Do I need a passport to enter Montenegro?

Do I need a passport to travel?

A mandatory requirement is to have a valid passport. You won’t be able to go on vacation to Montenegro with a Russian passport.

The passport must be valid for at least 3 months from the date of entry into the country.

If the trip to the country is less than 30 days in winter and 90 in summer, then a visa to Montenegro for Russians in 2021 is not needed .

If the expected period of stay in the republic is more than 30 days, then obtaining a visa permit is mandatory.

But for vacationers in 2021, during the peak holiday period - from April 15 to October 31 - you can stay in the country for 90 days. This is great news for all Montenegro lovers.

According to the law and the concluded agreement, individual entrepreneurs and businessmen who have their own business in this state can also stay in Montenegro for 90 days without a visa.

The right to visa-free entry for 90 days can only be used by those entrepreneurs who regularly visit Montenegro for business or business matters.

The climate of Montenegro is perfect for holidays all year round

Montenegro: visa and how to get it

To obtain a visa to Montenegro, you must visit the Consulate of this country. The cost of registration is 60 euros. Please note that the visa process takes approximately two weeks. Tourists with visas sometimes have to show border guards invitations to the country, rental agreements, or vouchers confirming hotel reservations.

Any citizen wishing to obtain a visa to Montenegro must meet certain requirements. Firstly, his passport must be valid for at least 3 months from the date of return from Montenegro. Secondly, the document must have at least one page on which the stamp will be placed.

To obtain a visa, a citizen must present the following documents:

• 1. Passport.
• 2. A copy of the first page of the passport.
• 3. A questionnaire filled out (in English or Russian) and signed by the tourist personally. It must include his contact information.
• 4. Visa application. It indicates the purpose and duration of stay in the country, residential address, the current date and signature.
• 5. Certificate of employment or bank account statement. The amount required for confirmation is 20 euros per day per tourist.
• 6. Two 3x4 color photographs. They should be taken against a light background.

Registration of tourists in Montenegro

According to current legislation, every foreign national arriving in Montenegro is required to register in the territory of this country and pay the so-called tourist tax (resort fee).

Tourist tax is a payment made directly by tourists for spending a holiday on the territory of the Montenegrin Republic. This fee must be paid. The registration and payment procedure must be completed on the first day of your stay.

If Russian tourists go to Montenegro on vacation as a tourist group, then all registration procedures are entrusted to the travel agency. The same applies if vacationers are accommodated in a hotel. Usually, under such conditions, registrations are handled by the hotel administrator. He collects vacationers' passports and tourist taxes and registers everyone himself.

If the trip to Montenegro is independent and tourists intend to stay in rented apartments, then the responsibility for registration falls on the vacationers themselves. You can get acquainted with the standard of living and prices in this country by following the link.

Registration of tourists in Montenegro

Fines for non-payment of tourist tax

It is worth noting that responsibility for non-payment of the tourist tax lies not only with tourists, but also with the owners of the property where the tourist lives during his vacation. If the owner does not check the tourist’s registration in time, then a fine is imposed on him - from 500 to 3,000 euros in case of absence. A tourist for non-compliance with laws must pay a fine of 60 to 240 euros.

In addition to imposing a fine, for such an innocent, at first glance, violation, a tourist can be deported from Montenegro. But such situations happened extremely rarely.

Step-by-step registration instructions

Step-by-step instructions for registration in the Republic of Montenegro:

1. The first step is to determine the place of residence in Montenegro and take personal data, namely the initials of the property owners and the exact address of residence where the tourist plans to stay.
2. If this data is available, the tourist is required to visit the nearest post office and pay the tourist tax. After payment, the person is given a pinkish cardboard receipt (previously it was white, which is why it got the name “white cardboard”).

   

   In case of problems with registration, contact the nearest Turisticki informativni centar

3. With the issued document, the tourist must visit the tourist office and go through a short registration procedure. After this, the check is collected by the tourist. It must be kept for the entire period of stay in Montenegro. Quite often, police representatives demand its presentation from vacationers.

Tourist tax amount

The size of the tourist tax depends on the city where the tourist comes to vacation. On average it is 1 euro, although in some cities it may be less. Thus, for a holiday in Ulcinj, tourists need to pay only 0.7 euros, and the tourist tax in Herceg Novi is 0.9 euros. The highest resort fees (1 euro) are in such cities of Montenegro as:

• Budva.
• Bare.
• Tivat.
• Kotor

The size of the tourist tax depending on the resort

Tourist tax is not paid:

• Children under 12 years old.
• Disabled people.
• Foreign residents who came to Montenegro for a period of more than 90 days.
• Owners of real estate in this country.

Children between the ages of 12 and 18 must pay half of the resort fee.

