How to get Montenegro citizenship and passport – learn all about it

As years go by, How to get Montenegro citizenship is becoming a more and more frequent question.

There are many reasons why there has been an increase in demand for Montenegrin citizenship and passports over recent months. Montenegro has a lot to offer its citizens – an astonishing environment and surrounding nature, a vivid European lifestyle and easy access to other European countries.

The attractiveness of the Montenegrin coast to foreigners has been recognized by the government, which introduced a special investment program in 2018 with the aim to position Montenegro as the best destination for foreign investment in this part of Europe.

The Citizenship by Investment program allows foreign citizens to obtain a Montenegrin passport with ease and relatively fast by making an investment in the country, giving investors numerous benefits such as tax relief and high-quality Montenegro real estate options for a reasonable price.

In the following post, we will take you through the process and conditions for obtaining a Montenegrin passport. So, if you’re wondering how to get Montenegrin passport and citizenship, look no further – read our article and learn everything you need to know.

The terms and conditions for obtaining citizenship in Montenegro are regulated by the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship ratified by Parliament in 2008.

The present Law allows four cases in which citizenship can be obtained:

• By origin
• By birth on the territory of Montenegro
• By admittance
• Based on international treaties and agreements

While citizenship by origin and birth are the most common ways how to get Montenegro citizenship, one of the latest options introduced is the so-called economic citizenship through the previously mentioned Government programme of Citizenship by Investment.

Applicants can acquire citizenship by investing in one of several government-approved real estate development projects, including purchasing coastal real estate within the qualified projects with a minimum value of €450.000 in the county’s south. One of the fundamental requirements for this program, however, is the prerequisite to prove the origin of your investment money and hold a clean criminal record. All applicants should be prepared to provide all necessary personal documents. Upon completion of these conditions, applications will be processed via one of the intermediaries – three qualified agencies appointed by the government and then evaluated by a government representative.

Article 5 of the Law on Montenegrin Citizenship regulates conditions for acquiring citizenship through Montenegrin origin.

This can be acquired by a child whose both parents are Montenegrin citizens at the time of the child’s birth. However, if only one parent is a Montenegrin citizen, the child has to be born in Montenegro in order to obtain Montenegrin citizenship.

If the child is born in the territory of another state, it has the right to Montenegrin citizenship if one of its parents is a Montenegrin citizen at the moment of the child’s birth, and the other is unknown or stateless.

Article 6 considers some special cases such as adoption etc. 

It may come as a surprise, but being born in Montenegro will not automatically gratify your citizenship. If the child’s parents are unknown, and the child is born or found in the territory of Montenegro, they will have to request Montenegrin citizenship before they turn 18 years old.

If you meet one of the above-mentioned requirements, congratulations! You can submit a request for citizenship in Montenegro. However, there are quite a few demands to fulfil.

You can obtain Montenegrin citizenship if:

• You are over 18 years of age
• You are discharged from the citizenship of another state
• You have a lawful and uninterrupted residence in Montenegro for 10 years, before submitting a request for citizenship
• You have the accommodation and guaranteed source of income in Montenegro that is enough to provide you social & material security
• You have a clean criminal record
• You have a basic knowledge of the Montenegrin language
• You have settled all legal obligations such as taxes before applying

Now, if you’re wondering how to get Montenegro citizenship even if you don’t fulfil all of these requirements, there is still a way to do so. Namely, you can still be granted citizenship if the Montenegrin government recognizes your work in the national, economic, cultural, sports, or scientific fields as a potential interest to the country.

Montenegrin law requires lawful and uninterrupted residence in Montenegro for at least five years with a spouse, to apply for citizenship. However, it is also possible to qualify if you have been married to a Montenegrin citizen for at least three years.

Montenegrin citizenship may be acquired based on ratified international treaties or agreements signed by Montenegro.

The procedure for requesting Montenegrin citizenship may seem complicated, but please don’t feel intimidated. With a couple of exceptions and special cases, getting Montenegrin Citizenship is not a particularly demanding procedure.

To successfully submit your application, you will need to provide some personal documents for yourself and your family members including the following:

• An application form for citizenship
• A notarized passport copy (certified with an apostille)
• An original birth certificate/extract
• An original marriage certificate/extract
• A health insurance policy, valid in Montenegro
• A medical report, assessing your health for infectious diseases
• A document proving the origin of funds for your investments and fees

After you submit your application, an official government agent will evaluate and determine whether you are a suitable candidate for Montenegrin citizenship.

If you’re contemplating how to get Montenegro citizenship, or even if it’s worth all the work, you should know that there are many positive aspects to being a citizen of Montenegro and holding a Montenegrin passport. Since the declaration of Independence, Montenegro has been transitioning to a market system based on financial investments, especially in the real estate and tourism sector.

The country’s economy has seen steady growth, and the economic citizenship program concluded the government’s efforts to attract foreign investors and further consolidate the Montenegrin economy.

With a relatively stable economy, and its incredible environment and position, Montenegro has a lot to offer to its tourists as well as its residents.

Even though it is one of the smallest countries in Europe, Montenegro has an enviable strategic geographical location with direct access to the Adriatic Sea.

Along with a Montenegrin passport, as a citizen of Montenegro, you will have excellent global mobility with visa-free access to 124 countries.

Porto Montenegro is one of the world’s finest superyacht marinas and residential villages which further contributes to the mobility and possibility to travel & visit neighbouring countries.

Having all this in mind, it is clear that you should not ask yourself if you should become a Montenegrin citizen, but rather how to get Montenegrin passport and citizenship.

Known for its natural beauty, situated between sea and mountains, with a mild Mediterranean climate, Montenegro gives limitless possibilities for an active and healthy lifestyle. Known best for their hospitality and friendliness, Montenegrins invite you to experience an authentic European lifestyle with vibrant nightlife whilst also enjoying the benefits of low-cost living.

The growing awareness of the importance of quality of life has further positioned Montenegro as one of the best property markets for buyers who prioritize their well-being. So, if you wish to make an investment in Montenegro while also providing yourself and your family a place to spend a life that will bring you well-being, Montenegro is a good place to do so.

The property market in Montenegro has been known as a stable investment for years, with numerous taxes and other reliefs attracting foreign investments. Montenegro provides high-quality and luxurious real estate for reasonable prices so it should come as no surprise that this country has become a choice for many celebrities and renowned businessmen to invest their wealth in.

Buying a property within Porto Montenegro’s residential village gives assurance of safe investment within an array of accompanying benefits such as favourable taxation, a thriving international community and peace of mind. With its newest development, Boka Place, Porto Montenegro now offers an opportunity to also apply for Montenegrin citizenship upon purchase of the real estate in the SIRO hotel-managed complex.

If you’ve been wondering how to get Montenegrin citizenship, we hope our article helped clear your doubts. 

There are more than enough reasons to consider Montenegro as your future temporary residence or place for investment. We strongly recommend seizing this marvellous opportunity to provide yourself citizenship for life, and a life worth living – in the land of Montenegro.

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The information presented above is valid and accurate on the day of publishing this text (30th November 2020). For up-to-date information please check here for official Government resources or visit our Citizenship by investment page.