How property-based residence works in practice: who must meet the €150,000 test, what to buy, the costs, the annual renewal and the tax-residency trap, with a note for buyers from Poland.
People who search for residence in Montenegro usually want a simple answer: buy a flat, get a permit. The reality in 2026 is narrower and more conditional. This guide walks through the property route step by step, for a buyer who wants to know what is required, what it costs and what can go wrong. It complements our article on the missing Montenegro golden visa, which explains why there is no citizenship programme; here we focus on the practical process.
Who needs this route at all
Montenegro treats citizens of the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland more favourably than everyone else. The €150,000 property-value requirement described below applies to third-country nationals and does not apply to EU citizens or their family members. If you hold a Polish passport, you can enter without a visa and stay up to 90 days in a six-month period, and for a longer stay you apply for a temporary residence permit before those 90 days run out. We could not confirm the exact document list for EU citizens from an official source, so ask the Montenegrin police or a local lawyer for the current checklist before you plan around it.
For citizens of other countries, property is one of the established grounds for a temporary residence permit, and it is the route most buyers ask about.
What the 2026 rules say
Amendments to the Law on Foreigners took effect on 17 January 2026. For a permit based on real estate, the main conditions are:
- the property must have a taxable value of at least €150,000, as shown in the Tax Authority's decision on transfer tax, which is not the same as your negotiated price
- the applicant must own at least 50% of the property
- you must prove ownership, actual use of the property and that property taxes are paid
- the permit is temporary: valid for one year and renewable if the conditions are still met
- the permit does not by itself give the right to work or run a business
- permits issued on a property basis before 17 January 2026 can be renewed without the new value test
The government first floated a €200,000 threshold in late 2025 and then adopted €150,000. Secondary regulations were due within twelve months of the law coming into force, so procedural details may still change.
Step 1: choose the property with the threshold in mind
The value that counts is the Tax Authority's assessment, made when transfer tax is calculated. A flat bought at €155,000 can be assessed lower. Before you sign, ask the seller or agent how the authority has valued comparable units, and leave a margin above €150,000 rather than buying at the limit. Buying with a partner is possible, but you personally need at least half of the property, so a 50/50 split of a €150,000 flat does not work for each of you separately.
Step 2: check title, permits and legal status
Montenegro has a long record of buildings without permits. Before paying, check that the unit is registered in the cadastre, that the building has a use permit, and that there are no mortgages or disputes. Our resale checklist for Montenegro and the guide to the best areas cover this in more detail. A property that cannot be registered cleanly cannot support a permit application.
Step 3: buy and pay the costs
Budget the purchase costs on top of the price. Reported figures, which you should confirm with a lawyer:
- transfer tax from 3% of the assessed value, paid by the buyer; sources describe a progressive scale above €150,000, so check the rate for your price
- notary fees in the low hundreds to about a thousand euros
- legal fees around 1% and agent commission of 3% to 5%, where an agent is involved
The ranges come from agency and law-firm summaries, not official tariffs.
Step 4: apply and renew
You apply for the temporary residence permit with proof of ownership, the tax assessment, proof of paid property taxes, proof of accommodation and the other documents the police ask for. The permit runs for a year. Each renewal means showing that you still meet the conditions, including actual use and paid taxes, so keep the paperwork organised from the first year.
The tax-residency trap
Residence and tax residency are different. Under Montenegrin rules an individual is tax resident if they spend 183 days or more in the country in a calendar year, or if their centre of vital interests is there. Residents are taxed on worldwide income; non-residents only on income from Montenegrin sources. A permit does not make you a tax resident by itself, but spending most of the year in Montenegro can. If you also live and work in Poland, ask a tax adviser how the two systems interact before you build a life around the permit.
What the permit does not give you
- the right to work or run a business on the strength of the property permit alone
- a passport: citizenship needs years of legal residence and separate conditions, and the golden-visa programme closed in 2022
- an EU passport: Montenegro is a candidate and the government targets accession around 2028, but that is a target, not a date
FAQ
Do I need to buy at least €150,000? If you are not an EU citizen, the property must have a tax-assessed value of at least €150,000. EU citizens are exempt from this test. Can two people share one flat for the permit? Each applicant needs at least a 50% share. Can I work with the permit? Not on the property basis alone. How long is it valid? One year, renewable. Do I become a tax resident? Only if you meet the 183-day or centre-of-interests test.
How we help
We help you shortlist properties likely to clear the threshold, check title and permits, and plan the purchase around how you will actually use the property. Checked in October 2026. Rules, thresholds and procedures change, so confirm the current requirements with a lawyer in Montenegro before you pay.