Entry rules to Montenegro

For guests from Russia, Montenegro is a visa-free country. But this only means that a tourist can enter the territory simply by presenting his valid passport to the border guards. During his stay in the country, he will have to adhere to the rules established by law. And the main one determines that a tourist can legally vacation in Montenegro for only 30 days.

In addition, visitors should remember the following important points:

1. Within 24 hours after arrival, you must register and pay a tourist tax (tax) to the state budget. The cost of the service is about 1 euro per day per person. There is no fee for children under 12 years old.
2. The absence of a work permit prohibits even temporary employment. Identification of this violation by labor inspectorate specialists threatens to result in serious penalties for the employee and his employer.
3. To stay in the country legally, a tourist must confirm his place of residence in the country. In the cities of the coastal zone during the tourist season, it is enough to simply give the address of the rented apartment. Hotels typically register their guests independently. If we are talking about living in the winter, and especially in the capital, you must present an apartment rental agreement certified by a court or a notary or an extract from the cadastre confirming the presence and address of your own real estate.

Travel over 90 days

If the trip is more than 90 days, then the vacationer will simply need to cross the border of Montenegro and enter back into it. Thus, the person will receive an additional 90 days to stay. In order to get additional days for rest, you can take an excursion trip from Montenegro to Croatia. This border crossing is called a “visa run”.

Businessmen who regularly carry out business activities can also enter for 90 days without first obtaining a permit.

The following can also stay without a visa:

• Persons with a valid visa to the United States of America.
• Persons with a valid visa to the EU republics.
• Residents of Schengen states.

Placing a new stamp gives you the opportunity to stay in the country for another 30 days

Read about the rules of entry into Montenegro for Ukrainians on our website.

How to apply for a visa to Montenegro

After the Montenegrin authorities allowed Russians to vacation in the country for up to 90 days during the tourist season, interest in obtaining visas has decreased significantly. Three-month visas retained their relevance only in winter. And they are interested in those who do not want or cannot cross the border of Montenegro every month in order to once again extend their stay for the next 30 days.

You can get such a visa in Russia. If the trip is needed to meet friends and relatives, you need to receive an invitation from the Montenegrin side. It can be issued not only by citizens of this Balkan country, but also by Russians legally living in it in temporary or permanent status.

For Ukrainians, obtaining a type C visa is not relevant. The agreement between Ukraine and Montenegro provides them with a visa-free entry regime and the right to live in the country for 3 months without reference to the tourist season.

The same rules apply for Belarusians as for Russians. They do not need to apply for a visa to visit Montenegro. They can stay on its territory no longer than 30 days.

Types of visas

According to current legislation, Montenegro issues 4 types of visas to foreign residents:

• Transitnaya A.
• Transit V.
• Tourist S.
• Long term D.

In what cases do you need to apply for a visa to Montenegro? What types of visa permits are there? The answers to these questions are in the following video.

Transit

Transit A ​​is a permit that is issued subject to crossing the Montenegrin border by plane. This visa allows you to stay in the transit zone of the Montenegrin airport, but you cannot leave it.

Transit B is intended for transit by land. It is issued for 5 days.

Tourist

A tourist visa is issued if a tourist intends to stay in Montenegro for more than 3 months, but does not want to use it.

A tourist visa allows you to stay in Montenegro for more than 90 days. The visa is valid for one year.

A tourist visa allows you to stay in the country from 31 to 90 days

Visa category D

A long-term visa is issued only if a person has grounds for a long stay in Montenegro:

• Undergoing treatment.
• Doing Business.
• Education.
• Reunion with family.

This visa is issued for a year with a permitted period of stay from 90 to 180 days per year.

What are the customs regulations in Montenegro?

As in any other country, Montenegro has certain rules that are some restrictions for all persons who are going to visit the country. To complete them, you will at least need the following documents:

• international or Russian driver's license, as well as international insurance, which is called “green cardboard”. This is necessary if the tourist enters the country in his own car;
• return ticket;
• if it is necessary to transport animals, then all vaccination certificates must be present, as well as a veterinary passport;
• a foreign passport, the validity of which should not expire less than 14 days after the end of your stay in the state.

When going through customs, officials may require you to have a hotel reservation or travel voucher. But this is not necessary if the tourist comes on vacation for no more than 30 days. It is prohibited to import any food products into Montenegro.

Speaking about the limit on the import of money, there are no restrictions here. Alcoholic drinks can be imported in a volume of 2 liters if it is wine, and 1 liter if it is vodka or other strong drinks. There should be no more than 50 cigars per person, and no more than 200 cigarettes.

Conclusion

Whether a Russian citizen needs a visa when entering Montenegro in 2021 or not depends on the goals and period of stay in the country. Loyal conditions are provided for tourists here, allowing them to stay in the state for 30 days without a visa.

