I’ll tell you right away about visa to Montenegro: is it necessary for EU citizens or holders of Schengen visas – the answer is no, it is not required. Citizens of these countries can stay in the country for up to 90 calendar days. It seems that everything is simple, and the issue is closed, but read on and you will find out the subtle points and nuances about visas and entry rules. It will be interesting and useful.

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Visa to Montenegro
It looks like a stamp that will be put in the passport when entering the country

Visa to Montenegro for EU citizens, holder of Schengen visas, US, UK, Australia citizens

At the moment, the terms of a visa-free stay in Montenegro for citizens of different countries are slightly different. Now I will tell you more.

  • If you are a citizen of an EU country, then there are two options:
    • if you are traveling with an ID card, then without a visa you can stay in Montenegro for up to 30 days,
    • but if you are traveling with your passport, then Montenegro will accept you as a guest for up to 90 days.
  • Citizens of the UK, Republic of Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia also don’t need visa to Montenegro and can stay in Montenegro for about 90 days with a passport (not an ID card).
  • Citizens of any country in the world can visit Montenegro without a visa for up to 30 days if they have a visa in their passport issued by Ireland, any Schengen country, the UK or the USA, or they are residents of these countries.

If your trip around the country will be longer than 30/90 days, then you need to obtain a tourist visa to Montenegro at the Embassy of Montenegro. And if there is no diplomatic or consular representation in your country, then at the nearest consulate of Serbia, Bulgaria or Croatia (depending on the country).

But today, few people receive a tourist visa to Montenegro, since it is much easier to use a visa run. What is it, I will tell below

Visa to Montenegro: entry requirements and documents

Everything is simple here. To enter Montenegro, only one document is required: a passport or ID card (for some countries).

FYI

The validity of the document (passport) must be at least 3 months from the end date of the trip.

And here there may be some options: you enter the country 3.5 months before the expiration of your passport. And they give you a visa for a month, and when it ends, the validity of the passport will already be less than 3 months. In this case, passport control officers may ask for additional documents. Also, these documents may be asked from you if you are suspicious of border guards or customs officers.

Here is a list of optional documents, but they may or may not be required:

Montenegro has a so-called tourist tax. It ranges from 1 to 3 euros per day for each tourist, depending on the region of the country. On average 2 euros

This tax must be paid by the hotel or apartment owner: the one who accommodates you as a guest, and register you in a special local resource. For the tourist, it all goes unnoticed. All we will notice is +2 euros per night for each person, no matter where, on which website you booked accommodation.

If you have a package tour to Montenegro, then the tax will most likely be already included in the tour price. If you are an independent traveler, then at each check-in, a tax will be added to the price.

For example: 2 people stayed in Kotor for 3 nights. Get ready to pay extra 12 euros

Do not be surprised when you travel around Montenegro and in every accommodation you will be asked for passports or IDs of all guests. The laws require it.

And all about tours to Montenegro, prices, where to book, tips, read the article at the link.

montenegro without a visa
These receipts are usually given as proof of tax payment. But in the current 2022, more often they do not give than give.

Visa run in Montenegro: how it works

Briefly for those who do not know. The concept of “visa run” came from Southeast Asia: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia. There have always been many tourists who came to the country for 4-6 months, but visas in these countries are usually issued for 1 month.

Visa Run literally means “to run for a visa.” If the visa laws of the country allow, then you can leave for 1-3 days to a neighboring country and come back again, then you will be given a visa again for 30 days.

Montenegro is just the country where the “visa run” works.

It is enough to leave the country for at least a day, and upon return you will again receive a stamp in your passport with the right to stay for 90 days. Therefore, today few people receive a tourist visa to Montenegro. If you need to stay in the country longer, it is easier to go to a neighboring country.

Most often travel to Serbia by bus or car.

But the fastest (and cheapest) way to Albania: from Podgorica to the border with Albania, about 25 minutes by car.

  • Read everything about the neighbors of Montenegro, the border and much more in the article: Montenegro on the map.

Import and export limits or how much cigarettes and alcohol can be imported into the country

You can import into Montenegro:

  • Cigarettes up to 200 pieces.
  • Tobacco up to 250 gr
  • Cigars and cigarillos up to 50 pieces
  • Alcohol 1l + 2l wine
  • It is allowed to import medicines for personal use. To the usual analgin, aspirin, there will be no questions. But if you have special medicines, it is better to have a prescription. It is not necessary to translate it, since all recipes are filled in Latin.

But what can not be exported from Montenegro:

  • Antiques
  • Golden coins
  • Valuable art objects
  • Ancient icons
  • Raw gold
Alcohol, food, meat – can be exported in any quantity. Here it is important to remember the import standards in your country, for example, up to 4 liters of still wine can be imported into the EU, and 16 liters of beer (more than 0.5% ABV), and 1 liter of alcohol > 22% ABV or 2 liters of fortified or sparkling wine.

I am often asked about the export of art and antiques, how it is checked at the border. If you bought an ancient amphora in the market or in a stall on the promenade, you can safely take it out of the country. In 99.999%, you bought a fake. The same goes for icons, etc.

entry rules to Montenegro
You can make a “visa run” even on such a propeller-driven aircraft. 40 minutes and you are in Belgrade, although it is more expensive.

Tips to travellers: do you need a visa to Montenegro

To summarize, everything is simple:

  • You need a passport with a validity of more than 3 months on the end date of the trip
  • If you are going to the country for a longer time – use a visa run to Albania or Serbia. I know that people live almost a year in Montenegro.
  • There are problems with the Internet at the airport, print out your accommodation reservations, they can come in handy
  • Make copies of your passport, a useful thing on any trip
  • Pros and cons of Montenegro for tourists

I also recommend reading a very short article about time in Montenegro. You will find out not only what time zone, but how punctual the locals are, the opening hours of shops, banks and much more.

In conclusion: the answer to the question of whether citizens of the EU and others need a visa to Montenegro is simple: a visa to Montenegro is not needed, a stamp is placed upon arrival if your vacation lasts less than 90 calendar days. Moreover, it is enough to leave for one day to any neighboring country and return back, and you will be given a new stamp in your passport for another 90 days.

Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Montenegro

  • Flights at the best prices with discounts
  • Car rental in Montenegro (cheaper – only by bus):
    • Discovery Cars – a large international resource
    • LocalRent – work with local rental companies. Leader in car rental in Montenegro.
  • Hotels and apartments all over the country: Booking
  • Tours, excursions and activities (including extreme ones):
    • GYG – more than 150 tours
    • Viator – 700+ excursions and activities throughout the country
  • Comprehensive travel insurance: EKTA
  • eSIM virtual sim card with internet in Montenegro
  • Taxi and transfers from Montenegro airports: Intui.Travel