The Montenegrin government adopted a decree amending its visa regime on July 23, 2026. The main goal of the move is to harmonize the country’s legislation with EU standards as it progresses toward full membership in the bloc.<\/p>\n
The introduction of visas will allow Montenegro to meet key requirements under Chapter 24 of its accession talks, Justice, Freedom and Security, and fulfill core commitments under its Reform Agenda.<\/p>\n
Which countries will be affected?<\/p>\n
The new rules will apply not only to Russian and Belarusian citizens. Montenegro is introducing visa requirements for all countries whose entry rules were previously not aligned with EU policy.<\/p>\n
Starting November 1, 2026, citizens of five countries will need visas to enter Montenegro:<\/p>\n
Russia;
\n\tBelarus;
\n\tChina;
\n\tSaudi Arabia;
\n\tT\u00fcrkiye.
<\/p>\n
How visas will be issued<\/p>\n
To process applications, Montenegro is expanding its network of visa application centers in partnership with international service provider VFS Global. During the first phase, applicants will be able to submit documents through visa centers in:<\/p>\n
T\u00fcrkiye, the UAE, and Russia;
\n\tIndia, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan.
<\/p>\n
The network will later be expanded to Belarus, China, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Nepal, and the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Montenegro is also developing a Visa Information System compatible with EU databases and Schengen standards. In the future, this will enable the launch of electronic visas (e-Visas) and allow applicants to submit documents online.<\/p>\n
Polish ministers Rados\u0142aw Sikorski and Marcin Kierwi\u0144ski backed an initiative by 11 countries calling on the European Commission to tighten the issuance of Schengen visas to Russian citizens.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Estonia urged EU member states to permanently bar Russian military personnel who took part in the war against Ukraine from entering the Schengen Area. Prime Minister Kristen Michal said such individuals could pose a security threat to Europe as a whole.<\/p>\n