Traveling with a child

A visa to this country is issued equally for both adults and children. It is worth remembering that Montenegro does not require minors to have their own travel document. If parents have an old-style foreign passport, then a child under 14 years old can simply be included in it.

When registering, the baby’s birth certificate is attached to the main package of papers.

When a minor child enters Montenegro unaccompanied by parents, the accompanying person must have permission to take the child out. This document is required even if the child goes on vacation with one of the parents. The power of attorney must be notarized and contain basic information regarding the duration of stay in the country.

Example of consent to take a child abroad

If the second parent is absent, then to cross the border (with visa-free entry) the parent is obliged to present one of the documents to the border guards:

• Death certificate of the second parent.
• Court decision regarding deprivation of parental rights.
• A court decision regarding the assignment of missing person status to the second parent.

Do you need a passport in Montenegro?

When crossing the Montenegrin border, a Russian is required to present a foreign passport to border guards. The document must have a validity period of 90 days beyond the date of planned departure. This condition should be taken seriously so as not to be denied entry right at Tivat airport, which receives the bulk of passenger planes from Russia.

Border guards put a stamp in the international passport, from the date of which 30 days of free stay in the country are deducted. The document serves to identify a foreigner while in Montenegro. Without a valid passport, entry into the country is impossible.

Documents for obtaining a visa

The standard package of papers for obtaining a Montenegrin visa consists of:

• Copies of the first page of the foreign passport.
• Correctly completed application form.
• Documents that confirm the tourist’s solvency. Such documents may be statements from current bank accounts, letters of sponsorship, or certificates from the place of employment indicating the exact amount of the applicant’s salary. To stay in Montenegro, a person must have an amount of 20 euros in his account for each day he is in this country.

  

  Bank statement

• Documents that confirm the availability of housing in Montenegro for the entire period of a person’s stay in the country. Such documents can be a hotel reservation or a real estate lease agreement, or real estate ownership documents.
• Statements.
• Receipts for payment of consular fees.
• Tickets confirming the applicant’s further departure from Montenegro. Tickets are only required for short-term visas.

To obtain a Montenegrin visa, a health insurance policy is not required. But experts assure that it is better to register it in order to protect yourself on the territory of a foreign state in the event of unforeseen situations and insured events.

Validity period of the passport

A foreign passport is required to cross the border of Montenegro. It is important that this document meets all the requirements presented. One of the main conditions is the validity of the foreign passport, which must be more than 3 months from the expiration date of the entry visa.

Requirements of different countries for the validity period of a foreign passport

The application form is a form for a visa to Montenegro. You can download the application form for a visa to Montenegro here, and here is a sample form.

Filled out in one of two languages:

• Russian.
• English.

Montenegro visa application form

Sample of filling out the application form

Number (to be filled in by the consul)

Date (to be filled in by the consul)

Application form

City, date of application submission Signature

Contact Information

Sample of filling out the application form

Documents for registration

Do Russians need a visa to Belarus in 2021?

The official website of the Montenegro visa center in Moscow provides detailed information about the manufacturing process, cost and required documents to obtain the card.

Important! Through the country's Embassy at MSC, you can only order a tourist visa for a period of no more than 90 days.

To submit an application for provision, you must prepare and submit a package of documents:

• a photocopy of the front page of the foreign passport;
• a correctly completed application form;
• confirmation of housing availability;
• proof of financial solvency;
• statement;
• photocopies of tickets with the date of arrival and departure or reservation;
• 2 color photographs in 3x4 format.

Foreign passports of citizens of the Russian Federation are accepted in the old and new format. It must be valid not only during your stay in Montenegro, but also 3 months later.

Note! The visa application form must be filled out in Russian or English without any blots or corrections.

To confirm the availability of housing, you must provide the embassy with at least one of the following documents:

• hotel or hostel reservation;
• voucher indicating the place of visit;
• a lease agreement concluded with a citizen of Montenegro;
• papers confirming the ownership of real estate;
• an invitation issued by the state (visiting a conference, sporting event, festival or relatives).

To confirm your solvency, you need to have at least 20 euros per adult per day, based on the entire period of stay in the republic. There is no limit for minor citizens. A document proving material support may be:

• statement from the bank;
• income certificate;
• sponsorship, etc.

Although a medical insurance policy is not required for services at local hospitals, it is recommended that you take out insurance to avoid any unwanted difficulties. It is also better to get a return ticket and advance reservation.

Cost of consular fee

The amount of the consular fee for issuing a visa to Montenegro is 62 euros. The consular fee is paid in euros directly at the embassy.

Children under 14 years of age pay a consular fee of 32 euros to obtain a visa.

The consular fee for a long-term visa is 70 euros.

