New opportunities: making Montenegrin citizenship

What are the benefits of Montenegrin citizenship?

For Russians, thoughtful immigration to hospitable and warm Montenegro is an easier task than moving to other European powers. Of course, it will not be able to offer its new subjects the same high standard of living as in Germany or even in neighboring Croatia. But, nevertheless, her citizenship will certainly give immigrants certain advantages that could tip the scales in her favor.

Among the main advantages of obtaining a Montenegrin passport for migrants, we can confidently name:

1. The opportunity to travel to 170 countries of the world, including the entire Schengen area and America, without any visa problems. Montenegrins can stay freely in these countries for up to 3 months.
2. The prospect of gaining EU membership. Montenegro has been an official candidate for accession to the EU for several years now and, according to the Union Commission, has every chance of becoming a member of the community by 2025.
3. Life among Orthodox Christians united in faith, which is very rare, since the population of the vast majority of other states adheres to Catholicism.
4. A healing climate that combines the power of the sea, mountains and unique relict coniferous forests.
5. Carefully preserved ecology.
6. Affordable prices for products, goods, services and real estate.
7. One of the lowest tax rates in the EU.
8. Ease of starting your own business and using the potential of the European sales market.
9. Loyal immigration policy of the state.
10. Investment security.
11. Life is safe.

Is dual citizenship possible between Russia and Montenegro?

Despite the close historical ties between Russia and Montenegro, these states have not officially entered into agreements on dual citizenship. Montenegro does not recognize that its nationals have civil obligations to other states. Therefore, one of the requirements for applicants is a mandatory renunciation of their current residency status.

An exception, effective in 2021, is a specially designed economic citizenship program. It provides for the receipt of a second passport by large foreign investors who are ready to contribute a certain amount of funds to the country's budget. This program is temporary and limited in nature. Its quota is approved by the government and is designed for only 2,000 investors.

In addition to investors, foreigners who have created a family with a citizen of Montenegro, as well as persons who are eligible to obtain resident status due to their personal achievements and services to Montenegro, can have a second passport.

Methods of obtaining

Before applying for citizenship, you must choose the right basis for obtaining it. This will give more chances for a positive resolution of the issue.

Citizenship by birth and descent

The following categories of persons have the right to obtain the status of Balkan citizen by birth:

1. Children found in the country or born on its territory.
2. Children whose parents have died or are foreign nationals.
3. Born in another state, but a citizen of Montenegro.

If we consider the factor of origin, then the following have a chance of being granted official citizenship in the Balkans:

1. Children under the age of majority whose parents have a passport of a citizen of Montenegro.
2. The above children whose father or mother are at least citizens of a Balkan country.
3. If one of the child’s guardians or representatives is a citizen of Montenegro, and the second is stateless.

Attention! If the mother and father live in the country with a residence permit, then their children are not granted the status of citizens. After birth, you are allowed to stay in the Balkans for no more than 3 months. Then you need to apply for a visa to stay.

As a result of marriage

It is impossible to obtain citizenship status immediately after registering a marital relationship with a local resident of Montenegro. But this has the advantage that the minimum period of residence before filing an application is reduced - 5 years. The laws of the country determine equal conditions for residents of any state regarding the issue of obtaining a passport after marriage to a citizen of Montenegro.

The primary ones are:

1. Age of majority.
2. Availability of housing.
3. The minimum period of residence is 5 years.
4. No criminal record.

By naturalization

This concept refers to legal actions whose purpose is to obtain citizenship. The basis for this must be the voluntary desire of the applicant.

Do you want to get EU citizenship in 12 months? Take the free test and find out your chances.

The Balkan authorities have determined the following requirements for persons wishing to obtain citizenship by naturalization:

1. The minimum period of residence in the country is 10 years. Of these, 5 years must pass in a permanent place without moving.
2. An official renunciation of previous citizenship, formalized in writing. The procedure is carried out at the consulate.
3. Passing a local language test. You must present a certificate of completion of the training course. Only in this case will you be allowed to take the exam. If the result is unsatisfactory, retaking is permitted no earlier than a year later.
4. The naturalization method can be used in conjunction with other options for obtaining citizenship: concluding a marriage contract, studying at a university, labor relations by agreement, or investing finances in the economy.

