Visa types and how to apply
Montenegro issues three types of visa: A, C and D. Here is what each visa allows, what documents you need and where to apply.
On this page
Types of visa
| Visa | Purpose | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| A — airport transit | Change of plane without leaving the international transit area | Transit area only; a multiple-entry visa is valid up to 6 months |
| C — short stay | Tourism, business, personal or other purposes | Up to 90 days in any 180 days; one, two or multiple entries |
| D — long stay | Study, research, medical treatment, use of own property, religious service, volunteering in the European Volunteer Service, digital nomads | More than 90 days, up to 6 months in a year |
A visa does not give the right to work. For work you need a residence and work permit — see temporary residence.
A visa does not guarantee entry. The border police check your documents and can refuse entry or shorten the validity of your visa, for example if you do not have enough money or you have already stayed 90 days in the 180-day period.
Who needs a visa
Citizens of the EU member states, the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, Serbia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the other countries listed in Article 1 of the Decree on Visa Regime do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days. Check your country on the visa check page.
From 1 November 2026 citizens of Belarus, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye need a visa. Earlier, visa-free entry ended for Armenia, Egypt, Kuwait, Uzbekistan (October 2025) and Azerbaijan (January 2026). The Government adopted the amending decree on 23 July 2026. Montenegro has now fully aligned its visa policy with that of the European Union.
Exception: if you hold a valid Schengen visa, or a valid visa of Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, the USA or the UK, you can enter Montenegro without a Montenegrin visa for up to 30 days, and at most until the visa expires if it is valid for less than 30 days. The same applies to holders of a residence permit of a Schengen country or of those countries, or of an APEC business travel card.
Where to apply
You apply in person at a Montenegrin embassy or consulate. In justified cases the mission can accept the application without your visit, but you must come in person when the visa is issued.
You can also apply through VFS Global visa application centres. Centres work in India, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates and Russia. Centres in Pakistan, China, Armenia, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Belarus, Nepal and Uzbekistan are planned.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is building a new Visa Information System, interoperable with the information systems of the European Union. Its ultimate objective is an e-Visa system for online applications. When you submit the application, the mission takes your photo, the fingerprints of ten fingers and a digitised signature. It does not take the fingerprints and the signature from children under 12.
List of embassies and consulates: gov.me — diplomatic missions.
Documents for a C visa
- Completed and signed visa application form ("Zahtjev za vizu", Obrazac 1).
- Passport valid at least 3 months after your planned departure from Montenegro.
- One colour photo, 35 × 45 mm.
- Proof of purpose: a guarantee letter from a natural person, or an invitation letter from a legal entity, a Montenegrin state authority or the organiser of an international conference or event.
- Proof of paid accommodation: a receipt for a tourist arrangement, or a paid hotel or other accommodation reservation.
- Proof of money for the stay and the return trip: bank statement, cards, cash or traveller's cheques.
- Return or onward ticket.
- Proof of travel health insurance. It must cover costs that may arise from your return to your country of origin because of health reasons, emergency medical help, emergency hospital treatment or death during your stay in Montenegro.
- Proof that you paid the consular fee.
The mission can ask for other documents about your purpose and your accommodation. Our visa wizard builds a personal checklist for your case.
The Rulebook on visas (Article 13) treats you as having enough money for your stay if you have at least EUR 50 for each day of the requested stay.
Invitation and guarantee letters
For a private or business visit the mission can ask for a letter from your host. A guarantee letter ("garantno pismo") comes from a natural person. An invitation letter ("pozivno pismo") comes from a legal entity, a Montenegrin state authority or the organiser of an international conference or event.
The host confirms that they cover your stay and your departure if necessary. If a guest is expelled and nobody else pays, the person who invited the guest pays the costs of removal. A private person who does not pay can be fined EUR 500 to 2,000.
The guarantee letter must be certified by a competent authority or a notary. As a rule you submit the guarantee or invitation letter in the original.
Fees and processing time
The consular fee is EUR 35 for an A, C or D visa (Law on Administrative Fees, tariff 126). The application itself is free: you pay for the issued visa. Children under 14 with their own passport pay half.
The mission decides within 10 days of the application. When the application needs more checks, the time can be extended up to 30 days. Apply early.
The 90/180 rule
With a C visa or without a visa you can stay up to 90 days in any 180 days, counted from your first entry. When you have used 90 days, you can enter and stay again only after the 180-day period, counted from your first entry, has ended.
The 90 days are days of stay in Montenegro.