Montenegro: residency, citizenship, tax and living

You can get residency in Montenegro by meeting the requirements for one of the country’s residency programs. In addition to employment and education, you can also secure temporary residency by purchasing real estate in the country, starting a company in the country, and being a digital nomad. After five continuous years of temporary residency, you can apply for permanent residency.

Yes, you can become a resident of Montenegro by purchasing property in the country. The value of the property has to be at least EUR 150,000, based on the local tax agency’s assessment. If you’re a citizen of an EU/EEA country, the minimum value requirement is waived. The residence permit you can get as a property owner is valid for a year and is renewable.

No. Montenegro terminated its citizenship-by-investment program on December 31, 2022. The country hasn’t replaced it with a residency by investment program, but you can still become a resident of the country by purchasing eligible real estate, establishing a company in the country and hiring yourself as a director, or as a digital nomad.

Montenegro uses a residence-based system to determine which income is subject to personal income tax. Individuals who are residents of the country are liable for personal income tax on their worldwide income, while non-residents are only liable for the tax on their Montenegro-derived income. The tax rates range from 0% to 15%.