The key facts
- From November 1, 2026, entry of Russians into Montenegro will require a Montenegrin or Schengen-area visa — ambassador Aleksandr Lukashik
- The agreement on mutual travel signed in September 2008 will cease to be in force
- The Russian Foreign Ministry reciprocally cancelled visa-free travel for Montenegrin citizens and warned of losses to the tourism industry
Notification of visa introduction
Montenegro has officially notified Russia of introducing entry visas for Russian citizens from November 1, 2026. The Russian ambassador to Montenegro, Aleksandr Lukashik, told TASS about this. According to him, from the specified date, Russians will be able to enter only with a Montenegrin visa or visas of a number of other countries, including Schengen states.
Termination of the 2008 agreement
The diplomat explained that from November 1, at Montenegro's initiative, its agreement with Russia on the conditions of mutual travel of citizens, signed in September 2008, will cease to be in force.
Podgorica's motives
The Montenegrin authorities explained the introduction of visas for citizens of Russia, Belarus, Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia by the need to bring visa policy into line with the requirements of the European Union. The country is in the final stage of EU membership negotiations and plans to complete the technical part of the work by 2027.
Moscow's reaction
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Russia, in a reciprocal decision, also cancelled the visa-free regime for Montenegrin citizens. According to her, Podgorica's actions will damage Montenegro's tourism industry, which will lose the majority of Russian tourists and lose profit. Zakharova also emphasized that the country will lose investments, and Brussels will not compensate for these losses. Earlier, the Russian embassy spoke of Montenegro's dependence on the influence of foreign forces.
