Montenegro may introduce a visa regime for citizens of Russia and Belarus starting October 1, 2026, the Montenegrin outlet Dan reported, citing a source. According to the publication, the country's government could make a corresponding decision in the near future.
This step is necessary to harmonize Montenegro's visa policy with European Union rules — a process that must be completed by the end of 2027. During a second phase, as Dan wrote, visas could be introduced for citizens of Turkey, and then gradually for China, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain.
The visa center for Montenegro in Russia will be the company VFS Global, according to Dan. The firm already announced it would begin operations in Russia in early June, but at that time services were aimed at citizens of third countries who already required a visa. Since the start of 2026, Montenegro has opened visa centers in eight Russian cities, Interfax noted. In November 2025, the country's embassy in Moscow said it planned to introduce visas no later than September 2026.
Currently, Russian citizens can enter Montenegro without a visa for stays of up to 30 days. According to data from the statistical agency Monstat, cited by Dan, Russians accounted for 16.4% of foreign tourist overnight stays in the country in 2025.