Montenegro · Work
Montenegro Domestic work permit
First stay: 1 yr
Temporary residence and work permit for domestic work (Law on Foreigners, Art. 70v)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Domestic work permit is a work route for Montenegro. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- €60 ≈ $67 · +2 more
- Processing
- Up to 15 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fees €67 ≈ $75 in total (3 fees); decision: up to 15 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees€60 ≈ $67 · +2 more
- EUR 60 (≈ $67)Administrative fee for issuing a temporary residence and work permit (Tariff No. 13 of the Law on Administrative Fees).
- EUR 5 (≈ $6)Fee for the permit form.
- EUR 2 (≈ $2)Fee for the application.
RenewalRenewable
The permit is issued for up to one year and can be extended for up to two years.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
You can apply for a permanent residence permit after 5 years of continuous lawful temporary residence, with basic Montenegrin, sufficient income, health insurance and housing. Absences must total no more than 10 months, or one absence of up to 6 months.
Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 12/2018Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 3/2026
ProcessingUp to 15 days
A temporary residence and work permit application is decided within 15 days of a complete application (Art. 80(3) of the Law on Foreigners as amended in 2019, which shortened the period from 20 days).
Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 12/2018Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 3/2019Government of Montenegro, Single Contact Point for services
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply in person at the Ministry in your place of stay, or your employer applies; if you hold a long-stay D visa for work you must apply within 10 days of the visa being issued.
Presence rulesAbsence limits
Continuous residence for permanent residence allows several absences totalling up to 10 months, or one absence of up to 6 months, within the 5 years.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Montenegro
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Applicant has a contract for work in a household made under the rules on employment.
- Applicant meets the general conditions of Art. 43 of the Law.
What you must show and pay3
- A fee of EUR 60 (≈ $67) · Administrative fee for issuing a temporary residence and work permit (Tariff No. 13 of the Law on Administrative Fees).
- A fee of EUR 5 (≈ $6) · Fee for the permit form.
- A fee of EUR 2 (≈ $2) · Fee for the application.
Documents1
- Domestic-work employment contract, valid passport, proof of accommodation, health insurance and criminal record certificate.
Steps1
- Apply in person at the Ministry of Internal Affairs; the decision is made within 15 days of a complete application.
After you arrive1
- The permit is issued for up to one year and can be extended for up to two years, with proof that taxes and contributions were paid.
What happens at day 183
How Montenegro decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in a tax yearStay on Montenegrin territory of more than 183 days in the tax year makes a person resident.
- Foreign-source income
Residents of Montenegro are taxed on income earned in Montenegro and abroad.
All tax rules for Montenegro Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Health insurance
Domestic-work employment contract, valid passport, proof of accommodation, health insurance and criminal record certificate
- Accommodation
Domestic-work employment contract, valid passport, proof of accommodation, health insurance and criminal record certificate
- Police certificate and civil documents
Domestic-work employment contract, valid passport, proof of accommodation, health insurance and criminal record certificate
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Residence and work permit for foreigners employed in a household in Montenegro under a contract drawn up under employment rules. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- A fee of EUR 60 (≈ $67) · Administrative fee for issuing a temporary residence and work permit (Tariff No. 13 of the Law on Administrative Fees). 7 3
- A fee of EUR 5 (≈ $6) · Fee for the permit form. 3
- A fee of EUR 2 (≈ $2) · Fee for the application. 3
Requirements
- Applicant has a contract for work in a household made under the rules on employment. 1
- Applicant meets the general conditions of Art. 43 of the Law. 2
- Domestic-work employment contract, valid passport, proof of accommodation, health insurance and criminal record certificate. 1 2 5 6
- Apply in person at the Ministry of Internal Affairs; the decision is made within 15 days of a complete application. 2
- The permit is issued for up to one year and can be extended for up to two years, with proof that taxes and contributions were paid. 1
Stay
- Permit issued for up to one year and extendable for up to two years.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Open to foreigners generally.
Work
Work in the household named in the contract.
Family
Family members can apply for family reunification.
Official sources
- Law amending the Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/2026) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 3/2026 · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-01-09
- Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/18) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 12/2018 · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2018-02-23
- Temporary residence and work (work permit) · Government of Montenegro, Single Contact Point for services · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2024-04-26
- Law amending the Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/19) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 3/2019 · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2019-01-15
- Rulebook amendment: proof of accommodation (Official Gazette of Montenegro 145/22) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 145/2022 · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2022-12-27
- Rulebook amendment: daily means of support, minimum pay and health insurance (Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/25) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 12/2025 · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2025-02-11
- Law on Administrative Fees, Tariff No. 13: fees for permits for foreigners (adopted 6 March 2019) · Official Gazette of Montenegro (Law proclaimed 11 March 2019) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2019-03-11
Domestic work permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic work permit | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Work permit | Needs income of €600+ a month ≈ $670 | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Healthcare work permit | Needs income of €600+ a month ≈ $670 | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| IT work permit | Needs income of €600+ a month ≈ $670 | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Intra-company transfer | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Domestic work permit?
A fee of EUR 60 (≈ $67). Administrative fee for issuing a temporary residence and work permit (Tariff No. A fee of EUR 5 (≈ $6). Fee for the permit form. A fee of EUR 2 (≈ $2). Fee for the application.
How long can I stay on the Domestic work permit?
Permit issued for up to one year and extendable for up to two years.
How long does the Domestic work permit take to process?
A temporary residence and work permit application is decided within 15 days of a complete application (Art.
Can I work on the Domestic work permit?
Work in the household named in the contract.
Can I bring my family on the Domestic work permit?
Family members can apply for family reunification.
Does the Domestic work permit lead to permanent residence in Montenegro?
Time on the Domestic work permit counts toward permanent residence in Montenegro, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
How are Domestic work permit holders taxed in Montenegro?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Domestic work permit. The standard rules apply: Residents of Montenegro are taxed on income earned in Montenegro and abroad. From 1 January 2026 taxable employment income is taxed at 0% up to EUR 700 (≈ $780) a month, 9% from EUR 700.01 (≈ $780) to EUR 1,000 (≈ $1,120) and 15% above; employee social contributions are 10.5% (10% pension, 0.5% unemployment) and a municipal surtax of up to 13% of the tax (up to 15% in the Capital City and the Old Royal Capital) is added.
More in Montenegro
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 7 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Law amending the Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/2026) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 3/2026 · checked 2026-10-11
- Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/18) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 12/2018 · checked 2026-10-11
- Temporary residence and work (work permit) · Government of Montenegro, Single Contact Point for services · checked 2026-10-11
- Law amending the Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/19) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 3/2019 · checked 2026-10-11
- Rulebook amendment: proof of accommodation (Official Gazette of Montenegro 145/22) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 145/2022 · checked 2026-10-11
- Rulebook amendment: daily means of support, minimum pay and health insurance (Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/25) · Official Gazette of Montenegro No. 12/2025 · checked 2026-10-11
- Law on Administrative Fees, Tariff No. 13: fees for permits for foreigners (adopted 6 March 2019) · Official Gazette of Montenegro (Law proclaimed 11 March 2019) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.