Entry to Montenegro: what are the rules and do Russians need a visa?

The countries of the Balkan Peninsula are somewhat different from most other European states in the sense that their visa policies can change quite often. Take the same Montenegro - not so long ago she wanted to become one of the Schengen countries, but then changed her mind and decided to focus on the needs of tourists who do not want any extra visa procedures. Considering that for many of our fellow citizens this country is very interesting as a vacation destination, it is worth understanding in more detail how to legally get into this country.

For citizens of Russia and other states, Montenegro puts forward the same rules for visiting as any other abroad. First of all, you need a foreign passport, whose term has not yet expired, but you can not get a visa for a short-term visit at all. A return ticket is almost always checked by border guards, be prepared to present it. Children need to enter either with both parents, or with a notarized permission from one of them (or both) that the person is not against the child's departure from the country.

To cross the border, animals need a veterinary passport and documentation confirming timely vaccination, while chipping is not included in the list of mandatory requirements. Most tourists arrive in Montenegro through the airports of Podgorica and Tivat, but if you arrive by car, you need an international or Russian driver's license, as well as international insurance.

Of the unusual, it should be noted that Montenegro is like most cafes: local border guards disapprove of attempts to bring any food into the country. If suddenly you are going to cross the border in one direction or another with any historical values, you will have to first obtain a special permit from the local authorities.

But in terms of cash, this country, unlike many others, does not impose any restrictions - come at least with a suitcase of bills. Like many other states, Montenegro does not allow a large amount of excisable goods to be imported from abroad. As a gift, you can bring no more than a liter of something strong from alcoholic beverages; for wine, the allowed volume has been increased to two liters. Smokers can take with them a maximum of 200 cigarettes per person, for cigars the limit is 50 per adult.

Since 2008, a simplified visa regime has been operating for citizens of the Russian Federation in Montenegro, which allows visa-free entry for up to 30 days. Since the vast majority of compatriots come to this small country solely for the purpose of resting a week or two, for Russians arriving here on a short vacation, you do not need to apply for a visa.

That is why Montenegro can be called the optimal destination for "last minute" vouchers - with a minimum of formalities, you can quickly pack up and go on a trip.

Another thing is that sometimes you want to stay in the country a little longer, and then you still have to apply for a visa. Please note that, according to local rules, no one looks at the time of entry and exit, so you actually have not 30 days, but 30 calendar days. If you arrive at 23.59 local time, the day of arrival will be counted to you, as well as the day of departure if you departed at least one minute past one.

For citizens of Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as for Russian tourists, when traveling for up to 30 days, a visa is not required - registration in a simplified form is carried out at the entrance to the country. It is even easier for Ukrainian citizens in this regard - for them visa-free entry is allowed for up to 90 days.

Montenegro is a small country, you can drive it from one region to another in a matter of hours, so you have to get to your destination from the airport on the same day. There is a rule that within 24 hours after arrival, a citizen of any other country must appear at the local municipality (or even at the police station) and register with the local authorities.

This is done not only to make it easier for the authorities to keep order, but also for the sake of collecting the tourist tax. Each municipality independently determines how much you have to pay for your stay here, but the current prices do not exceed the amount of 1 euro per day.

Registration is carried out by filling out a special form for foreigners. There are so many tourists from the post-Soviet space in Montenegro that all the information on the form is duplicated in Russian especially for them, so you will not need an interpreter. If everything is in order, the official will give you the so-called white cardboard - a special card that confirms the legality of your stay on the territory of the state.

If you initially know that the period of your stay in the country will definitely exceed 30 days, it makes sense to immediately apply for one of the visas - the types of visa documentation for entering Montenegro will be discussed below. However, there are other ways to fix the problem. Let's say you planned to relax in Montenegro for no more than a month, but suddenly you liked it fabulously, and you do not want to go home - especially if circumstances allow.

Given the tiny size of the country, the smartest way to extend your stay here is to travel abroad for a short time. It turns out that you have left the country, and when you return, they put a new stamp in your passport, and 30 days start counting again.

If we consider neighboring countries from the point of view of convenience for "visa-run" (as they call a short-term departure from the country in order to zero the duration of stay here), then the most convenient destination is usually called Croatia - at least if you have a multiple-entry Schengen visa. This country is also good because regular excursions are organized here from Montenegro, and it is not difficult to get into it from the Adriatic coast.

At the same time, with trips to other neighbors, the situation is usually not so much worse, there are just not so many excursions and organized trips. For example, you can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina or Serbia for the same 30 days without a visa, however, the borders with them lie away from the sea coast, therefore it is not always convenient for beach tourists. Conveniently, however, such entry rules are year-round, since these countries are not seaside resorts.

Of all the neighbors of Montenegro The most difficult thing is for citizens of post-Soviet states to get to partially recognized Kosovo, since this is where everyone needs visas. Considering that these countries do not recognize the independence of Kosovo, they do not have embassies of this country either, so a visa can be issued at the border upon entry. However, there is one problem: there are no clearly established rules for obtaining a visa permit anywhere, and therefore unpleasant surprises are not excluded. True, many tourists note that with an open Schengen visa in Kosovo, you should be admitted without problems.

To travel to Montenegro, you can get a visa of one of four categories, and the cost will differ depending on the category.

Let's say right away that the first two categories from the ones described are not needed by any citizen of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus or Kazakhstan, since visa-free entry conditions for holders of such passports imply a longer stay in the country.

• A - the simplest category, it is relatively rare and, in general, is issued only for those guests who use the Montenegrin international airports in Podgorica or Tivat for transit to another country. With such a document, you will not really visit the country, because it does not even give you the right to leave the airport - you just got off one plane and wait for a transfer on the spot.

