Montenegro Digital Nomad Visa

Montenegro's digital nomad route is a temporary residence permit for digital nomads, set out in Article 60a of the Law on Foreigners. The law defines a digital nomad as a foreigner who is employed by or works electronically for a foreign company or for their own company not registered in Montenegro.

• Income: three times the minimum wage, €1,800 to €2,400 a month depending on the wage tier.
• First permit: up to 2 years.
• Longest stay on this permit: 4 years.
• Decision: within 40 days of a complete application.

The permit has no end date in law. Parliament re-enacted Article 60a in an amendment in force since Jan. 17, 2026. The new version also asks for proof that the foreign company is registered in another country.

Nationals who need a visa for Montenegro can first get a long-stay D visa for digital nomad status. The Montenegro guide covers living costs and the other residence routes.

The permit is for foreigners who work electronically for a company based outside Montenegro, including their own company, as long as it isn't registered in Montenegro. Applicants must meet the general conditions in Article 43 of the Law on Foreigners and the digital nomad rulebook:

• Remote work: an employment contract or other document proving the electronic work, plus proof that the company is registered in another country.
• Income: monthly personal income of at least three minimum wages, €1,800 to €2,400, in the year before the application.
• Accommodation and health insurance: both in place for the stay.
• Passport: valid at least three months beyond the permit.
• Clean record: no final unconditional prison sentence of more than six months for a crime prosecuted ex officio, in Montenegro or the country of origin, unless its legal effects have ended.
• Lawful stay: applicants filing in person must be in Montenegro legally, on a D visa or a visa-free entry (rulebook Article 9).

Montenegro has two minimum wage levels under Article 101 of its labor law: a lower one for jobs up to qualification level V and a higher one for level VI and above. The rulebook doesn't say which level applies, so applicants should confirm the figure with the Ministry of Interior. Older guides quote a lower amount based on the minimum wage in force before Oct. 1, 2024.

• Work for Montenegrin employers: No. Local employment needs a temporary residence and work permit.
• Family: Yes. Spouses, their minor children and the children of one spouse or adopted children under 18 can join (Article 60a). The rulebook sets no extra income per family member.

The application goes on the Ministry of Interior's temporary residence form with proof of each condition (Article 61):

• Passport: a valid foreign passport or foreign ID card.
• Proof of remote work: the employment contract or other document, plus the company's registration abroad.
• Proof of income: monthly personal income for the previous year.
• Accommodation: a property title, a lease with the property sheet or a confirmation from a registered accommodation provider (rulebook Article 6).
• Health insurance: travel health insurance from an authorized insurer, cover under an international agreement or insurance under Montenegrin law (rulebook Article 7).
• Criminal record: proof of no disqualifying conviction in the country of origin. Applicants under 16 don't need it (Article 43).

A photo, two fingerprints and a digitized signature are taken when the application is filed. Children under 12 give no fingerprints (Article 61).

The Ministry of Interior's fee list sets an administrative tax of €40 for issuing a temporary residence permit, plus small charges for the application and the permit form. The list dates from 2019 and now sits in the government's archive, so applicants should confirm current amounts with the ministry.

• Online filing: fees are paid through the government's electronic payment system (Article 61b).
• Family members: each receives a permit of their own, so the permit charges apply per person.
• D visa: visa-required nationals also pay the visa fee.

• Enter lawfully: visa-free if the passport allows it. Visa-required nationals first get a D visa for digital nomad status, which needs proof of the electronic work and health insurance (Article 18).
• File: Inside Montenegro after lawful entry (visa-free or D visa): in person at the Ministry of Interior office in the place of residence, or online through the Ministry's information system with biometrics taken within 10 days of entry.
• Wait in Montenegro: an applicant who files a complete application before a 90-day stay ends can remain until the decision (Article 61).
• Decision: within 40 days of a complete application, after the police and the security agency give their opinion (Article 62). A refusal can be appealed to the ministry within 8 days.

Online filing became law in January 2026 (Article 61b). Applicants should check with the Ministry of Interior whether the online system is accepting applications.

• First permit: up to 2 years (Article 60a).
• Renewal: One extension of up to 2 more years; file in person 60 to 30 days before expiry; extension only on the same legal basis.
• Cap: 4 years in total. A new digital nomad permit can be issued six months after the previous one expires.
• Longer term: Permanent residence needs 5 years' continuous lawful temporary residence. No explicit exclusion for digital nomads, but this permit caps at 4 years, extends only on the same basis and needs a 6-month gap before a new one, so it cannot reach 5 continuous years on its own.

An extension needs the same conditions as the first permit. The request includes a valid passport, proof of accommodation and proof that the reason for the stay continues (Article 64).

• Nomad income: Personal income tax exemption for employment or self-employment income from an employer not registered in Montenegro, earned under digital nomad status.
• Tax residency: a home or a center of business and life interests in Montenegro makes a person resident. So does a stay of more than 183 days in a tax year.

The exemption comes from Article 32d of the Personal Income Tax Law and covers only pay or self-employment income from an employer not registered in Montenegro. Income from Montenegrin sources isn't covered. Home-country tax rules still apply, so nomads should check whether their own country keeps taxing them while they live in Montenegro.