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According to “Serbian Economist”, Montenegro’s Ministry of the Interior stated that approximately 80% of foreigners who attempted to obtain or regularize their stay in the country over the past two months had abused immigration procedures.

This was announced on October 30 by Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson Dragan Dašić on state television. According to him, in the last month alone, a large number of new companies were registered in Montenegro, which were likely created primarily to provide foreigners with grounds for residence.

Now, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the police and the Tax Administration, will investigate all recently registered companies, as well as the circumstances surrounding the issuance of residence permits through them.
Why is this happening right now?

Starting November 1, 2026, Montenegro will require visas for citizens of five countries: Russia, Turkey, Belarus, China, and Saudi Arabia.
Therefore, it can be assumed that a significant portion of the new applications for residence permits come from citizens of Russia and Turkey, who make up two of the country’s three largest foreign communities.

Obtaining a valid residence permit allows one to live in Montenegro and return there without applying for a separate visa. However, registering a company does not in itself guarantee the issuance of a residence permit.

Dašić emphasized that foreigners with valid temporary or permanent residence permits will not face restrictions on entry or exit.
How many foreigners live in Montenegro?

According to September data from the Ministry of the Interior, published by the Center for Civic Education, 69,945 foreign citizens held residence permits.
Main groups by citizenship:
Russia — 17,907 people
Serbia — 15,287
Turkey — 10,600
Bosnia and Herzegovina — 3,801
Kosovo — 3,139
Albania — 3,064
Azerbaijan — 2,552
Ukraine — 1,614
North Macedonia — 1,174
Germany — 1,093
Thus, citizens of Russia and Turkey together account for about 41% of foreigners in these statistics, and when Serbs are included, the three largest groups account for nearly 63%.

Citizens of the five countries listed above are required to apply for visas in advance. The consular fee is 35 euros, and the standard processing time is 10 days.

Exceptions are provided, particularly for holders of certain valid foreign visas and residence permits.

For Montenegro, this is a significant change in migration policy that may affect the real estate market, business registration, and tourist flows.