Moving to Montenegro: A Step-by-Step Timeline for a Smooth Transition
Ask most people to find Montenegro on a map, and you’ll likely receive questions like “Is Montenegro even a country?”
But rest assured, Montenegro is not just a country, it’s a great tourist destination and an excellent place to start a nomadic lifestyle as a digital entrepreneur. In today’s article, we’ll go through a timeline for anyone considering moving to Montenegro.
If you’re ready to learn more about transitioning to the great country of Montenegro, read below.
Why Montenegro?
Montenegro can be a great place to work as a digital entrepreneur with a low cost of living and low crime rates. There are also great tourist destinations to check out and great natural beauty to partake in. The Adriatic coast is filled with amazing beaches and plenty of rugged mountain landscapes to explore.
With a growing expat community, sunshine most days of the year, and a relatively easy residency process, Montenegro is becoming a hot destination for digital nomads. Being in Europe allows for easy access to other European countries and makes it easy to get up and go and sightsee in other destinations.
You may even decide to stay in Montenegro long term, as there are plenty of investment avenues for real estate and an ever-growing tourist and hospitality sector. But what would it look like to move there? We’ll go deep into that below:
1. Visit Montenegro
The first step in moving to Montenegro would be to visit there. On paper, Montenegro may seem like a great place for you to live long-term, but living in Montenegro and reading about Montenegro are two different things.
If you can, take a visit to Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, and stay for a week or two. This way, you’ll have a good idea of what it’ll be like living there, without making assumptions. Take the time to shop at local grocery stores, speak with the locals, and envision yourself living there.
Without any data to fall back on, you may end up in a situation where you hastily make a move, only to regret it later. Moves can be expensive, and thus a week or two vacation won’t break the bank like a long-term move would. It’ll also give you a chance to check out rental homes before you move.
2. Get your paperwork in order
Major countries like the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia do not need a visa to visit Montenegro. However, like other European countries, it’s only for 90 days within 180 days.
Montenegro is also not a Schengen country, but you can still enter Montenegro with a Schengen visa that has not expired. If you’re planning to stay longer than 90 days at a time, you will need to apply for a temporary residence permit.
The great part about Montenegro is that they welcome immigration for the betterment of the overall economy. This means that compared to some other countries like Japan, gaining residency in Montenegro with the proper verified information is going to be much easier.
3. Consider how you’ll move to Montenegro
If you’re simply visiting for the short term and want to enjoy the nomadic lifestyle of an expat, then bringing the bare minimum is going to be the best solution. You can rent a furnished apartment, without the need to look into moving solutions or being charged for multiple carry-on items.
However, if you are planning to move for the long term and have a variety of items that aren’t suitable to be shipped on a plane, you can always opt to go with international movers in Montenegro. This way you can bring your furniture and personal items without having to lug them onto the plane.
Planning where you will live will also be important, and that’s why visiting can be paramount for a smooth transition. With a better idea of which places are great to live in, you’ll have a better idea of what items you need to bring with you once you decide on the home you’re going to live in.
4. Enjoy Montenegro!
Once you’ve got all of your paperwork in order, you’ve rented an apartment or home, and you’re settled in, all that’s left to do is enjoy Montenegro and everything it has to offer. Some popular historic destinations include:
– Bay of Kotor
– Altstadt (Old Town) Budva
– City Walls
These are just a few, all with amazing scenic views and many activities and local art to enjoy. Enjoy tiny cafes and a laid-back lifestyle that Montenegro has to offer. Montenegrin cuisine also prides itself on being simple, with more focus on basic ingredients and amplifying them with quality.
But most importantly, don’t forget to intermingle with the locals. If you want to live in a foreign country long term, you will need to learn Montenegrin, which is closely related to Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian. Some parts of Montenegro also speak Albanian.
Conclusion
While not known to most, Montenegro is an up-and-coming hotspot for expats and tourists from all over the world. Before you move there, it’s a good idea to get your plans in order before making a life-changing decision.
Take your time, get to know the people, and who knows, maybe you’ll end up living there for the long term! You’ll only ever know by checking it out for yourself, so don’t wait until it’s too late and check out Montenegro and everything it has to offer.