Five reasons to consider Montenegro citizenship-by-investment – while you still can

This article was originally published on BizNews

Location, location, location

Situated on the Adriatic coast, which is known for its stunning natural beauty and warm, clear waters, Montenegro offers glorious beaches, quaint medieval villages and majestic, unspoilt landscapes.

In addition to its fairytale aesthetic, Montenegro is located in the heart of Europe with easy access to the Schengen area. It’s a popular stopover for sailors and the ideal home base for anyone with business interests throughout the continent.

A fast route to second citizenship

Montenegro’s citizenship-by-investment programme is fast-tracked, so in as little as four to six  months you will have citizenship. There’s no requirement to be resident or physically present in the country, which many other citizenship-by-investment programmes require. You also don’t have to pass a language test, sit through an interview or renounce your current citizenship.

Visa-free access to over 120 countries

The Montenegrin passport allows visa-free access across Europe and to many other countries that the South African “green mamba” does not. Montenegro is also a United States E-2 Treaty country, which means citizens of Montenegro can relocate to the USA, provided they are willing to invest in and operate a business there.

The country is also expected to join the European Union in 2025.

A sound investment

Montenegro has one of the fastest growing tourism economies in the world. Its impending EU accession demonstrates ongoing government commitment to security and stability.

The requirements for the Montenegrin citizenship-by-investment programme are a qualifying investment of at least €450,000 and a government contribution of €100,000, plus associated admin and processing costs. The government contribution is put into a special fund to help develop the more rural areas of the country, while the bulk of the investment would be made into a foreign currency asset that could earn you an income.

Southern Montenegro in particular is host to a booming property market independent of the citizenship programme, so a return on your investment is likely. Montenegro has no restrictions on foreign ownership and one of the lowest personal income tax rates in the world – at just 9%.

Your family can also get citizenship

You can include your spouse and all financially dependent children, regardless of age, on your application.

Montenegro promises a safe, family-friendly environment and inclusive community, with a wealth of outdoor activities and a high standard of living. However, the lack of a physical presence requirement means that your family can gain the powerful Montenegrin passport without the need to physically relocate. This broadens their future options with no need to uproot your current lives.

The only downside?

Montenegro’s citizenship-by-investment programme was always intended to be temporary and the sunset date is 31 December 2021. Additionally, this exclusive programme only has a total 2,000 places available. It’s essential to act quickly if you’d like to apply.

Our South African team has worked with on-the-ground partners in Montenegro to identify the best qualifying investments. We’ve visited the locations ourselves to ensure that they are exactly as promised in the brochures before recommending them to clients.

With over 20 years of experience assisting people with their complex cross-border financial and emigration needs, we’re able to ensure that citizenship-by-investment applications are processed quickly and efficiently and that your application has the best chance of success. We pride ourselves on transparency, so programme costs are covered in detail and you can be sure of the financial commitments from the very beginning.

For further information, get in touch with our team at im@sableinternational.com or +27 21 657 1584.