Questions
The questions investors ask, answered once.
The same answers as on each page, grouped by topic. If yours is not here, send it to us.
We reply on the next working day. We name the fee in writing, in our reply to your inquiry. Scope and timing are confirmed in writing before work starts.
Montenegro Advisory
Montenegro and working with us
What corporate tax rate applies in Montenegro?
Corporate income tax is progressive: 9% up to EUR 100,000 of taxable profit, 12% from EUR 100,000.01 to EUR 1,500,000, and 15% above EUR 1,500,000 (Corporate Income Tax Law, Art. 28). We confirm how it applies to your structure before you decide. Corporate Income Tax Law (gov.me) →
How long does company registration take?
Registration in the CRPS (Central Registry of Business Entities) follows once the founding documents are signed and complete. The bank account depends on the bank's compliance review. We set out the timeline for your case in the proposal; we do not promise dates that depend on the registry or the bank.
Can a foreign investor own a company in Montenegro?
Yes. Any person or company with legal capacity, domestic or foreign, can found a DOO or an AD (Law on Companies, Art. 7). Some activities need a licence and some property types have separate rules; we check this for your case before you decide. Law on Companies (Official Gazette of Montenegro 90/25, amended 121/25 and March 2026; unofficial consolidated text 90/25 and 121/25, Central Bank of Montenegro; in Montenegrin) →
What is the difference between Montenegro Advisory and BusinessLanding.me?
BusinessLanding.me prepares the decision: market brief, partner search, investor site visit and an entry plan. Montenegro Advisory executes it: company, bank account, due diligence and ongoing compliance. Both are desks of the same house, Schule d.o.o. Podgorica. businesslanding.me →
Is Montenegro part of the EU?
No. Montenegro is an EU candidate country and uses the euro without being part of the euro area. For the current status of accession negotiations, see the European Commission's enlargement pages. European Commission - enlargement →
Which languages do you work in?
English and Montenegrin. Other languages through partner translators on request.
Can you help with residence permits?
Yes, alongside company formation or hiring, for the owners and staff of a company in Montenegro. We prepare the file for the temporary residence and work permit under the Law on Foreigners; you, or the company as employer, file it with the Ministry of the Interior, which decides. We do not represent you before the Ministry and do not promise the outcome or the date. Residence permit in Montenegro →
Company formation
Company formation
How much does it cost to set up a company in Montenegro?
The CRPS charges EUR 15 to register a DOO and EUR 50 to register an AD; reserving the company name before filing is optional and costs EUR 15. The minimum share capital is EUR 1 for a DOO (Law on Companies, Art. 361) and EUR 25,000 for an AD (Art. 137); it is paid into the company, not to the state. A company stamp is not required (Art. 20). Certified signatures, translations, apostilles and bank charges are set by those offices and listed separately in our proposal. We name the fee in writing, in our reply to your inquiry. Decision on CRPS registration fees (Official Gazette of Montenegro 116/25 of 14 October 2025, item 1491, Art. 2; applies from 1 January 2026; in Montenegrin) → Law on Companies (Official Gazette of Montenegro 90/25, amended 121/25 and March 2026; unofficial consolidated text 90/25 and 121/25, Central Bank of Montenegro; in Montenegrin) →
What documents are needed to register a company in Montenegro?
The founding act and the articles of association, signed by all founders: on paper with certified signatures, or electronically with qualified electronic signatures (Law on Companies, Art. 8). For a DOO the registry also receives the executive director's details with the appointment decision, a signed statement accepting the appointment, a certificate that no ban on holding the function applies, the company's email address, and proof of capital paid in where more than the minimum is paid (Registration Rulebook, Art. 18). We draft the acts; the list for your owners is confirmed in the proposal. Law on Companies, amendments of March 2026 (Ukaz 01-009/26-581/2 of 27 March 2026, item 839, Arts. 8 and 10; in Montenegrin) → Registration Rulebook (Official Gazette of Montenegro 118/25; in Montenegrin) →
How long does company formation take?
By law the registry decides within ten working days of receiving a complete application and documents, or within five working days where all founders are individuals and use the prescribed template acts; in a complex case it may extend the deadline and must tell the applicant why (Law on Registration of Business and Other Entities, Art. 27). The decision assigns the registration number and the tax number (PIB). Time before filing depends on signatures, certifications and translations; time after it depends on VAT registration where needed and on the bank's review of the account file. We give the timeline for your case in the proposal and do not promise dates that depend on the registry or the bank. Law on Registration of Business and Other Entities, amendments of March 2026 (Ukaz 01-009/26-580/2 of 27 March 2026, item 840, Art. 27; in Montenegrin) →
Do I need to come to Montenegro to set up the company?
