The Government of Montenegro has adopted a decree extending visa-free entry for citizens of Russia and Belarus until October 31, 2026. However, this step was the latest in a series of seasonal eases - starting from November 1, the visa regime for Russians will become mandatory. This is reported by the Montenegrin edition of Dan with reference to the official government decree published on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The document was adopted on July 24 without a meeting, based on the consent of the majority of government members.
Outwardly, the decision looks like a routine extension of the visa-free regime for the next tourist season. However, the adopted amendments contain a fundamentally important rule: after October 31, 2026, the government will no longer be able to introduce temporary visa relief through separate acts. Thus, Montenegro has effectively "tied its hands" and is eliminating a practice that has been used for years to attract tourists from countries outside the Schengen area.
The tightening of the visa policy is a direct result of the negotiation process on Montenegro's accession to the European Union. Brussels requires Podgorica to bring the national visa regime in line with the European one.
The Russian tourist market remains one of the key ones for Montenegro: last year, tourists from the Russian Federation provided a significant share of all overnight stays for foreign guests (16.4%), second only to Serbia. Experts warn that the introduction of visas may lead to a reorientation of tourists to other destinations. In the future, a visa regime is also planned to be introduced for citizens of Turkey, China and the Middle East.
Source: Dan
