Student Visa and Residence Permit for Montenegro

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Foreign students who stay in Montenegro for more than 90 days need a temporary residence permit for schooling. Depending on your citizenship, you may also need a long-stay visa (visa D) to enter. The rules come from the Law on Foreigners, which we read in the consolidated version (Official Gazette 12/2018, 3/2019, 86/2022, 77/2024 and 3/2026). Laws change, so confirm the details with the Ministry of Interior before you apply.

Step 1: admission and the visa D

Whether you need a visa to enter depends on your citizenship under Montenegro's visa rules, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes. If you do, the law (Article 18) allows a visa D for a stay of more than 90 days but not more than 180 days in a year. For schooling, the law says it can be issued if you have:

proof of schooling in Montenegro, which is the acceptance or enrolment document from the university;
proof of how you will pay for the schooling, your living costs and accommodation;
health insurance;
money for the return to your country.

Ask your faculty for an acceptance letter. The English-taught MONTEB programme, for example, says its letter lets admitted students who need a visa apply for it.

Step 2: the temporary residence permit

A permit for schooling is issued if you can show confirmation of schooling and meet the general conditions of Article 43. Article 47 sets the length: the permit is issued for the duration of the school or study year, and by Article 63 never for more than one year. Expect to renew it every year.

The general conditions in Article 43 are:

means of support;
secured accommodation;
health insurance;
a valid foreign passport or ID, valid at least three months beyond the permit;
no entry ban, no unspent prison sentence of more than six months in Montenegro or your home country, and no security or public-health obstacle;
proof that justifies the request, here the confirmation of schooling.

You apply in person at the Ministry of Interior in the place where you live. If you submit a complete request before your 90 days run out, you may stay until the decision. The law takes your photograph and the prints of two fingers when you apply.

Health insurance

The law accepts three kinds of cover: travel health insurance from an authorised insurance company, insurance under an international treaty, or insurance under Montenegrin law. See health insurance for students in Europe.

Renewal and finishing your degree

Apply to extend no earlier than 60 and no later than 30 days before the permit expires. If you need more time to finish, the permit can be extended for up to two years after the regular length of the programme.

Registering your address

A foreigner with a visa D, or with a permit, must report where they live to the police within 24 hours of arrival. If you stay in a registered accommodation provider, it files the report for you within 12 hours. Ask your landlord how they handle this.

EU citizens

Different rules apply to EU citizens. For study, an EU citizen reports their stay in person at the Ministry within three months of arriving. The application needs a valid passport or ID, proof of admission from the school, and proof of sufficient means and health cover. For the means, the law accepts a student's declaration and states that it need not name an amount.

Work and staying on

The law lets students on international exchange programmes work up to 15 hours a week, and gives them a nine-month permit to look for work after their studies. The articles on schooling permits for degree students that we read contain no such rule, so ask the Ministry whether you can work. Study time counts for only half when you count the five years of residence that lead to permanent residence. See working while studying in Europe.

Where to look next

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.