Montenegro Citizenship-by-Investment

The Montenegro Citizenship-by-Investment Program was launched by the Government of Montenegro as part of its ongoing efforts to attract foreign direct investment and increase economic activity in the country.

The Montenegro Citizenship-by-Investment Program requires applicants to make a defined economic contribution to Montenegrin society through an investment in an approved development project, and a capital contribution to a fund designated by the government for the advancement of under-developed areas. In exchange, and subject to a stringent vetting and due diligence process, including thorough background checks, applicants and their families are granted citizenship.

Benefits of Montenegrin citizenship

• Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 124 destinations including Europe’s Schengen Area, Russia, and Turkey
• Citizenship in a country that is an official EU candidate country
• Citizenship in a multinational and multilingual European community that enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate, beautiful scenery, and a low cost of living
• Citizenship in a member state of the European Monetary Union, the NATO Alliance, OSCE, and the WTO
• Full citizenship granted to the applicant and included family members
• Political and economic stability, underpinned by a business-oriented government

Requirements of acquiring Montenegrin citizenship

To qualify for the Montenegro Citizenship-by-Investment Program, the main applicant must be over 18 years of age, meet the application requirements, and make the qualifying contributions to the Government of Montenegro. There are two routes to choose from to qualify for the program:

• An investment of EUR 450,000 to real estate projects in the capital of Podgorica or in the coastal regions
• An investment of EUR 250,000 to real estate projects in northern or central Montenegro, excluding Podgorica

In addition, there are government fees of EUR 100,000 per application. This contribution will be directed to a special fund for the advancement of underdeveloped areas.

Procedures and time frame

All applications are submitted through intermediary agents such as TopNation Consulting, which have been officially accredited to the Government of Montenegro for this purpose. Once received by the relevant government department, applications are processed within three months.

Dual citizenship

Successful applicants to the Montenegro Citizenship-by-Investment Program are exempt from the country’s restrictions on dual citizenship stipulated in Article 8 of the law on Montenegrin citizenship. Article 12 of the law states that citizenship may be exceptionally granted to individuals on the basis of special contributions (such as economic interest) to the country, which applies to successful program applicants.