NEW DRAFT LAW ON FOREIGNERS IN MONTENEGRO – IMPORTANT CHANGE FOR COMPANY OWNERS

GOV of Montenegro has published a draft of the new version of the Law on Foreigners, which has passed the public consultation phase but has not yet entered into force. This document introduces potentially significant changes for all foreign nationals who operate or plan to operate a business in Montenegro through their own companies.

WHAT IS CHANGING?

According to the draft law, stricter conditions are being introduced for the extension of temporary residence permits for foreign nationals who have established companies in Montenegro and are both directors and majority owners (holding more than 51% ownership).

The key change is that, under the proposed law, residence extension will only be possible if the company meets the following conditions:

• Employs at least three full-time workers
• At least one of those workers must be a Montenegrin citizen

This effectively means that company registration alone will no longer be sufficient for legal residence in the country – the company will need to have a real and active business structure, with employees and proof of business activity.

IS THE LAW ALREADY IN FORCE?

No. The law has not yet been adopted and may still change through further legislative procedures and public consultations.

It is important to note that this is only a draft law that is still under review and may undergo modifications before it is officially enacted. Therefore, at this stage, there is no need to make any changes to your business operations until the official version of the law is published. Our team will continue to monitor the process and keep you informed of all relevant updates.

OFFICIAL DOCUMENT

You can view the draft law here:
www.gov.me/dokumenta