Cost of a visa to Montenegro

Refusal of a visa

The diplomatic mission is loyal to tourists, so refusals of short-term visas are rare.

Possible reasons for refusal to issue a short-term visa:

• Providing false papers.
• Indication of incorrect data in the application form.
• Unconfirmed purpose of visit.
• Unconfirmed place of residence on the territory of Montenegro.
• Insufficient funds.
• The applicant is under investigation.
• The applicant has a criminal record.
• Precarious migration status.
• The applicant, according to employees of the diplomatic mission, may pose a threat to the population of Montenegro.

Refusal to issue a long-term visa is more common due to the fact that a category D visa is the basis for obtaining permanent residence in Montenegro, therefore the diplomatic mission carefully studies all applications. If the purpose of the application for a long-term visa is not specified, then the applicant will be refused.

Which countries most often deny visas to Russian citizens?

It is worth understanding that such permission is difficult to obtain. To complete it, you will need to submit a lot of documents to prove that the person really needs a long-term stay in the territory of Montenegro. For example, if a visa is requested for training, then the Russian citizen will have to present documents that confirm that the applicant is already enrolled in an educational institution.

Subscribe to the Visaasam.ru channel in Yandex Zen

Find out how to obtain Montenegrin citizenship on our website.

Customs regulations of Montenegro

It is allowed to import into the territory of Montenegro:

• Personal items:

1. In the amount of up to 300 euros (if a person crosses the border by land transport).
2. In the amount of 430 euros (if a person crosses the border by plane).

• Coffee in the amount of 1 kg.
• Tea in the amount of 1 kg.
• Cookies in the amount of 1 kg.
• Fruits and vegetables in the amount of 1 kg.
• Still water in the amount of 5 liters.
• Sparkling water in the amount of 2 liters.

  

  Podgorica International Airport, Montenegro

• Tobacco products (optional):

1. Cigarettes in the amount of 200 pcs.
2. Cigarillos in the amount of 100 pcs.
3. Cigars in the amount of 50 pcs.
4. Tobacco in the amount of 250 gr.

• Alcoholic drinks (to choose from):

1. Alcohol over 22 degrees in an amount of 1 liter.
2. Alcohol less than 22 degrees in an amount of 2 liters.
3. Beer in the amount of 2 liters.
4. Fuel in a canister in an amount of no more than 2 liters.

If a person carries cash in any currency in the amount of more than 10,000 euros, then he is required to go through customs through the red corridor and declare the cash.

Prohibited for import:

• Drugs.
• Narcotic substances.
• Toxic substances.
• Explosives.
• Unprocessed gold.
• Pesticides.
• A number of medications.

If crossing the border of Montenegro is carried out by car, then the owner is obliged to pay an environmental fee. Its amount depends on the dimensions of the car and the number of passenger seats:

• 8 seats – 10 euros.
• Machine weight no more than 5 tons – 30 euros.
• Vehicle weight more than 5 tons – 50 euros.
• Truck – from 80 to 150 euros.

Read more about the customs rules of Montenegro at this link.

Countries by entry condition

Many people want to visit Montenegro not only for the purpose of relaxation, but also to visit the surrounding countries. It is known that Montenegro borders on interesting countries where you can buy excursion tours from Montenegro. But many citizens of the Russian Federation do not know which of the closest countries in Montenegro require visas, and which states can be visited simply with a foreign passport.

Conditions of entry into the nearest countries of Montenegro for residents of the Russian Federation:

• Croatia – Schengen visa required.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - you only need a passport.
• Serbia - you only need a passport.
• Kosovo – you need a visa, Schengen is suitable.
• Albania – from April 1 to October 31, visa-free entry for Russians. You only need a foreign passport. At other times, an Albanian visa is required.
• Italy – Schengen visa required.

Montenegro with neighboring countries on the map

Do you need a foreign passport?

A foreign passport is a document that allows you to visit other countries and stay on their territory for a certain amount of time.
In 2021, it serves as an identification document and contains information about the owner. Without it, they will not be allowed into many foreign countries, so for Russians who want to travel, its presence is necessary. As you know, Montenegro has a visa-free regime - a person can stay in the country for up to 30 days. But in order to cross the border, you must have a foreign passport. Without it, you will not be allowed into the resort in 2021.

An equally important question is: is it necessary to apply for a foreign passport for a minor? Some parents believe that to travel with children it is enough to have a column in your document indicating the presence of a child. But this will not be enough to visit Montenegro. Any child from birth is required to have their own foreign passport. Therefore, you should draw up a document not only for yourself, but also for your children.

Another important nuance is that the passport must expire after at least 3 months at the time of leaving the country. This will be carefully checked, so you shouldn't travel if the document is about to expire.