How to Obtain Citizenship by Investment in Montenegro?

Montenegro has become an attractive route for entrepreneurs, investors, and global professionals in recent years due to its strategic location in the Balkans, candidate status for EU membership, and relatively flexible immigration regime. However, as of 2025, the “citizenship by investment” (CBI) program is undergoing significant changes; official channels indicate that the program has effectively ended, while a lot of information still circulating in the market refers to the old regime.

In this article, we address the issue of obtaining citizenship by investment in Montenegro as of November 20, 2025, within a realistic framework. We provide answers not only to the question of “how can you obtain it?” but also to questions such as “what paths are genuinely open today, what are the risks, and how do you integrate corporate and workforce strategies into this framework?”.

As Corpenza, we provide end-to-end services in areas such as residence permits, company establishment, residency and citizenship by investment, international accounting, payroll, personnel leasing (posted worker), and tax optimization for entrepreneurs and professionals wishing to open up to the Montenegrin and European markets. The following information is based on field practices and regulatory updates; it is crucial to obtain current legal advice before making any decisions.

1. Citizenship by Investment in Montenegro as of 2025: The Real Situation

1.1. What was the official CBI program?

The Montenegrin government operated a limited-time and limited-quota “Citizenship by Investment” program between 2019 and 2022. The basic structure worked as follows:

• Donation to the state fund + investment in approved real estate projects
• A specific quota per application (total limit of 2,000 applications)
• Fast citizenship decision within 3–6 months
• Family members could obtain citizenship under the same application

The program gradually narrowed under the pressures of the EU regarding money laundering and security risks. Today, official sources indicate a regime that does not accept new applications or operates only with very limited exceptions.

For current legislation and official announcements, you can follow the Montenegrin Ministry of Internal Affairs website: Ministry of Internal Affairs – Government of Montenegro.

1.2. Is “citizenship by investment” still possible in 2025?

Let’s clarify the situation as of today:

• The pathway of “direct investment + donation for accelerated citizenship” under the 2019–2022 CBI program has practically closed.
• The promise you often see in the market, “Invest €250,000 in Montenegro, get a passport in 6 months,” is no longer current and misleads investors.
• The path to citizenship now primarily progresses through residency + long-term residence + integration.

So the honest answer to the question “how can it be obtained?” today is: Citizenship in Montenegro is not a short-term investment product; it is a natural result of your medium to long-term settlement and business strategy.

1.3. Why is Montenegro still being discussed?

Although the program has effectively closed, Montenegro remains attractive because:

• EU membership negotiations are ongoing; the passport has high medium-term potential.
• Corporate tax and income tax rates are relatively low; it offers tax optimization opportunities.
• The growth rate in tourism, real estate, logistics, and IT sectors is above the regional average.
• Residency/work permit and company establishment processes are more flexible compared to many EU countries.

Therefore, the right question today should not be, “How do I obtain instant citizenship by investment?” but rather, “How do I structure my investment, company establishment, and residency strategy to lead to citizenship in the medium term?”.

2. The New Path to Citizenship by Investment: Residency-Based Model

2.1. Main strategy: First residency, then citizenship

Montenegro’s legislation generally requires long-term and uninterrupted legal residence for citizenship. This practically highlights the following path:

• Obtain a residence permit through investment (company, real estate, employment)
• Spend a certain period as a tax resident and resident in Montenegro
• Meet conditions such as language, integration, and criminal record
• Then gain the right to apply for citizenship

The details of this process vary depending on the type of residency applied for and the laws in effect at that time. In other words, you do not “buy” citizenship; you earn it by moving your investment, business, and life to Montenegro.

2.2. Prominent investment-based paths for residency

The main investment/business channels leading to residency in Montenegro are:

• Obtaining residency by establishing a company
  You can establish a limited liability company (d.o.o.) in Montenegro and obtain a residence permit as a company manager or partner. This is the most preferred route for entrepreneurs and freelancers.
• Obtaining residency through real estate investment
  Investment in residential/real estate above a certain value, particularly in tourist areas, supports residency permit applications. Even though the program has closed, ownership remains a strong argument for residency.
• Employment-based residency
  You can obtain a work and residence permit by receiving a formal job offer from a company in Montenegro. Here, the employer’s compliance obligations become critical.

