Can You Get Residency in Montenegro by Buying Property?

Yes, owning property in Montenegro can give you a temporary residence permit, but since January 2026 only if the property has an assessed value of at least €150,000, and the permit is issued for one year at a time. It does not allow you to work, the years on it do not count towards permanent residence, and it does not lead to citizenship.

That is a much narrower answer than many sales brochures give. The rules changed recently, they are being challenged in court, and they apply differently to EU and non-EU citizens. Below is what is known as of October 2026, with the sources, and what you should confirm with a lawyer before you let residency influence your purchase.

The current rule for property owners

Amendments to the Law on Foreigners were adopted by Parliament on 31 December 2025 and, according to IMI Daily (10 February 2026), have applied since 17 January 2026. The key points, as reported:

Sources: IMI Daily (10 February 2026); Biznis CG; nekretnina.me (January 2026).

Two caveats matter. First, the government's draft from November 2025 mentioned €200,000, and the final figure of €150,000 comes from reporting on the adopted law, not from an Official Gazette number I could check. Second, an initiative for a constitutional review of these provisions has been filed. The rule could change. Confirm the current threshold with a licensed lawyer before you buy.

What "assessed value" means

The threshold is not the price in your contract. It is the value the Tax Administration assesses for the transfer tax. In most cases the two will be close. But if you pay €155,000 for a flat and the assessment comes in lower, you may fall below the line. If residency is a key reason for your purchase, leave a margin and ask your lawyer how the assessment is likely to come out.

Other conditions you must meet

Owning the property is not enough on its own. Reported conditions include:

• Proof of ownership and that you actually use the property.
• All property taxes paid.
• Health insurance, which is a condition for both temporary and permanent residence (Government of Montenegro).
• Proof of means of support.
• Accommodation, which the property itself usually covers.

A single agency source says you need at least a 50 % ownership share. I could not confirm that. If you buy together with a partner or family member, ask your lawyer how the share affects each person.

The permit is discretionary. Meeting the conditions makes you eligible to apply, not entitled to receive.

Why it does not lead to permanent residence

This is the point most buyers miss. Permanent residence in Montenegro is available after 5 consecutive years of lawful temporary residence. Absences may total up to 10 months, or up to 6 months at once (Government of Montenegro, permanent residence page, 2026).

But the same official page says that years spent on a residence permit based on owning property do not count towards those 5 years. Study, seasonal work and seconded work are also excluded. So you can renew a property permit year after year and still never qualify for permanent residence on that basis.

If permanent residence is your goal, you need a different legal basis for your temporary residence, such as employment, a business or family reunification. A lawyer can tell you which one fits your situation.

Citizenship is not available through property

Montenegro's citizenship by investment programme ended on 31 December 2022. According to the European Commission's 2025 report, 1,282 citizenship decisions were issued in 2024 for applications filed before the deadline, and the Commission asks Montenegro to repeal the legal basis for any investor citizenship scheme. I found no new programme. Anyone selling you property "with a passport" is selling you something that does not exist.

EU citizens

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are reportedly exempt from the €150,000 minimum. Separately, in March 2025 Parliament amended the property law so that EU citizens get the same property rights as Montenegrin citizens once Montenegro joins the EU. The government aims to join in 2028, but that is a target, not a confirmed date. Until accession, restrictions on agricultural land still apply to EEA citizens. The ownership rules for everyone are in Can Foreigners Buy Property in Montenegro?

The digital nomad permit as an alternative

Montenegro also has a residence permit for digital nomads, based on the Law on Foreigners and a separate rulebook. According to the government's digital nomad portal, it is issued for up to 2 years and can be extended once by up to 2 years, after which a new permit is possible only 6 months after expiry. The income threshold, tax treatment and how long the scheme will run are not clear from official sources. Treat any claim that it ends on a fixed date, or that nomads pay no tax, with caution.

Does residency change your taxes?

It can. Montenegro taxes residents on their worldwide income and non-residents only on income from Montenegro (PwC, August 2026). Whether you become tax resident depends on more than the permit, and your home country has its own rules. If you hold a property permit, talk to a tax adviser in both countries before you move. This matters most for Americans, because Montenegro has no double tax treaty with the USA.

Should residency decide which property you buy?

I would be careful with that. A permit that lasts one year, does not allow work, does not count towards permanent residence and rests on a rule under constitutional review is a weak reason to stretch your budget to €150,000 or to choose one property over another. Buy a property you would want even without the permit, and treat residency as a possible extra.

What should decide the purchase is the property itself: legal status, condition and price. The checks are in How to Buy Property in Montenegro as a Foreigner and The Biggest Red Flags When You Inspect a Property in Montenegro. If you are buying from abroad and need an independent look at a specific property, see the packages.

Your next step

Write down why you want residency: to spend more time in Montenegro, to move for good, or to work. Then book a consultation with a licensed immigration lawyer in Montenegro and ask which permit fits that goal. Residence law changes often, so confirm the current rules with that lawyer before you sign any purchase contract.