Is the digital nomad programme limited in time?

According to our information, the programme currently has no end date. Rules can change, so confirm the current conditions before you apply.

Can I work for Montenegrin clients with a digital nomad permit?

The permit is based on remote work for a foreign employer or your own foreign company. Work for Montenegrin clients is not what the permit is for; for that, look at the director route.

Digital Nomad Residence Permit in Montenegro: Rules

Q: Can my family come with me?

Close family members, a spouse and minor children, can join under family reunification.

Who it is for

The digital nomad route is for people who work online for an employer that is not registered in Montenegro, or for their own company registered outside Montenegro. You prove it with an employment contract or other documents that show the remote work for the foreign company.

It is a residence basis for living in Montenegro, not a way to run a Montenegrin business: the work is for the foreign employer, not for Montenegrin clients.

How long it lasts

The permit is issued for up to 2 years.
It can be extended once, for up to 2 more years.
The extension request is filed in person at the Ministry of Interior for your place of residence, no later than 30 days before the permit expires.
After the permit ends, a new one can be requested six months after the previous one expired.

Documents

According to the official government page for digital nomads, the application includes:

a valid passport, valid for at least 3 months beyond the permit period;
proof of accommodation;
an employment contract or other proof of remote work for a foreign company (not registered in Montenegro);
proof of means of support and health insurance;
a criminal record certificate (no unconditional prison sentence of more than 6 months);
a photograph, two fingerprints and a digitised signature, given in person.

The application is submitted in person on the prescribed bilingual form, and the decision comes within 40 days of a proper application. Close family members (a spouse and minor children) can join under family reunification. See the official page (dated 21 August 2023).

If you open a company in Montenegro

Decide before you register. Opening a company while you hold a digital nomad permit implies a later application for a work permit, which is a different residence basis. The digital nomad residence is then lost and all documents are filed again for the new basis. If you want to invoice Montenegrin clients or run a local business, compare the routes first: residence permit routes.

Taxes

Digital nomads may be exempt from Montenegrin personal income tax on income earned from abroad. Ask an accountant about your own case; we explain the options but do not give attorney advice.

What we do

We explain how the route works and what to prepare. If you later decide to open a company, we handle the company, the legal address and the accounting. We are an accounting firm, not a law firm.

Last reviewed: 3 October 2026. Official source: digitalnomads.gov.me. Rules change; we confirm the current ones for your case.

Digital nomad residence permit in Montenegro