Montenegro aligns with EU rules with new visa policy

Montenegro aims to join the European Union by 2028, targeting formal entry as the 28th member state with a current roadmap driven by the Council of the EU Irish Presidency. Such a move requests the adoption of many rules already in force in the European Union. That includes visa conditions.

Montenegro visa policy will then consequently change from 1 November 2026. From that date, nationals of Belarus, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey will require visas to enter the country.

The government adopted amendments to the national visa regime on 23 July 2026. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the decision on 27 July. The decision fullfils a closing benchmark under Chapter 24, which covers justice, freedom and security.

It also meets a commitment included in Montenegro’s Reform Agenda. According to the government, the measure created the conditions for the disbursement of approximately €4 million through the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

However, flexibility to apply has been increased for all travellers requested to get a visa prior to arrival. Applications will no longer be restricted to the country’s diplomatic missions and consulates.

Through cooperation with VFS Global, travellers can submit applications at visa application centres in India, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Russia. Additional processing centres are planned for Armenia, Bahrain, Belarus, China, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Uzbekistan.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also developing a new Visa Information System with e-visa facilities. The system will be interoperable with EU information platforms and aligned with Schengen security standards. However, this e-visa system will not become available when the new entry rules take effect in November.

In 2025, Montenegro recorded 2,728,564 tourist arrivals and 15,367,166 overnight stay. Foreign visitors generated 95.8% of total overnight stays. Russia will be the most affected inbound market by the new rule. In 2025, it was Montenegro second-largest source market by overnight stays with a market share of 16.4% , just behind Serbia. by comparison, Turkish visitors represented only 4.3% of all foreign overnight stays during the same year.