Residence Permit in Montenegro 2026: The €200,000 Threshold and Taxes Instead of Hiring Employees
The Government of Montenegro has introduced final amendments to the “Law on Foreigners” for obtaining or renewing a residence permit. The autumn proposals that caused panic among expats have been softened. We explain how to obtain and renew a residence permit (boravak) in 20...
The Government of Montenegro has introduced final amendments tothe “Law on Foreigners”for obtaining or renewing a residence permit. The autumn proposals that caused panic among expats have been softened. We explain how to obtain and renew a residence permit (boravak) in 2026, how much property must now cost, and what taxes company owners will have to pay.
At the end of 2025, the government of Milojko Spajić revised the strict draft law proposed in the autumn. We wrote more about itin this article.The main news: bureaucracy has been replaced by a financial threshold. Montenegro is abandoning mass low-cost immigration in favor of affluent residents and digital nomads.
Here is a brief overview of the changes (Summary):
1. Residence permit based on property: minimum value of 200,000 euros
The most discussed change concerns Article 56 of the law. The era when you could buy an inexpensive studio or a small house in the mountains just to legalize your stay is coming to an end.
New purchase conditions
Now the basis for obtaining a temporary residence permit (boravak) is ownership of real estate with an appraised value ofat least 200,000 euros.
An important nuance for buyers:the figure in the purchase agreement is not the main proof. The value will be confirmed by an official decision of the Tax Administration (real estate transfer tax assessment). This is intended to prevent fictitious price inflation in transactions.
What will happen to those who already have a residence permit?
The government has protected the rights of current residents. The following clause has been included in the law:
If you obtained a residence permit before the law enters into force
, then the old rules will apply when you renew it. You do not need to buy additional property up to 200,000 euros.
If you are applying for the first time after the law is adopted, then the 200,000-euro requirement applies to you.
This exception does not apply to citizens of the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein — there are no price thresholds for them.
2. Business immigration: new requirements
The autumn version of the draft law provided strict criteria for renewing residence permits for business owners: executive directors were proposed to employ at least three workers, one of whom had to be a Montenegrin citizen.
However, in the final package of amendments, the legislator revised this approach. The hiring requirement was replaced by a financial threshold, shifting the focus from formally increasing headcount to ensuring a real contribution of the business to the country’s tax system.
New scheme for directors (DOO)
To renew a residence permit on the basis of working as the director of your own company, the following financial condition must be met:
The company must pay taxes and contributions in the amount of
at least 5,000 euros per year
.
That is about
417 euros per month
. In practice, this is a legal fee for resident status without the need to run a truly active business, hire staff, or submit complex HR reports. For freelancers working through an entrepreneur status or LLC, this makes life easier, though more expensive.These requirements do not apply to citizens of the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein — there are no such financial conditions for them.
3. IT specialists and doctors: conditions eased
Montenegro is facing a shortage of skilled workers, so the barriers for IT professionals and medical workers have been lowered.
Previously, it was proposed that residence permits in the IT sector (Blue Card equivalent) be issued only with a salary of at least three average national salaries (around 2,500–3,000 euros net). This discouraged startups.
What is in the final document:
The salary threshold has been removed.
A standard employment contract for at least 12 months is sufficient.
Salary:
Must comply with the Labor Law standards (minimum 600 euros for medium qualification levels, 800 euros for higher qualification levels).This is a clear signal: the country wants to attract digital specialists and doctors and will not create artificial obstacles for them.
When will the changes take effect?
At the moment, the document is a package of government amendments to the draft law. For it to enter into force, it must pass a vote in the Skupština (Parliament) and be published in the “Official Gazette of Montenegro” (Službeni list).
Expert recommendation:
If you were planning to buy inexpensive property in order to obtain a residence permit, it is worth speeding up the transaction and document submission before the law officially enters into force. Current applications will be reviewed under the old rules.
Stay tuned for updates. We will publish the final text of the law as soon as it is signed
