Why do you need a Montenegro Visa?
Breath-taking mountainous views, beautiful beaches lined with pristine sand, hospitable locals who have nothing but love and food to give. What could be better? Montenegro offers these and many more.
Situated in the south-eastern parts of Europe, this Balkan country finds itself between Serbia and the Adriatic Sea. In recent times, Montenegro has been on the lips of travelers from all over the world; their words sing praises of this beautiful place. Hence, it is emerging as one of the “must visit” travel destinations in the world at the moment.
Suppose you hope to experience the fascinating scenery from Montenegro’s coastlines or its exotic resorts and cities filled with loving people. Read on; this write-up is for you.
Eligibility for Montenegro visa
Like other countries around the globe, Montenegro also permits citizens from certain countries to come into her territory without a visa. Nationals of the European Union are allowed into Montenegro for 30days if they a valid national ID with them, but if they possess a passport, the duration is extended to 90days. To know if your country is permitted to visit Montenegro without a visa, check here.
Take note that if you visit without a visa and you are not staying at a registered tourist lodging or a hotel, you must visit a police station to register your arrival.
Types of Montenegro Visa
- Visa for Tourists
People visiting Montenegro for its tourist attractions can apply for this visa. It offers its holders a duration of 90days to explore the Montenegrin lands. You can apply for this visa if you wish to visit friends and family over there.
- Visa for Business purposes.
A lot of Montenegro visa applications are usually for tourism. But, there is also an option for those that want to visit the country for work or business purposes. For this to happen, the applicants need to have the organization or company they’ll be working with communicate with the Montenegrin consulate about their purpose of visit and the duration of their stay. This should be sent through a letter, which will be reviewed by officials.
- Visa for Students
For individuals trying to pursue higher education in Montenegro, this type of visa is issued. This gives the holder rights to temporarily immigrate to the country during the entire period of study. More information on this will be provided in the following paragraphs.
Montenegro Visa Application Process
At the moment, online applications for Montenegro visa is not available. However, listed below are general guidelines of steps that should be taken?
- Based on your purpose of visit, determine the type of visa you need.
- Contact the nearest Montenegrin consulate or diplomatic missions in your country of residence.
- Get and fill all relevant application forms from the embassy. All mandatory fields should be filled.
- Acquire relevant paperwork for your application
- Pay the fees required to process the application.
- Get a date for your interview.
- Go for the interview with the requested paperwork.
- Patiently wait for a feedback.
General paperwork needed for Montenegro visa application
Documents required by the Montenegrin embassy may differ based on your purpose of visit. The embassy may also request additional documents. Here’s a list of standard documents requested for a visa application.
- Documents for travel such as a valid passport is required. This document should be valid for three months beyond the expected date of return.
- A 35×45mm color photo is required. The scenery (background) of the image must be plain.
- Evidence stating your purpose of the visit is needed. This could be in the form of an invitation letter or any other legally acceptable paper justifying your reason for visiting.
- Provide evidence that you have secured accommodation for yourself during your stay in the country. You can provide receipts obtained from hotels or other accommodations reserved.
- You are expected to have the means to sustain yourself throughout your stay in the country. Also, it would be best if you had a means of returning to your home country. Financial statements are required for this.
- Due to unforeseen medical emergencies, it is expected that the traveler has a health insurance plan to take care of medical bills during his/her stay in Montenegro.
- Also, you need to provide evidence that all fees for processing the visa have been paid.
For details on Montenegrin embassies in your location, click here.
Obtaining a Montenegro student visa
Over the years, more people have moved to Montenegro to pursue higher degrees. Good living conditions and friendly visa policies for students; are some reasons why people choose Montenegro. With your student visa in hand, you are allowed to live, get employment, and study in Montenegro.
However, you must first meet the following demands:
- You must provide evidence that you have been offered admission into a known educational institution to pursue a full-time course.
- Applicants must have proof of financial sustenance, which will cover his/her entire duration of the study.
- Candidates must proof of tuition fee payment.
- Proof of health insurance coverage for the candidate must be provided. This is required in the event of medical emergencies or sudden illness.
- At the end of the course duration, candidates must be willing to return to their respective countries of residence.
Basic procedures for studying in Montenegro
To be issued a Montenegrin student visa, you need to first send an application to a recognized institute of learning in Montenegro. If your application is successful and accepted into the school, you can apply for a visa if you are not from a visa-exempt zone.
To study in Montenegro, is it required of you to:
- Get a Montenegro study visa to gain access to the country.
- Make sure you enter the Montenegrin territory through legal ports of entry.
- A valid passport must be provided for the immigration officer (s) at the entry port to see.
- State your reasons for visiting the country and mention the educational institute where you will getting training during your stay in the country.
After completing the application process and submitting, candidates are expected to wait for a duration of 2-15days. During this period, the application will be processed. If successful, the candidate will be called to pick his/her visa.
It should be noted that the average time taken to process an application depends on the Consulate/Embassy the application was sent to. Due to certain factors, some embassies may take a long time while others may take a shorter time to process an application.
Cost of processing application
After applications are completed, it is required that the applicant pays specific fees. Please contact a Montenegrin embassy or diplomatic mission in your country of residence for information regarding fees payable for a Montenegrin visa.
Covid-19 Guidelines for Montenegro
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, strict travel restrictions were imposed in Montenegro. Although there seems to be a decline in the number of new covid-19 cases, the country is not fully open to receive visitors.
However, if you are a Montenegro citizen in another country, you are allowed to return to Montenegro.
The following guidelines apply:
- There have been less than 25 confirmed cases from 100,000 persons tested for persons coming from a country with a low spread. Self-isolation or quarantine is not necessary for individuals or groups coming from this low activity zone.
- In a situation where the traveler comes from a zone where there has been high Covid activity; more than 25 confirmed cases out of every 100,000 persons tested. Persons coming from this zone are required to self-isolate. During this time, a Covid test is carried out, and the quarantine measure is revoked after 14days if the result comes out negative.
Frequently asked Questions
How long does it take to process a Montenegro visa?
Visas at the Montenegrin embassy typically take, at most, 15days to process. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the time taken can span longer. It all depends on the consulate an application is sent to and several.
When should I apply for my visa?
It is advisable that you apply for your visa one or two months before your intended date of travel. This will give the consulate enough time to process and send relevant details back to you in time.
How long am I permitted to stay in Montenegro with my visa?
Within a window of six months, you are permitted 90days to roam free in Montenegro. Extending your stay beyond this date leads to the visa validity being violated. You should ensure you avoid this.
Do citizens of the United States need a visa to visit Montenegro?
As a US citizen with a valid passport, you are eligible to visit Montenegro visa-free. But individuals resident in the US will require a visa to visit Montenegro.
Do citizens of the United Kingdom need a visa to visit Montenegro?
As a citizen of the United Kingdom with a valid passport, you can visit Montenegro visa-free. But individuals resident in the United Kingdom will require a visa to visit Montenegro.