• V - already a little more serious, this is also a purely transit document, but it allows you to cross the country in any convenient way. Such a document may be appropriate if you are traveling, it allows you to stay on the territory of Montenegro for 5 days, and since the country is very small, and you can drive through it in three hours, this gives you the opportunity to look around.

• WITH - the most popular category of the Montenegrin visa, designed for those tourists who initially plan a trip for more than 30 days and do not want to count down the time so as not to miss the moment for the "visa-run".Get it, and you can stay in the state for 90 days in a row, without going anywhere. The document is valid for a year, there is no extension procedure - if necessary, just apply for a visa again.

• D - the most serious category of permission, it is supposed to be issued only if you name serious reasons for a long stay in Montenegro. Good reasons include work, study or treatment, as well as participation in various humanitarian programs or reunification with a family whose members have Montenegrin citizenship.

Please note that Montenegro is not part of the Schengen area, therefore her national visa does not allow entry to Schengen areas.

Consular offices of Montenegro on the territory of the post-Soviet space usually issue only a category C visa, which, as a rule, fully meets the needs of an average domestic visitor to this country. To obtain an entry permit, collect a package of documents, each of which will be discussed with a discussion of the details.

An international passport for traveling abroad, including to Montenegro, is required. If you want to obtain a Montenegrin tourist visa, your document must meet two main criteria: it must contain two blank pages, and its validity must extend not only for the duration of the trip, but also for three months after its planned completion. For submission it is necessary to prepare a copy of the first page.

In addition, it is necessary to fill out a special questionnaire with standard questions for those entering a particular country. The form is issued at the consular department, but in general you can find it on the Internet and print it yourself. Marked fields are required, data are usually allowed to be entered in both English and Russian. Any mistake or correction could invalidate such a document, so please fill it out responsibly.

If you are traveling for more than a month, the embassy staff, like the border guards, may have a natural question about where you plan to live all this time. When applying for a visa you must provide evidence that you are expected in Montenegro. A convincing argument will be a tourist voucher with a prescribed place of stay, confirmation of a booking from a hotel or hostel, an invitation from a resident of Montenegro or an agreement on renting an accommodation with someone from the local.

Like many European countries, Montenegro puts forward certain requirements for incoming tourists regarding financial security. Compared to other states, the prices here are relatively modest - for one adult, 20 euros a day is enough, children are not interested in the budget at all.

It is easiest to prove that you have the funds with the help of a bank certificate; as an alternative, a certificate from work or documentary evidence that you are going to visit can be used, and the host party takes all the expenses upon himself.

Montenegro does not require compulsory health insurance from those entering the country, but the issue of its availability should at least be considered. First of all, during a multi-week stay in the country, the likelihood of going to a doctor is not excluded, and his services will already be paid for.In addition, the presence of an insurance policy will once again prove to the embassy staff that you are an honest person, and are unlikely to create any problems for the locals, because the likelihood of obtaining a visa will increase.

If you decide to apply for a visa yourself, you should arrive at the Montenegrin embassy in full force for all those who are going to go to the country, although for minors (under 14 years old) personal presence is not necessary. Submission is carried out at least 14 days before the start of the trip, but not earlier than 30 days, somehow it is impossible to register in advance - the queue is alive.

Experienced people advise to come in advance, since documents are received only three times a week for an hour and a half, and you may simply not be in time. The situation is complicated by the fact that small Montenegro does not have embassies everywhere, therefore citizens of other post-Soviet countries can also stand in line at the embassy in Moscow.

note that a visa is not issued free of charge - the consular fee for one adult is 62 euros, for citizens under 14 years old it is reduced to 32 euros... The big advantage is that payment is carried out purely after receiving a ready-made visa, that is, in case of refusal, you do not pay anything. At the same time, it is important to know that payment is accepted only in euros, it will not be possible to pay with an equivalent in another currency.

In order not to go specifically to the embassy, ​​you can try to apply for a Montenegrin visa through a travel agency or visa centers operating in the city of residence of a potential tourist. It is better to collect a package of documents similar to what is required for submission to the embassy, ​​because, whatever one may say, you still cannot do without it. Moreover, each such institution independently determines the cost of its services - if you do not take into account the road, then the costs, of course, will cost more than just paying the consular fee.

Like any hospitable tourist country, Montenegro tries not to deny potential guests entry. Most often, there will be no problems with obtaining a visa, however, in some cases, citizens are still denied permission to enter. According to accepted international practice, the consular post has the right not to explain in any way the reason for the refusal. At the same time, having decided to re-submit the package of documents, double-check the presence of the following obstacles:

• all documents must be legal and valid, mismatch in the spelling of names and other similar blots may raise doubts among the consul;
• any deliberate deception of the embassy staff, if such is revealed, is a reason for refusing entry;
• many consular offices treat previously convicted people with some suspicion, but if you also "forgot to mention" such a fact of the biography, this will cause a lot of unnecessary suspicion;
• specific behavior, bordering on inappropriate, will also not help to get a visa;
• all mandatory vaccinations must be done in a timely manner and have documentary evidence, otherwise you will not be allowed into Montenegro for a long time.

Montenegro is perfect for family holidays, because many of our compatriots come here with children. According to the rules, children include any minor citizens under the age of 14 years. In principle, if the whole family is going on vacation, there will be no special difficulties with entry - the child does not even need to issue his own passport, if it is inscribed in the passport of one of the parents according to all the rules.

When only one of the parents travels with the child, you will need notarized confirmation that the other parent has nothing against the fact that the child is taken out of the country. If the children, for some reason, travel on their own or accompanied by people who are not their parents, the corresponding permission is required from both the mother and the father. The last rule applies to absolutely any "outsider" people, even if it is not just a coach or educator, but even a grandparents or aunt and uncle.

For information on how to properly apply for a visa to enter Montenegro, see the next video.