Not necessarily. The Law on Companies allows a DOO to be founded electronically, without the founders being present; in an individual case the authority may still ask a founder to appear (Art. 10). The electronic route has conditions: the founder, or the person the founder authorizes, identifies with an electronic ID issued within a scheme entered in Montenegro's register of electronic identification schemes (Art. 10(5)), and the founding act cannot be electronic where real estate is contributed as capital (Art. 8(5)). A written founding act carries the founders' certified signatures (Art. 8), and the registration can be filed by a proxy with a power of attorney (Registration Rulebook, Art. 4). Which route fits your owners, and whether anyone needs to travel, is confirmed in the proposal. For the bank account, the bank decides whether it needs to meet the owner or the executive director in person; we ask the bank before planning the meeting. Law on Companies, amendments of March 2026 (Ukaz 01-009/26-581/2 of 27 March 2026, item 839, Arts. 8 and 10; in Montenegrin) → Registration Rulebook (Official Gazette of Montenegro 118/25; in Montenegrin) →
How do I open a company in Montenegro as a foreigner?
A foreign person or company can found a DOO or an AD on the same terms as a domestic one (Law on Companies, Art. 7). The usual order is: the founding act and articles of association, certified signatures (or qualified electronic signatures for an electronic act), filing with the CRPS, VAT registration where needed, then the bank account. Registration can be filed by a proxy with a power of attorney. Some activities need a licence and some property types have separate rules; we check this for your case before you decide. Montenegro Advisory (Schule d.o.o. Podgorica) prepares and follows every step. Law on Companies (Official Gazette of Montenegro 90/25, amended 121/25 and March 2026; unofficial consolidated text 90/25 and 121/25, Central Bank of Montenegro; in Montenegrin) →
Bank account
Bank account
How does a non-resident open a bank account in Montenegro?
Through a file the bank accepts. We ask the bank for its current list of documents and requirements, prepare and check the file in Montenegrin and English, explain the business and the ownership structure to the bank, and attend the meeting with you. The bank decides whether it needs to meet the owner or director in person, and whether and when the account is opened, after its compliance review.
Can you guarantee that the account will be opened?
No. The decision is the bank's, after its compliance review. We make sure the file is complete and the bank's questions are answered.
How long does it take to open the account?
It depends on the bank's review of the file. We give the timeline for your case in the proposal and do not promise dates that depend on the bank.
Do I have to come to Montenegro?
The bank decides whether it needs to meet the owner, the director or the persons authorized on the account in person. We ask the bank before planning the meeting.
What does it cost?
We name the fee in writing, in our reply to your inquiry. We confirm it in writing before work starts. Bank charges are separate and set by the bank.
Due diligence
Due diligence
How is due diligence for an acquisition in Montenegro done?
In four phases: scoping and planning (scope, materiality, information request list, data room), fieldwork (documents, management interviews, site visits; financial, tax and legal workstreams in parallel), analysis and findings (red flags, quantified exposure, deal-breakers, impact on price and terms), and reporting with support on warranties, indemnities and price adjustments in the SPA. In Montenegro we check property titles and encumbrances, tax exposure from related-party transactions, cash-based revenue and permits first. Legal work is done by partner law firms; reports are in English.
How long does due diligence take in Montenegro?
It depends on the size of the target and how ready the data room is. The timeline is written into the proposal before work starts.
What does due diligence cost?
We name the fee in writing, in our reply to your inquiry. Scope, fee and timing are then confirmed in writing before work starts.
Can you work with our international advisers?
Yes. We can act as the local workstream for your international advisers and align our reporting with your due diligence framework.
What do you check first in Montenegro?
Property titles and encumbrances, tax exposure from related-party transactions, cash-based revenue, and permits for the activity.
Do you provide post-acquisition support?
Yes: management reporting set-up and ongoing tax and compliance support after closing. If you need a company for the acquisition or an account for the purchase price, we set them up as well. Company formation → Bank account →
Residence permit
Residence permit
Can I get a residence permit in Montenegro by setting up a company?
Not for the company itself: the permit follows work in it. A foreigner who is the executive director of a Montenegrin company and owns all of it, or more than 51% of its capital, can apply for a temporary residence and work permit without a job offer and without proof of education, attaching proof of ownership and registration of the company instead (Law on Foreigners, Art. 69). Executive directors of companies registered in Montenegro are outside the annual quota for foreign workers (Art. 78). The general conditions of Article 43 still apply: passport, means of subsistence, accommodation, health insurance and a clean criminal record. Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/18), Arts. 66-80: temporary residence and work permit (in Montenegrin) → Law on Foreigners, amendments (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/26, in force 17 January 2026), Arts. 43, 69, 70, 79, 79a and 82 (in Montenegrin) →
What documents are needed for a temporary residence and work permit?
