According to The Serbian Economist, Montenegro continues to revise its immigration rules as part of its alignment with EU legislation. The government is simultaneously tightening requirements for foreigners obtaining residence permits through real estate and business, but is maintaining a separate mechanism for digital nomads—those who work remotely for foreign companies.
Under current and previously approved changes, a minimum property value of 200,000 euros is being introduced as a requirement for obtaining a temporary residence permit through real estate. Foreigners who already hold a residence permit on this basis will have one year to bring their status into compliance with the new requirements.
For foreigners obtaining a residence permit through their own company, the rules are also becoming stricter. A foreign CEO or owner of more than 51% of the company’s capital must have at least three employees, two of whom must be Montenegrin citizens working full-time.
At the same time, the authorities are not abandoning a separate program for digital nomads. A foreigner who works online for a foreign company or their own company registered outside Montenegro can still apply for a temporary residence permit. To do so, they must provide proof of income, housing, health insurance, and a valid reason for remote work.
This is an important compromise for the country: Montenegro aims to bring its immigration system into line with EU standards while remaining attractive to IT professionals, consultants, entrepreneurs, and other remote workers.
Separately, starting November 1, 2026, Montenegro will introduce a visa requirement for citizens of Russia, Turkey, Belarus, China, and Saudi Arabia. The government explicitly explains this as necessary to fully align its visa policy with the European Union under Negotiation Chapter 24.
Therefore, it can be assumed that maintaining a favorable regime for digital nomads and qualified foreign professionals is intended, in part, to mitigate a potential outflow of Russians and Turks that could occur following the abolition of visa-free entry and the tightening of rules for obtaining residence permits.
The scale of the foreign presence is already very large for a small country like Montenegro. According to data from the Ministry of the Interior as of September 2026, nearly 70,000 foreigners held residence permits.
The largest groups are:
Russia — 17,900 people
Serbia — 15,300
Turkey—10,600
Bosnia and Herzegovina—3,800
Kosovo—3,100
Albania—3,100
Azerbaijan—2,600
Ukraine—1,600
North Macedonia—1,200
Germany — 1,100
Thus, Russians, Serbs, and Turks alone account for about 63% of all foreigners with residence permits in Montenegro. That is why any changes to visa and immigration policies have a particularly significant impact on the real estate market, the rental market, small businesses, and the service sector.
digital nomad, MIGRATION, MONTENEGRO, REAL ESTATE, RESIDENCE PERMIT
On April 15, the Georgian Parliament passed a law in its third reading to introduce a new C5 visa category; the text of the law, published in the Official Gazette, stipulates that it takes effect upon publication.
The new C5 visa will be a multiple-entry short-term visa valid for up to 5 years, granting the holder the right to stay in Georgia for up to 1 year. The visa is intended for foreigners visiting the country for tourism purposes and who are permitted to work only on behalf of a non-resident, provided such work is related to that non-resident’s employment outside Georgia. In essence, this establishes a legal framework for remote work for foreign companies or clients.
The law also explicitly provides for the extension of this visa to the spouse and minor children of the primary applicant. Additionally, the regulations allow for expedited processing of applications by separate government decision.
For the C5 visa and its electronic version via a special website, a fee range of $20 to $500 has been established, but the specific amount must be further determined by a resolution of the Georgian government.
According to the drafters of the law, the new visa is intended as a tool to attract high-income, low-risk foreigners from “safe countries.”
Romania is the most accessible country in Europe for digital nomads, according to a study by Omio. The index looked at the cost of living, rent, visa requirements, and internet access, with interest in remote work across borders growing fast.
Romania ranked first among European countries in terms of accessibility for digital nomads. Its assets include the lowest cost of living (index 37) and favorable rental conditions (index 7), which are significantly lower than in the US (72).
However, to obtain a digital visa in Romania, you need to prove that you have a monthly income of at least £3,700 (~$5,000), which is a high threshold for many freelancers.
In second place is Albania, which has the same low cost of living and rent but a more lenient income threshold (€1,000), although it lags behind Romania in terms of safety and internet speed.
Georgia is one of the leaders in terms of low living and rental costs, but its mandatory income requirement for a visa — around £2,000 — is higher than in Albania.
Hungary also ranks highly in the regional rankings thanks to its fast internet speeds and moderate income requirements for a visa.
Omio’s research confirms Eastern Europe’s status as the most accessible region for digital nomads. Romania leads the way thanks to its favorable combination of cost of living and infrastructure quality. However, visa requirements — particularly the relatively high level of provable income — remain a barrier for effective freelancers with unstable incomes.
