More than 97.000 foreigners have regular residence in Montenegro, according to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) as of July 31. Of that number, 67.344 foreigners have temporary residence, and 29.783 have permanent residence.
Of the total number of foreigners with temporary residence, 40.907 have temporary residence and work permits (staying in the country for longer than 90 days), the Ministry of Internal Affairs told "Vijesti".
The number of foreigners with temporary residence is growing year by year. According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, in 2023, 64.285 foreigners had temporary residence, in 2024, 64.945, and last year, 67.807.
"According to statistics, from 2023 to today, there has been an increase in the number of foreigners with temporary residence in Montenegro," the Ministry of Interior stated.
When it comes to the structure of foreigners by country of origin, the most represented are citizens of Serbia, the Russian Federation and Turkey.
How long can a foreigner stay?
When asked how long a foreigner can legally reside in the country on the basis of temporary residence, the Ministry of Interior explains that the residence of a foreigner, within the meaning of the Law on Foreigners, is a stay of up to 90 days, temporary residence and permanent residence.
They add that a temporary residence permit is issued with a validity period of up to one year, with the possibility of extension if legal requirements are met, depending on the legal basis for residence.
"A temporary residence permit for employment purposes is issued for a maximum of one year and can be extended for a maximum of two years, which means that it cannot be extended indefinitely," the Ministry of Interior said.
The exceptions, they say, are entrepreneurs and executive directors in companies in which they are the sole owners or owners of more than 51 percent of the capital. According to the Ministry of Interior, their license can be extended as long as they meet the legal requirements and prove that they have paid at least 5.000 euros in taxes and contributions annually.
Permanent residence, they add, can be granted to a foreigner who, by the date of submission of the application, has continuously and legally resided in Montenegro for five years on the basis of temporary residence.
Citizenship requirements
The Ministry of Interior did not provide "Vijesti" with information about the longest period of time a foreign person has continuously resided in Montenegro without acquiring citizenship, but they did clarify the legal framework for acquiring Montenegrin citizenship.
According to the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship, an applicant for admission must cumulatively meet a number of conditions: that he/she has reached the age of 18, that he/she has been released from citizenship of another country, that he/she has resided legally and continuously in Montenegro for ten years prior to submitting the application, that he/she has secured accommodation and a permanent source of income that provides him/her with material and social security, that he/she has not been sentenced to an unconditional prison sentence of more than one year, that he/she knows the Montenegrin language to a sufficient extent for basic communication, that there are no obstacles for security and defense reasons, and that he/she has settled due tax and other legal obligations.
For spouses of Montenegrin citizens, there are more lenient conditions. A person who has been married to a Montenegrin citizen for at least three years and has resided legally and continuously in Montenegro for at least five years may acquire citizenship by admission if they meet some of the above conditions.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the request is most often rejected due to the existence of security obstacles, insufficient length of legal and continuous residence prior to submitting the request, or failure to meet some other legal requirement.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs invites foreigners who have been legally and continuously residing in Montenegro for the period prescribed by law and wish to acquire citizenship to submit a request to the regional unit or branch office for civil status and personal documents according to their place of residence. If they meet other legal requirements, after the administrative procedure has been completed, they will acquire Montenegrin citizenship by admission.
According to the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship, an applicant for admission must cumulatively meet a number of conditions: that he/she has reached the age of 18, that he/she has been released from citizenship of another country, that he/she has resided legally and continuously in Montenegro for ten years prior to submitting the application, that he/she has secured accommodation and a permanent source of income that provides him/her with material and social security, that he/she has not been sentenced to an unconditional prison sentence of more than one year...
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
