Montenegro Citizenship by Descent

Updated on Thursday 10th March 2022

Rate this article

based on 2 reviews.

An individual can obtain acquisition of citizenship by descent in Montenegro under different Articles of Montenegrin law. Article 2 provides different scenarios under which an individual can get Montenegrin citizenship. Article 3 says that, citizenship by descent is granted to a child whose one parent or both parents were the citizens of the Republic of Montenegro at his birth. This citizenship in this country is based on the principle of jus sanguinis.

Get in touch with our law firm in Montenegro if you think you are eligible for this kind of citizenship. Our lawyers will help you through the process of obtaining Montenegro citizenship by descent.

Naturalization in Montenegro

Jus sanguinis means the law of blood. An individual can acquire citizenship in Montenegro either by origin, naturalization or international treaties and agreements. Citizenship by descent is a legal process in which a non-citizen can acquire citizenship of Montenegro. The rules for obtaining citizenship by descent vary from country to country, but it typically includes a promise to obey and uphold the country’s law and taking an oath of allegiance. Some other information that applicants should have when they apply for Montenegro citizenship by descent includes the knowledge of the culture and language of the country. Generally, dual nationality is not acceptable in Montenegro under Article 8.2 of its Citizenship Law unless a bilateral treaty states otherwise.

Our attorneys can help you to collect the necessary documents that you need for obtaining citizenship by descent. If you submit all the required documents and fill in the application form with the correct information, your application has more chances of acceptance. But people usually make minor mistakes, and those mistakes cause delay in the process of obtaining Montenegro citizenship by descent. Therefore, with the assistance of our attorneys, you can get your citizenship swiftly without any unnecessary delays.

Ways to acquire citizenship in Montenegro

Foreign citizens who move to Montenegro have 4 pathways through which they can acquire citizenship, as it follows:

descent, which is does not require living in Montenegro, as it implies having family ties with this country;
naturalization which implies living here for 5 or 10 years, depending on type of residence permit previously obtained;
by marriage which implies being married to a Montenegrin citizen and living here for a minimum of 3 years;
by investment which an option for high net worth individuals and foreign investors.

Even if citizenship by investment is one of the best ways to move to Montenegro, ancestry implies a much simpler procedure.

Our law firm in Montenegro is at the service of those who need support in drafting their applications for any type of citizenship.

Who is entitled to Montenegrin citizenship by ancestry?

It can be said that a person who has strong relationships to this country, such as blood ties, can obtain the right to become a citizen of Montenegro.

However, the Citizenship Law provides for clear rules on who can apply for a passport. According to Article 3:

children born in Montenegro whose both parents were citizens of this country at the time of their birth;
children with at least one Montenegrin citizen as a parent and who were born in this country;
children born outside Montenegro and whose parents were Montenegrin citizens at the time of birth, with the condition that the parents agreed for the children to take up citizenship;
children born in Montenegro from at least one Montenegrin citizen and a stateless person;
children born abroad from at least one Montenegrin parent and a stateless person or a parent with unknown origin.

The procedure of obtaining citizenship by descent is not complicated, as long as the applicant can produce substantial evidence of his/her family relations here. Our Montenegrin lawyers can explain in detail the Nationality Law’s articles referring to citizenship.

It is also possible for a foreign citizen to apply for a Montenegro passport through naturalization, even if he or she qualifies for citizenship by ancestry. This can be the case of people who cannot find records of their Montenegrin parents.

Is parent's consent necessary for acquiring citizenship by descent?

Under Article 4, if a child born abroad whose one parent was a Montenegrin citizen and the other one was from another state at the time of his birth, can acquire Montenegro citizenship by descent if his parents agree. Whereas the Para. 1 of this Article states that if the parents disagree, the child will still get citizenship by descent in Montenegrin if he has been registered into the Registry of Births. If you face any difficulties regarding obtaining citizenship by descent, get in touch with the team of our lawyers in Montenegro for their assistance.

Benefits of Montenegrin citizenship

Montenegro citizenship by descent allows an individual to live a quality life at a low cost. Furthermore, he can visit 125 countries of the world in a simplified visa regime, including the Schengen zone, Russia, Turkey, and many others. Besides this, by being a citizen of Montenegro your can open bank accounts in Europe without any problems.

From 2025, there are chances that Montenegro will become a part of the European Union. As a result, its citizens will visit the EU countries in a visa-free regime and live, work, or study on their territory. Suppose you are eligible for Montenegro citizenship by descent, and you want to enjoy all these benefits of being a citizen of this country. In that case, it is the optimal time for you to apply. Our lawyers in Montenegro will help you in the whole procedure of acquiring citizenship.

Special situations under which Montenegrin citizenship by descent can be obtained

The Nationality Act is quite complex, which is why is it best to discuss one’s options with an immigration lawyer in Montenegro. For example, there are certain special cases under which a foreign citizen can obtain citizenship by descent in this country.

One of these situations refer to a child born from at least one Montenegrin citizen in another country and the parent did not register the child with the authorities of the respective state. This can also be the case of stateless persons who have come to Montenegro and their children here.

In the case of children who have reached the age of 14 and were born outside Montenegro, a written consent will be required if their parents want to register them as Montenegrin citizens.

Montenegrin citizens who adopt children from other countries can also pass on their ancestry to them.

If you need assistance in obtaining your rights, do not hesitate to ask for the services of our Montenegrin law firm.

Benefits of becoming a citizen of Montenegro

Montenegro ranks 42^nd in the world in terms of benefits obtained upon the acquisition of a passport. The low taxation system also implies important advantages for those who work or run companies here. The income tax in Montenegro ranges from 9 to 11%, which is one of the lowest in Europe. Montenegro is also underway with its accession to the European Union.

Immigration statistics in Montenegro

Along with the citizenship by descent in Montenegrin, this country also offers other visas to immigrants across the globe. Please find the number of foreign individuals that Montenegro had accommodated from 2010 to 2015:

In 2010, Montenegro welcomed 78,507.00 individuals in the country;
In 2015, 82,541.00 individuals entered Montenegro, a 5.14% increase from 2010.

Contact our law firm in Montenegro if you are interested in acquiring citizenship by descent. Our lawyers will help you throughout the procedure by providing legal backing. Thus, you will obtain your Montenegrin citizenship by descent; with the legal assistance of our lawyers, you can also start a business in this country.