Montenegro lifts visa-free regime for Russians

Montenegro has decided to end the visa-free travel regime for Russian citizens, meaning that from October 1, Russian citizens will need a visa to enter the country.

According to the Montenegrin media DANIn addition to Russia, the decision also affects citizens of Belarus and Peru, who will also no longer be able to travel to Montenegro without visas.

This decision ends a nearly 18-year period of visa-free travel between Russia and Montenegro, a regime that has significantly facilitated the arrival of Russian tourists and has made Montenegro one of the most frequented destinations by visitors from Russia in the Balkans.

The change comes as part of Montenegro's efforts to harmonize its visa policy with European Union standards, as part of the country's European integration process.

For years, Russian tourists have made up an important part of the Montenegrin tourism sector, especially during the summer season. The lifting of the visa-free regime is expected to affect the way Russian citizens travel, who will now have to complete additional procedures to obtain visas.

The decision also marks the closure of one of the easiest entry channels for Russian tourists into Europe, as Montenegro has long been one of the destinations where they could travel with fewer restrictions.