According to Serbian Economist, Montenegro is tightening the requirements for obtaining and extending temporary residence permits (TRPs) for foreigners on two popular grounds: property ownership and business management. The law on amendments to the Law on Foreigners has been published in Službeni list Crne Gore (No. 3/2026).
In the parliamentary amendments that became part of the final text, the minimum ‘cost’ of a property for a residence permit on the basis of real estate ownership is set at no less than €150,000. The decision of the tax authority (the basis for property tax) is indicated as confirmation, and the rule does not apply to citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
It is noteworthy that the government’s initial proposal set a higher threshold of €200,000 and was linked to the tax authority’s assessment; it was this level that had previously sparked debate in the business community and among real estate market participants.
The authorities have reformatted their approach to extending residence permits for entrepreneurs and executive directors. The relevant parliamentary committee noted that the government had made amendments removing the requirement for Montenegrin citizens to be employed as a condition for extension and replaced it with the need to provide proof of paid tax obligations in the minimum amount of €5,000 per year.
The ‘real estate – residence permit’ link remains in place, but there is now a clear price filter that may shift demand to properties priced at €150,000 and above, especially in coastal and central municipalities. At the same time, the risk of imbalance for the north of the country, where prices are lower, was previously highlighted in parliamentary discussions as a sensitive issue for the regions.
For small businesses, the new model looks more predictable: instead of formal hiring, a measurable criterion of ‘taxes not less than €5,000’ is introduced, which potentially lowers barriers for companies without the need to expand their staff, but strengthens fiscal discipline.
Reference: the government explained the package of amendments as necessary for further alignment with EU migration regulations.
