Digital Nomad Residence Permit

Montenegro's Digital Nomad Residence Permit allows foreign nationals who work remotely for foreign employers or their own companies registered outside Montenegro to reside in the country for up to four years. Established through amendments to the Law on Foreigners in August 2022, the program is administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Digital nomad permit holders are exempt from personal income tax on foreign-sourced income. In 2024, Montenegro issued 653 digital nomad residence permits.

• Foreign nationals employed remotely by a foreign company or owning a company not registered in Montenegro
• Must not work for or provide services to Montenegrin employers or locally registered companies
• Monthly income of at least three times the Montenegrin minimum wage. As of 2026 the net minimum wage is €600/month for jobs requiring up to secondary qualifications and €800/month for higher qualifications, so the threshold is approximately €1,800–€2,400/month
• No specific educational or professional qualifications required
• No age restrictions

• Valid passport or travel document (valid at least 3 months beyond the requested residence period)
• Colour photograph
• Proof of remote employment (employment contract or documentation proving remote work for a foreign entity)
• Certified copy of foreign company registration
• Proof of financial means demonstrating the required income level (payslips, tax returns, bank statements)
• Proof of accommodation in Montenegro (property ownership, notarised lease agreement, or confirmation from a registered accommodation provider)
• Valid health insurance covering the duration of stay
• Criminal record certificate (no unconditional prison sentence exceeding 6 months for offences prosecuted ex officio)

Applicants from visa-free countries (including EU, US, Canada, Australia, and Japan) can enter Montenegro as tourists and apply in-country at the local Ministry of Internal Affairs office in their municipality of residence. There is no requirement to apply from abroad. The application is submitted in person, and biometric data (photograph, fingerprints, and digitised signature) is collected during the process. All foreign documents must be translated into Montenegrin by a certified translator and may require apostille or legalisation.

Nationals requiring a visa to enter Montenegro may first obtain a long-stay visa (visa D) for digital nomads, valid for up to 180 days within a one-year period, at a Montenegrin embassy or consulate abroad.

Amendments to the Law on Foreigners in force from January 2026 introduced electronic application via a new Visa Information System (a physical appearance for biometrics is still required) and expanded the grounds for the long-stay visa D, while leaving the core digital nomad permit (up to 2+2 years, foreign-source income only) substantively unchanged.

Processing time: Up to 40 days from submission of a complete application for the residence permit; up to 10 days for a D visa (extendable to 30 or 60 days if additional review is needed).

Fee: Approximately €67 for the residence permit application. D visa consular fee is approximately €65 for adults and €32 for children.

Digital nomad permit holders are exempt from personal income tax on income earned from employers not registered in Montenegro. This exemption was established through amendments to the Law on Personal Income Tax, effective 30 December 2022.

The initial permit is granted for up to 2 years and can be extended for an additional 2 years, for a maximum total of 4 years. Extension requests must be submitted in person at least 30 days before the current permit expires. After the maximum 4-year period, a new permit may only be issued after a mandatory 6-month gap.

The permit may be terminated if the holder resides outside Montenegro for more than 30 consecutive days without justification, or if permit conditions are no longer met.

Close family members, including spouses, minor children (biological or adopted), and stepchildren up to age 18, may apply for family reunification once the primary holder's residence permit has been granted. Since the January 2026 amendments, same-sex partners are explicitly recognised as eligible family members. No separate additional income requirement is specified for dependants.