Corpenza manages the processes of company establishment, residency and work permits, payroll, accounting, and tax optimization in Montenegro; thus, your investment is based not just on a property purchase but on a sustainable business model.

2.3. Timeline: Put aside short-term passport expectations

The new realistic framework:

• In the short term: Residency and business establishment/work permit
• In the medium term: Permanent residency
• In the long term: Right to apply for citizenship (after meeting residence duration, language, and integration conditions)

Thus, you position Montenegro not as a “fast passport-producing financial product” but as a business and living base with a flexible tax regime opening to Europe.

3. Types of Investments: Company Establishment, Real Estate, and Workforce Strategy

3.1. Opening up to Montenegro by establishing a company

Montenegro offers a sensible center for entrepreneurs looking for a location close to the EU market but competitive in terms of taxation. Especially in technology, logistics, tourism, and service sectors:

• Low corporate tax rates
• Simplified company registration processes
• Logistical advantages in selling to the European and Balkan markets

Corpenza ensures the investor’s positioning from scratch in Montenegro in the fields of:

• Company establishment and address provision
• International accounting and tax declarations
• Payroll and compliant payroll management

Thus, the company becomes not just a “paper structure to obtain residency” but a real commercial tool.

3.2. Real estate investment: What role does it play now?

Since the official CBI program has ended, the logic of “automatic citizenship” based on an approved project list is over. However, real estate still remains a strong argument:

• High potential for short and long-term rental income in tourist areas (Kotor, Budva, Tivat).
• Creates a stable residency and economic ties indicator in residency permit applications.
• Appears as an asset on your company’s balance sheet; strengthens banking relationships.

Still, the equation “property = citizenship” no longer works alone. Real estate should be considered together with company establishment, workforce employment, and tax planning.

3.3. Remote workforce and posted worker model

It is also possible to position Montenegro not just as an investment location but as a workforce base for global companies. Here, two critical tools stand out:

• Payroll services
  You can legally register your remote teams on payroll through a company in Montenegro and record the salaries paid as expenses. This model strengthens tax and social security compliance while structuring your personnel living in Turkey or another country under international contracts.
• Personnel leasing and posted worker
  Corpenza offers “posted worker” solutions in Montenegro and other European countries with a temporary employment agency model. This means that while your employees take on project-based tasks in different EU countries, you manage your employer obligations in a unified and compliant manner.

This structure, especially in IT, consulting, engineering, and creative sectors, places Montenegro at the center of a long-term business and residency strategy and creates a strong file as proof of “economic and social ties” for future citizenship applications.

4. Compliance Obligations: Tax, Accounting, and Regulations

4.1. The line between tax optimization and passport pursuit

Every investor naturally seeks tax advantages; however, aggressive structures carrying the label of “tax haven” are increasingly narrowing in Montenegro’s EU compliance process. The right approach:

• View Montenegro as an EU-compliant regime with relatively low rates
• Analyze double taxation avoidance agreements
• Structure income, profit distribution, and transfer pricing reporting transparently

Corpenza’s international accounting team ensures that your companies in Montenegro operate in compliance with both local laws and the regulations of other countries in which you operate; thus, you will not face issues in financial audits during future citizenship or residency extension processes.

4.2. Compliance in work and residence permits

When establishing a company and employing personnel in Montenegro, the main compliance headings to consider are:

• Work permit quotas and local employment priority
• Social security and insurance obligations
• Minimum wage, overtime, and employment contract standards
• In the case of a posted worker, the labor law provisions of the country where the employee is physically located

At this point, a single erroneous payroll or late entry/exit notification can become a negative reference in future residency and citizenship applications. Compliance is now critical not only to avoid penalties but also to maintain the passport objective.

