Montenegro Country Profile

Passport
For more details visit Montenegro Passport Ranking
  • Passport Grade
    B
  • Passport Ranking
    79/198
  • Passport Score
    122.9/198
  • Visa-free Countries
    113
  • Visa-required Countries
    85
  • Access to the World's GDP
    33%
  • Access to the World's Surface Area
    39%
  • Access to the World's Population
    28%
  • Access to the Unesco Sites
    61%
Citizenship and Naturalization
Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
  • Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
    No
    No provisions
Naturalization - Standard Conditions
  • Minimum residency period
    10 years
  • Physical presence requirement
    On average, 10 months a year
  • Language test
    Yes, Montenegrin
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    Yes
  • Can minor children naturalize?
    Yes, minor children naturalize along with parents
  • Can naturalized parents pass citizenship to a child born abroad?
  • Can you lose naturalization due to prolonged absence/ naturalization elsewhere?
Naturalization - Your Spouse is a Citizen
  • Living IN the country: Residency/marriage requirement
    5 years / 3 years
    Must be married for 3 years, and reside in the country for 5 years.
  • Living ABROAD: Marriage requirement
    Not allowed
  • Language test
    No
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    No
Naturalization - Other Beneficial Provisions
  • Your child is a citizen
    No provisions
  • Citizens of specific countries
    No provisions
"–": The provision has not been analysed.
Visas and Residencies
Visas and Residencies
Taxation
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Taxation Type
    Residence-based
A tax resident of a country with a RESIDENCE-BASED tax system pays taxes on their WORLDWIDE income. However, if you lose tax residency status there (e.g., by moving out), the country will generally stop taxing you.

Starting in 2022, the top income tax rate of 15% is applied for annual personal incomes of €12,000 and over. Corporate tax and most other types of personal taxation (dividends, interest, etc.) are taxed at a flat 9%.
Schiff Sovereign's Take on Montenegro
Lord Byron once famously proclaimed when visiting Montenegro: “At the moment of birth of our planet, the most beautiful meeting of land and sea was on the Montenegrin coast.”

Eat your heart out, Italy, France and Greece: the Balkan country of Montenegro, while only the size of Connecticut, packs more beauty-per-square-meter into its topography than perhaps any other country in Europe.

And while an occasional visit to the UNESCO-designated Bay of Kotor can indeed be very rewarding, we think that planting flags elsewhere in the country can make a lot of sense too.

Retirees, location-independent employees and business owners should all put Montenegro on their shortlist of countries to consider for relocation.

Here are the main reasons why we like Montenegro:

  • It is exceptionally tax-friendly (boasting a flat 9% tax on most types of income).

  • It has a low cost of living – about a third cheaper than neighboring Croatia.

  • It offers a mild Mediterranean climate.

  • It is quickly developing its tourism amenities and infrastructure.


Also, the country is on its way towards joining the European Union, which can be a plus or a minus for you, depending on your views on the EU. (And in any case, these things are never guaranteed).

And most importantly, Montenegro allows you to become a citizen near-instantly through its Citizenship By Investment (CBI) program.

But you need to hurry: The government recently confirmed that the program will be shut down at the end of 2023. So if you’re considering applying, there is no time left to procrastinate.

Also, we are happy to report that you can become Montenegrin via this program for cheaper than anyone else in the world, thanks to the steep provider discounts we negotiated for our Total Access members.

So if you are considering Montenegro’s (or any other) CBI program, you will definitely do yourself a favor by joining Total Access. The discount you will receive will either be equal to, or exceed the price you will pay for the membership. 

But if you are not ready to write the check just yet, know that there are also much cheaper (in fact, free) ways to become a Montenegrin resident and start living there like a local. 
Schiff Sovereign's Rolodex
Service Providers available in Montenegro
  • Immigration (residency, citizenship)
  • Tax advice (attorneys and/or accountants)
  • Corporate services (company formation, etc.)
  • Real Estate (agents, lawyers)
  • Citizenship by Investment
Obtain access to our Rolodex by signing up for Sovereign Confidential Join Sovereign Confidential Today

Sovereign Global Explorer

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Montenegro Overview
  • Region
    Europe
  • Capital City
    Podgorica
  • Largest City
    Podgorica
  • Currency
    Euro
  • Languages
    Montenegrin, Serbian
  • Population
    621.3 thousand (169th)
  • Life Expectancy
    76.6 years (101st)
  • GDP (Nominal)
    $6.1 billion (160th)
  • GDP/Capita
    $9,861 (90th)
Useful Data
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Cost of Living
    Very cheap (2/7)
  • Climate
    Comfortable (2/5)
  • Safety
    Very Safe (2/7)
  • Pollution
    Clean (2/5)
  • English Proficiency
    Low (4/5)

Sovereign Global Explorer

Benefiting from over a decade of our team’s boots-on-the-ground experience, Global Explorer is where your international journey begins.

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