From 1 November 2026, Russian citizens will need visas to enter and stay in Montenegro, while Montenegrin citizens will need visas for travel to Russia. This was reported by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Министерство иностранных дел России; МИД России), the federal authority responsible for Russia’s foreign policy, following notification from the Montenegrin side that it was terminating the 2008 agreement on mutual travel (соглашения 2008 года о взаимных поездках). For employers, the change means that the citizenship of participants in outbound and inbound travel must be monitored separately.
What is changing for companies with travel between the countries
The previous visa-free procedure for reciprocal travel is ending. The new regime applies not only to tourist travel but also to any other trips if the employee is a Russian citizen travelling to Montenegro or a Montenegrin citizen travelling to Russia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ announcement addresses both entry and stay on the basis of visas.
For a company, the key practical effect is that a trip cannot be assessed solely by its route, the employee’s position or the purpose of the visit. The personnel and travel processes will need to identify the link between “employee citizenship — destination country.” This will make it possible to identify in advance cases where a visa requirement will arise from 1 November.
Which plans should be rechecked before the change date
Planned business trips after 1 November, visits by employees from Montenegro to Russia, and return trips by Russian employees require review. It is useful to compare the entry date with the date on which the new regime begins and verify the citizenship of the particular traveller. The notification itself was sent to the Russian side on 28 September, while the new procedure is expected to apply from 1 November 2026.
If a company’s trip depends on work authorisation, in-person attendance, a meeting or another internal date, the visa issue should be made a separate control point. However, the source does not state how long visa processing takes. Therefore, it cannot be used as a basis for setting an internal document-submission deadline or promising an employee a specific date by which the visa will be ready.
How to restructure personnel and travel controls
It is important for the HR department and employees organising travel to use a single up-to-date list of participants showing citizenship and destination. Such a list helps prevent the change in regime from being confused with other travel requirements and ensures that an employee whose trip was approved under the previous procedure is not overlooked.
The next step is to cross-check the rules against official documents issued by the competent authorities of Russia or Montenegro. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ announcement confirms the transition to visas itself but does not replace visa instructions. Internal policies are best worded neutrally: the need for and procedure of obtaining a visa must be checked under the official rules applicable to the particular trip.
What information should not yet be included in work instructions
The published announcement does not contain a list of visa categories, required documents, processing times or the application procedure. It also does not identify any possible exemptions. Therefore, this news cannot be used as a basis for requiring an employee to submit a specific set of documents, stating how to apply or assuming that the same procedure applies to all travel purposes.
The source does not separately explain the consequences of not having a visa. Employers should not fill in the gaps with assumptions in guidance notes or messages to employees. The correct approach is to record the change date and the visa requirement, and obtain the details from official sources in the country to which entry is planned.
What to check
- Identify employees who are Russian or Montenegrin citizens and have reciprocal travel planned.
- Check whether entry or stay falls within the period beginning on 1 November 2026.
- Update the travel process by adding a check of citizenship and the visa requirement for the destination.
- Verify the current entry procedure against official documents issued by the competent authorities of Russia or Montenegro.
- Do not include visa categories, lists of documents or processing times in corporate instructions without official confirmation.
- Do not treat the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ announcement as confirmation of exemptions or the consequences of entering without a visa: these details have not been disclosed.