On July 23, 2026, the Government of Montenegro adopted the Decree Amending the Decree on the Visa Regime, aligning its visa rules with those of the European Union.
Effective November 1, 2026, nationals of countries whose visa regimes were previously not aligned with that of the European Union (Belarus, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye) will require a visa to enter Montenegro.
Applications for a Montenegrin visa no longer need to be submitted exclusively through Montenegro’s diplomatic and consular missions. Applications may now also be submitted through VFS Visa Application Centers (VACs) in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, India, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates. Further VACs are planned to open in Bahrain, Belarus, China, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Uzbekistan.
This will enable applicants to submit their visa applications at the nearest VFS Visa Application Center, eliminating the need to travel to a Montenegrin embassy or consulate and making the application process significantly more efficient, convenient and accessible.
At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is implementing a new, modern Visa Information System, which will be fully interoperable with the European Union’s information systems and aligned with Schengen security standards.
The ultimate objective of this project is the introduction of an electronic visa (e-Visa) system, which will enable visa applications to be submitted online, ensuring faster processing times and more efficient service delivery for applicants.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news becomes available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.