With the application you attach a valid passport (valid at least three months longer than the permit), proof of means of subsistence, proof of accommodation, health insurance, proof that you have no conviction in your country of origin to an unconditional prison term longer than six months, and the proof that justifies the application (Art. 43 and 79). For an employee that is the employer's written job offer, proof of health fitness and proof of education and qualifications; an owner and executive director with more than 51% attaches proof of health fitness and proof of ownership and registration of the company (Art. 69). We check the list for your case before the file is filed. Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/18), Arts. 38-43: purposes of temporary residence and conditions (in Montenegrin) → Law on Foreigners, amendments (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/26, in force 17 January 2026), Arts. 43, 69, 70, 79, 79a and 82 (in Montenegrin) →
How long does it take, and how long is the permit valid?
By law the Ministry of the Interior decides within 15 days of a complete application (Art. 80). The permit is issued for up to one year (Art. 70). An owner and executive director can renew it while the conditions of Article 43 are met and taxes and contributions of at least EUR 5,000 a year are paid; this proof is not required from citizens of EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (Art. 70). The renewal is filed 60 to 30 days before the permit expires (Art. 82). We do not promise dates that depend on the Ministry. Law on Foreigners, amendments (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/19), Arts. 69 and 80 (in Montenegrin) → Law on Foreigners, amendments (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/26, in force 17 January 2026), Arts. 43, 69, 70, 79, 79a and 82 (in Montenegrin) →
Do you file the application for me?
No. The law has the foreigner file the application in person at the Ministry of the Interior in the place of residence, or electronically, and then appear in person for the photo, fingerprints and signature; the employer may also file it (Art. 79 and 79a). We prepare the file and check it before filing. When filing, you can authorize the company or another person to collect the permit for you (Art. 79). We name the fee in writing, in our reply to your inquiry. Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/18), Arts. 66-80: temporary residence and work permit (in Montenegrin) → Law on Foreigners, amendments (Official Gazette of Montenegro 3/26, in force 17 January 2026), Arts. 43, 69, 70, 79, 79a and 82 (in Montenegrin) →
Buying property
Buying property
Is the asking price fair?
Nobody can tell from the listing alone. Certifying a contract and checking a title are different tasks from judging a price. We compare the asking price with comparable properties and give you a range and the assumptions behind it, so that you can negotiate or walk away with a reason. It is a value opinion for your decision, not a valuation report for a bank or a court.
Does the property qualify for a residence permit?
Owning property does not give you a permit by itself. The Law on Foreigners allows a temporary residence permit for use of a property you own (Art. 56), and since the amendments of 2026 the proof of its value is the local tax authority's decision on transfer tax, with a tax base of not less than EUR 150,000. This obligation does not apply to citizens of EU member states or to members of their families, whether or not those family members are EU citizens, nor to citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The Ministry of the Interior decides, and we do not promise the outcome. Montenegro's citizenship-by-investment programme was completed on 31 December 2022, so a property purchase does not lead to a passport. Law on Foreigners, 3/26 → Residence permit in Montenegro →
What does the notary do, and what is not part of it?
Under the Law on Notaries, a contract that transfers ownership of a property must be made as a notarial deed, and without that form it has no legal effect (Art. 52). In drawing up the deed the notary establishes the identity of the parties (Art. 45), examines what they want and instructs them on the legal consequences of the transaction (Art. 48), and sends a copy of the deed to the registry (Art. 82). We found no duty in these provisions to assess the price or the seller's finances, so do not assume the notary covers them. Our reading is of the consolidated text as of 31 March 2021. Ask your notary and your lawyer for their scope in writing before you pay a deposit. Law on Notaries →
Which tax applies: VAT or transfer tax?
It depends on the sale. The first transfer of a newly built object is a supply of goods subject to VAT, and the general VAT rate is 21% (Law on Value Added Tax, Arts. 4 and 24). Other transfers of property are generally exempt from VAT (Art. 27, point 2), but a sale of building land by a taxable person has been a supply of goods since 1 April 2026, so ask about land separately. A new VAT law (Official Gazette 104/26) has been adopted, but under its Art. 213 it applies only from the date Montenegro joins the European Union; until then the current law applies. We do not quote transfer tax rates on this page. Ask in writing whether the price you were quoted includes VAT, and ask your lawyer or tax adviser which tax and which rate apply to your purchase before you pay. Law on Value Added Tax → Law on Value Added Tax, 104/26 →
What does the check cost?
We name the fee in writing, in our reply to your inquiry. Scope, fee and timing are then confirmed in writing before work starts.
Pricing
Fees
Do you publish a price list?
No. We name the fee in writing, in our reply to your inquiry. Scope, fee and timing are then confirmed in writing before work starts.
Do you offer a free consultation?
No. We reply to your inquiry in writing on the next working day and name the fee in that reply. A meeting is arranged only if the matter needs one, and work starts only after the written proposal.
What is not in your fee?
Fees of the registry, notary, translators, the bank and partner law firms are listed separately in the proposal, for each service.