The 2008 Citizenship Act of Montenegro does not allow dual citizenship, because the condition for admission to Montenegrin citizenship is that the person has a release from the previous citizenship. However, there are exceptions to this principle:
- A Montenegrin emigrant and a member of his or her family up to the third degree of kinship in the direct line may acquire Montenegrin citizenship by admission if he or she has legally and continuously resided in Montenegro for at least two years and meets other legally prescribed conditions;
- A person who has been married to a Montenegrin citizen for at least three years and has been legally and continuously residing in Montenegro for at least five years, may acquire Montenegrin citizenship by admission;
- A person whose admission to Montenegrin citizenship is of special importance for the state, scientific, economic, cultural, economic, sports, national and other interests of Montenegro may acquire Montenegrin citizenship without release;
- A Montenegrin citizen who also had the citizenship of another state on 3 June 2006 has the right to retain Montenegrin citizenship.
- On the basis of ratified international treaties or agreements concluded by Montenegro (so far none).
Citizenship Law
The Citizenship of Montenegro is regulated by a citizenship law, ratified by Parliament in 2008 and published by the Official Journal of Montenegro (No. 13/2008). Naturalization is accepted by Montenegro if the applicant has resided continuously for ten years and has legally released from foreign citizenship and command in Montenegrin language.
Children
A child Montenegrin citizen, holding at the same time the citizenship of foreign state, shall be deprived of Montenegrin citizenship, if during his/her minority is established that conditions based upon which he/she acquired the Montenegrin citizenship, are not anymore fulfilled.
Deprivation
Article 24 states any adult citizen of Montenegro , holding also foreign citizenship, shall be deprived of Montenegrin citizenship , if :
- voluntarily acquired the citizenship of foreign state, except under conditions of the provisions under Article 18 of paragraph 2 hereof,
it is established that decree on naturalization have been made on the basis of false statement; deliberate concealment of facts or circumstances important for making of decree, except if the person who acquired the Montenegrin citizenship should become stateless person. - have acquired Montenegrin citizenship on the basis of a warranty of foreign state that he/she will cessate a citizenship if he/she acquires Montenegrin citizenship, and if within the period established by the decree on acquisition of citizenship he/she does not submit evidence on cessation of citizenship of that state, except if such a person should become a stateless person ;
- is irrevocably sentenced for the criminal offence against humanity and other interests protected by the International Law;
- is irrevocably sentenced for planning, organizing, financing or any other manner of assisting to or committing of terrorist acts or providing of shelter to organizers, perpetrators or participants in terrorist activities.
- is a member of the organization with the activities aiming against security and defense of Montenegro;
- is in the voluntary service of military forces of a foreign state;
- his/her attitude is seriously harmful to the interests of Montenegro.
Download
Montenegro Citizenship Act (2008) – Download