But joint methods do not make the conditions simpler; all requirements remain the same.

For investments when starting a business

The development of Montenegro's economy leaves much to be desired. Therefore, the country's authorities welcome people who wish to make investments, promising them the issuance of a Montenegro passport. This method allows you to attract additional money to the state budget and reduce unemployment.

The procedure for obtaining citizenship determines two ways to invest funds:

1. Opportunity to invest a minimum of 250,000 euros for the development of regions of the Balkans that are lagging behind economically. The scope of work of a businessman is limited only by the conditions of current laws.
2. Infusion of finance in the amount of 450,000 euros to organize businesses in developed areas in the south.

In addition to the specified investment amounts, the person who wishes to obtain citizenship must reimburse the costs of processing documents and processing the application in the amount of 100,000 euros. These funds also imply an investment in the economy. As a result, to create a business in Montenegro with subsequent registration of citizenship, you will need to contribute 350 thousand euros or more.

When purchasing real estate

If a person owns real estate in the Balkans, then he can count on obtaining citizenship. But there are certain requirements for real estate, described below:

1. The property must be registered as the property of the applicant.
2. The apartment or house should not be encumbered with a mortgage or other conditions, for example, by a court verdict.
3. The citizen receives a residence permit, which is renewed annually until the property is sold.
4. Ten years of residence in the country. After this, if you have residential property, you can apply for citizenship.
5. The property must not be less than 40,000 euros.

Getting an education

Persons studying in the territory of Montenegro have advantages in obtaining citizenship. If the place of study provides higher education, issues a scholarship, and the student pays for his studies himself, then as a future specialist he can count on citizenship. In this case, a stay in the country of more than 10 years is required, including study time.

The procedure for submitting and reviewing documents will be simpler, since students speak Montenegrin and do not need testing. The described rules apply only to those persons who study at higher educational institutions.

Ways to obtain Montenegrin citizenship for Russians in 2021

Montenegro adheres to a loyal immigration policy that does not require Russians to obtain a visa for entry and allows them to stay on its territory for 30 days in winter and up to 90 days during the tourist season. However, this hospitality should not mislead those who wish to forever connect their lives with Montenegro and officially obtain citizenship in this state.

The procedure for obtaining resident status is quite lengthy and complex. Currently, the current Law on Citizenship provides a very limited list of grounds for the final stage of legalization:

1. Origin.
2. Birth.
3. Marriage.
4. Naturalization.
5. Refugee.
6. International agreements and services to Montenegro.

Entry to Montenegro

In 2021, entry into this country is visa-free for Russians. It is enough to provide the border guards with a foreign passport - and you can stay in Montenegro for a whole month. If you plan to spend more than 30 days here, you must obtain a special permit, the so-called “white card”. Its cost is 1 euro per day. A visa will be required for a period of one to three months. When her term comes to an end, she will need to leave the country (it’s enough to do this for one day!). Another way to extend your stay in Montenegro is to visit the Ministry of Internal Affairs of this country to extend your visa.

Is it possible to buy a Montenegrin passport

This year, wealthy migrants still have the opportunity to buy so-called economic citizenship in Montenegro. This program is specifically designed by the government to attract significant financial resources and inject them into economically weak regions that need a stimulus for development.

2,000 investors can become participants in the program. Each of them has the right to initiate the acquisition of citizenship for himself and his family members.

The main conditions for Russians to obtain citizenship in the Balkans by investment are:

1. Availability of the required amount.
2. Openness of the source of income.
3. The applicant has no criminal record.

Investors will have to bear the following costs:

1. Contribute 100 thousand euros to the state fund.
2. Purchase any property from the list of properties submitted to the government of Montenegro and approved. The cost of such real estate in the northern and central regions, excluding the capital, is at least 250 thousand euros. For properties in the seaside part or in Podgorica, a wealthy migrant will have to pay at least 450 thousand euros.
3. Pay 10 thousand euros for your own citizenship, 15 thousand for citizenship for family members, and 50 thousand for each passport for citizenship for other relatives.

Investor documents are verified by specialists from a government-accredited agency. If there are no claims to trustworthiness, he will be able to obtain new citizenship within 6 months. At the same time, as an incentive measure, the investor has the right to retain the citizenship of his homeland.

