When purchasing residential property, the possibility of obtaining a residence permit is extremely important, as a significant number of private investors expect to stay long-term in the country where they purchase a house or apartment. Although the Montenegrin authorities are very lenient towards Russian tourists, offering them visa-free visits for up to three months in the summer and up to one year in the winter, a residence permit remains a desirable way to legally reside in the country for many citizens. Unlike the vast majority of EU countries, acquiring a residence permit real estate in Montenegro entitles you to a residence permit.
Conditions for obtaining a residence permit in Montenegro when buying real estate
The opportunity to obtain a temporary residence permit from foreigners who own Montenegrin real estate appeared a couple of years ago. Prior to this, the country's legislation for several years after separation from Serbia did not establish the fact of owning real estate as a basis for issuing a residence permit. And for several years now, this opportunity has been realized. To obtain a residence permit in Montenegro (privremenog boravka), the applicant must have real estate of any value in one of the regions of the country. The package of documents is not too large and includes:
– medical insurance for 30 days,
– certificate of good conduct,
– bank statement (confirmation of availability of funds for living expenses)
– copy of passport,
– certificate of ownership (list nepokretnosti),
– receipt for payment of tourist tax for 30 days.
So if you decide to buy house in Montenegro, Having passed the procedure for obtaining a residence permit, you can continue to live in this country all year round without restrictions. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that a temporary residence permit must be renewed annually, and it is extremely difficult to obtain a permanent residence permit (stalni boravak) on the basis of real estate ownership in Montenegro at the moment. However, the state is preparing a law, the entry into force of which is scheduled for the end of 2019, which provides for the granting of citizenship to foreigners in exchange for investments in the country's real estate.
On a note: There's no point in obtaining a residence permit if you don't plan to reside in Montenegro for the majority of your time. This is because, by law, you can't be absent from the country for more than 2-3 months. Specifically, a – permit allows for up to 1 month without notice, or up to 3 months with a police report explaining the reason for your absence. The report must be submitted in advance, before you leave the country. If you're absent longer than that, your residence permit won't be extended for the following year, and you'll have to gather all the necessary documents and resubmit them.
