Entry rules at the border
Bring a valid travel document. The visa rules set who may enter without a visa and for how long. The border police refuse entry if you do not meet the conditions.
On this page
Travel document and validity
A foreign travel document is valid for entry if two conditions are met:
- It was issued in the last 10 years.
- It does not expire for at least 3 months after your planned departure date from Montenegro.
In a justified urgent case the validity may be shorter. The document may not expire before your planned departure date.
Visa-free entry and stay
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets the visa rules. The table shows the main cases. For your own country, check the visa page of the Ministry and read Visa types.
| Who | Document | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Citizens of EU states | Valid passport | up to 90 days |
| Citizens of EU states | Valid ID card | up to 30 days |
| Citizens of Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Serbia, the Holy See and Switzerland | Valid ID card issued by their own authority | up to 30 days |
| Citizens of states that signed the Western Balkans Freedom of Movement Agreement | Valid personal document | up to 90 days |
| Citizens of the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Turkey, Ukraine, Israel, Serbia, Georgia and many European states named on the visa page | Valid travel document | up to 90 days |
| Citizens of Russia, Belarus and Peru | Valid travel document | up to 30 days |
These rules cover entry, transit and stay.
Visa or residence permit from another country
You may enter, transit and stay up to 30 days if you hold a valid foreign travel document and one of these:
- A valid Schengen visa.
- A valid visa of Australia, Bulgaria, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Romania or the USA.
If the visa is valid for less than 30 days, you may stay only until the visa expires.
The same 30-day rule applies to holders of a residence permit of a Schengen country, Australia, Bulgaria, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Romania, the USA or the UK, and to holders of an APEC business travel card. If the permit or card is valid for less than 30 days, you may stay only until it expires.
The 90/180 rule
A foreigner who enters without a visa or with a short-stay visa may stay at most 90 days in a 180-day period. The 180 days are counted from the day of first entry. A law or an international agreement can set a different rule.
- After 90 days of stay, you may enter again only after the 180-day period from your first entry has passed.
- The border police refuse entry if you already stayed 90 days in the last 180 days.
- A long-stay visa (D) is for a stay of more than 90 days and up to 180 days in one year, counted from first entry. It is issued for work, for service in foreign diplomatic missions and international organisations, or for digital nomads.
For registration of your stay, see Registration of stay.
What the border police check
Citizens of EU states, and foreigners who enter with an ID card under the visa rules, normally get a minimal check of identity and vehicle. Other persons, and persons who raise suspicion, get a detailed check. In the detailed check the police look at:
- the entry conditions;
- the travel document, for signs of forgery;
- the entry and exit stamps, to find overstay;
- the place of departure and the place of intended stay, with supporting documents if needed;
- the funds for the stay and for the return or onward journey.
The Law on Foreigners and the Law on Border Control (Sl. list CG 12/2018, 3/2019 and 72/2009, 39/2013) do not name a return ticket or an accommodation booking as a mandatory document. They do not set a cash amount for visa-free entry. The amount of at least EUR 50 for each day of stay is a rule for short-stay visa applications.
| Reason for refusal of entry |
|---|
| No valid travel document |
| No valid visa or residence permit where one is required |
| No proof of the purpose and conditions of the stay |
| Already 90 days of stay in the last 180 days |
| Not enough funds for the stay and for the return or onward journey |
| An expulsion measure or entry ban is in force |
| National security, internal security or public health requires it |
The police issue a refusal decision. You can appeal through a Montenegrin embassy or consulate within 8 days. As a rule the appeal does not suspend the decision. The exception is when the police assess a danger to life or freedom in your country of origin.
Transit
The visa-free rules in this guide cover entry, transit and stay. A short-stay visa (C) can also be issued for transit through Montenegro.
Time in the transit area of an airport, or at a port anchorage or mooring, is not entry into Montenegro.