Citizenship of Montenegro when purchasing real estate 2021 – We pay taxes and fees at the time of purchase

Having studied the facts presented above, are you convinced that it is worth obtaining Montenegrin citizenship when purchasing real estate in 2021, and have you even chosen a suitable asset? Great!

But before you take action, find out the answers to a number of important questions. For example, to the question about how high the fees for realtors and lawyers are in Montenegro. What about other costs of purchasing real estate? So, transaction costs, that is, the total cost of buying and selling real estate, usually amount to about 6 - 10 percent of the value of real estate.

The buyer pays a government fee for the transfer of ownership rights in the amount of approximately 3 percent of the value of the purchase and sale agreement for such property. The buyer also bears the cost of notarization of the purchase and sale agreement when transferring ownership of real estate in Montenegro.

Agent commissions range from 3 percent to 6 percent and are typically paid by the seller. The real estate agent's commission is paid by the seller and is typically 3 percent of the purchase price if the basic package is selected.

But in certain situations, individuals or legal entities have access to an accelerated procedure for changing ownership, which lasts only a day or two. The price of the corresponding service is relatively affordable: the amount that agencies charge in this case, as a rule, does not exceed the equivalent of an additional three percent of the total cost of the property.

Although there is no requirement for a potential foreign buyer of property in Montenegro to hire a lawyer, most real estate agents advise doing so. According to them, such a step will save time, nerves and money. Lawyers are hired to prepare the purchase and sale agreement. As a rule of thumb, legal fees typically range from €100 to €300 per transaction. But in some cases, a lawyer’s fee can be about 1000 euros.

As for notary services, as a rule, the fee for certification of an agreement on the change of ownership rights ranges from 70 to 350 euros. Notary fees are about 0.01 percent of the property value. Attestation is mandatory for all sales contracts.

Notary fees. Source: Global Property Guide

Experts recommend that buyers focus on a budget associated with paying for the services of lawyers and realtors, at a level of 4 percent of the purchase and sale price of the relevant real estate property.

It is important to remember that the cost of completing a transaction in the case of a newly built property is much higher, because instead of a tax on the transfer of ownership in such a situation, the authorities charge VAT at a rate of 19 percent of the assessed value of the asset.

Also, in some situations, you will have to pay for the translation of documents necessary for the successful conclusion of a purchase and sale transaction from Montenegrin into a foreign language. In this case, it is necessary to allocate a budget of about 20 euros per page.

Who can be denied Montenegrin citizenship

The Montenegrin authorities may refuse an applicant to obtain the coveted citizenship for several reasons. A Russian citizen will not be able to count on a positive decision if he:

1. Has problems with law enforcement agencies at home or in Montenegro.
2. Did not renounce current citizenship.
3. Provided incorrect information.
4. Tried to falsify documents.
5. He was caught concluding a fictitious marriage.
6. Has outstanding tax debts.
7. Failed to obtain a positive test result for knowledge of the state language of Montenegro.

Consulates of Montenegro in Russia

Due to the regime of free visits by Russians to Montenegro, the visa burden on its diplomatic mission is not so great. Therefore, in Russia this state is represented only by its embassy, ​​which is located in Moscow. The building is located at the address: Mytnaya street, building 3, rooms 23-25. Phone number for information: + 7 (499) 2301865 and + 7 (499) 2301876.

Montenegro did not open additional visa centers and Consulates in Russia. All issues related to the issuance of visas and residence permits are resolved by employees of the consular department of the Embassy.

Unusually beautiful, warm and sunny Montenegro is a desirable place of residence for many Russians. Many of them dream of obtaining citizenship in order to subsequently join the big family of the European Union. Today there are several real ways to obtain the desired status. The main thing is to carefully study the legislation of the country and choose the option that is best suited for a particular case.

Emigration methods

Are you wondering how a citizen of the Russian Federation can obtain Montenegrin citizenship? First of all, to do this, you need to find out for what purpose you want to go to this small but beautiful state. Intentions could be:

• obtaining education, qualifications or a certain specialization;
• unification with family;
• seasonal work in the country;
• refugee;
• buying a property;
• Doing Business;
• relocation on humanitarian grounds.

Of course, these are only the most popular ways to obtain a residence permit and then citizenship. There are much more intentions, all of them are enshrined in legislation and international treaties.