincides with the status of the main applicant.
The extension of the status is carried out 90 days before the expiration of the current residence permit. Requires proof of residence for at least 183 days per year in Montenegro. Consideration of the extension application – up to 30 calendar days
Mandatory payments include the state fee for reviewing the application (42-67 €), depending on the city, registration of a resident card (25 €), tourist fee (“white cardboard”) 1 € per day for an adult, 0.50 € for a child over 12 years old. The cost of medical insurance: 30-45 € per year, for registration for 2 years – 60-90 €. In the Bar and in the Tivat, an additional fee is charged for the list nepokretosti (extract from the landlord’s real estate cadastre) – 40 €.
The rental agreement must be notarized and include a minimum cost of 150 €/month. The validity period is 1 year (in the Bar – 2 years). Rental costs in popular cities. Podgorica: 400-600 €/month for a studio apartment. Budva: 500-800 €/month. Bar: 300-500 €/month. An additional fee is notarization of the contract – 50-100 €.
All documents in foreign languages require judicial translation into Montenegrin – 20-30 € per page, apostillation – 50-70€ per document. The average cost of a full transfer package is 200-300€.
Insurance extension in case of a delay in the consideration of the application (30-45 €), re–submission of documents in case of errors – 42-67€ (repeated state duty), courier services for the delivery of certificates from the Russian Federation (50-100 €), temporary housing for the period of waiting for a decision (500-1000 €/month).
It is not possible to obtain permanent residence through a Digital Nomad Visa directly. This type of visa provides a temporary residence permit (residence permit) for up to 2 years with the possibility of extension for a similar period. However, it does not count towards the total length of stay required for naturalization.
Journalist, editor with 9 years of experience in investment immigration. I specialize in analysis of residency and tax programs, as well as individual selection of jurisdictions for relocation.
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