4.3. How to follow official information and regulatory updates?

Immigration and investment rules are rapidly updated. Before making strategic decisions:

• Check the official announcements from the ministries of internal affairs, economy, and finance.
• Examine the negotiation chapters Montenegro is conducting with the EU; especially the chapters on justice, internal affairs, and financial control.
• Verify the residency duration, language, and integration requirements, which can change annually, from up-to-date sources.

For the official framework, the European Commission’s country reports on Montenegro are also guiding: European Commission – Montenegro & the EU.

5. Practical Steps on the Path to Montenegrin Citizenship

5.1. Conduct strategic planning before the investment amount

Start not with the question “how much should I invest?” but with the following questions:

• Do I really want to live or be regularly present in Montenegro?
• Is my business model suitable to be managed from Montenegro? (sector, customer geography, supply chain)
• Are my family’s expectations for education, health, and lifestyle compatible with this country?
• Is my goal just the passport, or do I also want a revenue-generating business/asset?

Investors who act solely focused on “passport” without giving clear answers to these questions experience disappointment in the face of program closures and regulatory changes.

5.2. How to structure investment and residency drafts with Corpenza?

Corpenza typically works with an investor aiming for citizenship in Montenegro on the following roadmap:

• 1. Profile Analysis: Citizenship goal, existing citizenships, income sources, tax status, family structure.
• 2. Scenario Design:
  • Only residency and company establishment scenario
  • Hybrid scenario with company + real estate
  • Workforce scenario focused on global payroll and posted worker
• 3. Compliance Check: Simulation of tax, work permit, payroll, and social security obligations.
• 4. Implementation: Company establishment, residency application, bank account, rental or property acquisition, structuring of initial employees.
• 5. Medium-Term Monitoring: Residency continuity, tax declarations, updating plans according to potential regulatory changes.

Thus, citizenship becomes not a “guaranteed product” from the start but a long-term result of a well-planned business and life project.

5.3. What mistakes should you particularly avoid?

When acting with the goal of investment and citizenship in Montenegro, avoid the following mistakes:

• Trusting intermediaries and packages that promise “passport guarantee in 6 months”
• Making decisions without analyzing residency and tax outcomes by merely looking at a real estate brochure
• Establishing the company only on paper and neglecting accounting and declarations
• Managing your remote team with informal contracts and facing issues in future compliance audits

Keep in mind that your residency and citizenship file will be examined in the future at every step; today’s convenience may come back to haunt you in your passport file tomorrow.

6. 2025 and Beyond: The Perspective on Citizenship in Montenegro

6.1. The EU process and the future of programs

The EU has been distancing itself from direct “golden passport” programs in recent years. Montenegro is also approaching this line to accelerate its membership process. Therefore:

• It does not seem likely that classic “direct citizenship by investment” models will return.
• On the other hand, flexible residency programs and business-focused visas for high-skilled investors and entrepreneurs are expected to strengthen.
• Regular residency, tax compliance, local employment, and integration criteria are becoming more decisive.

6.2. While establishing your global expansion and workforce strategy through Montenegro

If your goal is not just a Montenegrin passport but to establish a multi-centered structure in Europe, evaluate Montenegro from the following perspectives:

• Operational base for entry into the European market
• Optimized intermediary for payroll and tax for remote-first companies
• Bridge country for posted worker and project-based fieldwork in the EU
• Stable residency platform for citizenship in the medium term

Corpenza designs this multi-layered structure not only in Montenegro but also in an integrated manner with other European countries. Thus, you build a global expansion model resilient to regulatory changes without being dependent on a single country’s program.

6.3. Final word: Buy strategy, not just a passport

As of 2025, the issue of “citizenship by investment” in Montenegro has moved away from being a process that can be solved by filling out a single form and paying money. Today, you gain the real advantage as follows:

• By designing a suitable investment and company establishment model
• By aligning residency and work permits with your long-term business goals
• By structuring tax and compliance obligations correctly from the start
• By creating a sustainable living and education plan for your family

Corpenza offers global expansion, company establishment, residency/work permits, citizenship by investment options, payroll, posted worker, and tax optimization under one roof, primarily in Montenegro and across Europe. Regardless of which country you choose, discussing strategy before the passport and compliance before the investment amount will determine the next 10 years.