Montenegro Nomad Visa

What is the Montenegro digital nomad visa?

It is a temporary residence permit for digital nomads, created by amendments to Montenegro's Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/18, 3/19 and 86/22). It is not a visa you get before travelling: you enter Montenegro legally first and then apply for the permit inside the country.

The government runs a dedicated portal, digitalnomads.gov.me, which sets out the procedure and links the application form. The detailed conditions are in a Ministry of Interior rulebook on issuing temporary residence permits to digital nomads.

Who can apply for the Montenegro digital nomad visa?

A foreigner who is employed by, or works electronically for, a foreign company, or for their own company that is not registered in Montenegro. Freelancers whose clients are abroad would normally show this through contracts with those clients or with their own foreign company.

The permit is for remote work for employers and clients outside Montenegro. If you want to work for a Montenegrin employer, you need a different permit.

How much income do you need for the Montenegro digital nomad visa?

The official portal says you must prove you have financial means of support, but it does not publish a figure. The exact threshold is set in the Ministry of Interior's rulebook.

Law firm BDK Advokati reported in December 2022 that the rulebook asks for income in the previous year of at least three Montenegrin minimum salaries, which it put at €1,350 at the time. Montenegro's minimum wage has changed since then, so ask the Ministry of Interior for the current amount before you apply.

How long can you stay, and can you renew it?

The permit is issued for up to two years and can be extended once, for up to two more years. That gives a maximum of four years in a row.

You apply for the extension in person, at the office where you live, no later than 30 days before the permit expires. After the four years, you cannot get a new digital nomad permit until six months have passed since the last one expired.

How much does it cost?

The fee is not published on the official digital nomad portal. Ask at the Ministry of Interior office when you book your appointment, and budget for health insurance and a notarised lease on top.

What documents do you need?

When you apply, you must attach proof that you:

• have financial means of support
• have accommodation in Montenegro (BDK Advokati reports that a title deed, a notarised lease or a confirmation from a registered accommodation provider are accepted)
• have health insurance
• hold a valid passport that remains valid at least three months longer than the permit you are asking for
• have not been sentenced in your home country to more than six months in prison for an offence prosecuted by the state, unless the legal consequences have ended
• work for a foreign company or your own company registered abroad, through an employment contract or another document

At the counter, the officer fills in the bilingual Montenegrin and English form with you, and takes your photo, two fingerprints and a digital signature.

How do you apply from Nigeria?

You cannot apply from Nigeria itself. The application is made in person in Montenegro after you have entered legally, so the steps are:

1. Secure a remote job or contracts with clients abroad. Our remote jobs board lists roles open to people in Nigeria.
2. Check with Montenegro's Ministry of Foreign Affairs which visa you need to enter and where Nigerians can apply, as none of the visa application centres the ministry announced in 2026 is in Nigeria.
3. Prepare your employment contract or client contracts, bank statements, health insurance and a police clearance certificate, with translations if needed.
4. Enter Montenegro legally and arrange accommodation with a notarised lease or registered provider.
5. Apply in person at the Ministry of Interior office for the municipality where you live, before your permitted stay ends.
6. Collect the permit card when it is ready (BDK Advokati reports that someone you authorise can collect it for you).

If you apply properly before your 90-day stay ends, you may remain in Montenegro until the decision is made. Our Premium membership includes nomad visa assistance if you would like help with the paperwork.

How long does processing take?

The regional unit or branch of the Ministry of Interior issues the permit within 40 days of receiving a complete application.

Do you pay tax in Montenegro on a digital nomad visa?

The official digital nomad portal does not explain how permit holders are taxed. BDK Advokati reported in 2022 that Montenegro's personal income tax law exempts some foreign residents who earn from clients abroad above a set income level, but we could not confirm the current rule on an official source.

Check your position with Montenegro's Tax Administration and with a tax adviser in Nigeria before you move. This is general information, not tax advice.

Can you bring your family?

Yes. Close family members can join you through family reunification. The portal defines close family as your spouse, your minor children born in or outside marriage, your spouse's children and adopted children under 18.

The rulebook also covers the conditions for issuing permits to a digital nomad's family members, so ask what they need when you apply.

What to know before you move

• Time difference: Montenegro uses Central European Time, the same as Lagos (UTC+1) in winter and one hour ahead in summer, which makes working Nigerian hours easy.
• Visa policy is changing: the government aligned its visa rules fully with the EU in July 2026 and plans an e-visa system, so check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you book travel.
• Currency: Montenegro uses the euro, although it is not in the EU.
• Renting: a notarised lease is one of the accepted forms of proof of accommodation, so ask your landlord about this before you sign.
• Portal age: parts of the official portal were last updated in 2023, so confirm the details at the Ministry of Interior office.

Other remote work options in the region include Croatia and Greece, while Serbia and North Macedonia have no dedicated nomad visa.