How to get a UK visa in Podgorica, Montenegro

The growing number of low-budget flights simply fuels the already existing desire to travel. If you are in Montenegro, this statement makes a lot of sense. Low-cost flights to London or Manchester from Podgorica and Tivat inspire travelers to visit the kingdom detached from the land. However, the thought of a visa procedure demotivates many at the outset. All it takes is a pinch of patience and a bit more money than you would otherwise spend on this trip. Although the procedure for obtaining a UK visa is similar everywhere, the details and minor deviations of different countries can be confusing. If you need a British Visa and are in Montenegro, take a look at this short guide.
(Read more about the different types of visas available for Montenegro)

Find apartments and houses for rent in Montenegro here.
Learn more about living in Montenegro and temporary residency in Montenegro!
Are you looking for the best destinations for digital nomads in Montenegro? Then read this article – Discover the Best Places for Digital Nomads in Montenegro

If you are interested in longer-term solutions to relocating to Montenegro, visit the following pages:

• Emigrate to Montenegro: Residence Permit & Tax Residency Guide
• Relocation Services in Montenegro
• 10 Reasons You Should Register a Company in Montenegro in 2024
• Montenegro Residency by Company Formation (2024) – A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide
• Montenegro Company Formation & Residency Services – Fully Managed Solution
• Montenegro Residency in 2024 – The Complete Guide

For the beginning, make sure you need a Visa at all. Check it out on the following site: gov.uk/check-uk-visa
The whole process depends on what you want to do in the UK and your nationality.

Survey

As a Standard Visitor, you can come to the UK for:

• for tourism (visit family or friends, holiday)
• for certain business activities (attending a meeting, conference, seminar, etc.)
• participation in academic exchange programs and researches
• for medical reasons (receiving a private medical treatment etc.)

With this kind of Visa, you are not allowed to:

• work as a self-employed person or for a UK company (paid or not-paid job)
• insist on public benefits or funds
• study for longer than six months
• live in the UK for extended periods through frequent visits
• use this traveling time to register a civil partnership or marriage (apply for Marriage Visitor Visa instead)

Eligibility

You need to have evidence of eligibility requirements, such as return from the UK after the end of your visit. 

How to apply for UK Visa?

Before you travel to the UK and need a visa, you need to apply for it online. Firstly, make sure your passport is valid for the whole of your stay in the UK and contains a blank page for the Visa. 

The other required documentation:

• date of travel to the UK
• information on the place of residence during the visit
• estimation of travel costs
• current residential address and length of stay at that address
• parents’ names and dates of birth
• annual earnings
• details of any criminal, civil, or immigration offenses you may have committed

Documentation that may be required of you:

• your employer’s address and telephone number
• travel history for the last ten years
• If you have any family members in the UK, you may have to provide their address and passport number.

Going for medical treatment or academic or professional reasons must be supported by special documentation.
The next step is to apply online.

In addition to the online application, you must schedule an appointment at a visa application center (to bring the required documents for an inspection). You can start the application process three months before your planned trip to the UK. The application center may keep your passport and the other documents while handling the whole proceeding.

Usually, you can stay in the UK for six months.
It is possible to apply for the long-term Standard Visitor Visa that lasts 2.5 or 10 years if you need to visit the UK regularly for a more extended period. On each visit, you can stay for a maximum of six months.

If you want to stay in the UK for more than six months in one visit, you must get your biometric residence permit when you arrive. Also, there is a possibility that you will have to take a tuberculosis test, depending on where you come from.

A long-term standard visa for minors, when their owner reaches the age of eighteen, is valid for only six months more. They can not get a refund on the fee.

Fees

The price of a Standard Visitor Visa, which lasts for six months, is £95.

If it needs to last longer for specific reasons, here’s how you can do it:

• for private medical treatment – up to eleven months (£190 fee)
• for academic reasons – if you meet the eligibility requirements, you, your partner, and children can stay in the UK for up to twelve months (£190 fee)

In Montenegro, the British Embassy‘s trust agency collects the necessary documentation from the Visa’s candidates and charges an additional £50 for a visa’s standard price. The agency’s website is not the most informative one.

Their office is located in the building of the hotel “Ramada” in Podgorica.

The agency’s location on Google Maps is not entirely accurate.

Outcome

After proving the identity, providing the required documentation and online application, you’ll usually get a decision on your Visa within three weeks. It all depends on the purpose and length of the trip and the country you are applying from.

It is possible to apply for the long-term Standard Visitor Visa that lasts 2.5 or 10 years if you need to visit the UK regularly for a more extended period. On each visit, you can stay for a maximum of six months. 
If you want to stay in the UK for more than six months in one visit, you must get your biometric residence permit when you arrive. Also, there is a possibility that you will have to take a tuberculosis test, depending on where you come from.  

Although the possibility of rejecting an application for a UK visa from Montenegro exists, if you meet the existing conditions, there is no reason to hesitate. It is important that you start the application on time and enter the procedure prepared. Please note that money previously paid will not be refunded in the event of a refusal. 

We hope our guide about getting a UK Visa in Montenegro has motivated you to pack your suitcase.