From November 1, Russian citizens will need a visa to enter Montenegro. The authorities of the country have officially notified the Russian embassy that the agreement on mutual travel, signed in September 2008, is being terminated. Russia's ambassador to Montenegro, Aleksandr Lukashik, told journalists about this.
Documents can be submitted at the Embassy of Montenegro in Moscow or at one of the VFS Global visa centres in Russia. Travellers holding a valid visa of one of the Schengen Area countries will be able to enter the country with it, but they will be allowed to stay in Montenegro for no more than 30 days.
According to the ambassador, the Russian mission in Podgorica has not yet received any information about possible changes to the rules for issuing temporary residence permits.
The Russian Union of Travel Industry believes that in the first year after visas are introduced, the flow of tourists from Russia may fall by 25–35%. As RSTU expert Mikhail Abasov explained, the greatest impact will be on tourist trips, while those who hold residence permits will be barely affected. In his words, this will be a painful blow to Montenegro, since Russian tourists have filled private apartments and small hotels on the coast, including in the off-season.
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia noted that organised tourism to Montenegro from Russia had not been mass-market even before. Up to 85% of trips fell in the period from May to September, while bookings for November were isolated.
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