Montenegrin passport

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Montenegrin biometric passport
Montenegrin biometric passport

The Montenegrin passport (Serbian: pasoš) is the primary document of international travel issued by the Republic of Montenegro.

The passport is issued by the Ministry of Interior or, if the citizen resides abroad, at the embassy. Besides serving as proof of identity and of citizenship, they facilitate the process of securing assistance from Montenegrin consular officials abroad, if needed. Citizens can not have multiple passports at the same time.

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[edit] History

Passport issued in Montenegro in 1887. Prior to the advent of photography, passports had a description of the bearer.
Passport issued in Montenegro in 1887. Prior to the advent of photography, passports had a description of the bearer.

The first passports issued in Montenegro are from the 18th century, by Vasilije III Petrović-Njegoš. They recorded Nationality - Montenegrin, Ethnicity - Serbian or other, Faith - Eastern Orthodox or other[1].

After Basil ethnicity was never a part of Montenegrin passports again. During the reign of Prince-Bishop Petar I Petrović-Njegoš, a special document known as "Passport" (Serbian: Пашепорт) was granted to the citizens who wanted to wanted extraordinarily to visit foreign countries.

During the reign of Prince-Bishop Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, he was granting a special Montenegrin Bill of Passage. From then on next to every user of the bill and subsequent passports, ", Montenegrin" was added, relating to the country of his or her birth. It also introduced the notification from which Montenegrin clan is the individual[2] Later, Njegos formally instituted as the official name name "Montenegrin Passport" [3]. A component part of it was the Seal of the Cetinje Metropolitanate's Righteous Soviet, a bicephalic white eagle with spread out wings, an Eastern Orthodox cross between his heads and a passing lion beneath it, altogether on red background.

With the secularization of Montenegro as a formal Princedom under Prince Danilo I Petrovic-Njegos, religious affiliation and even physical description of the passport holder were introduced as of the mid 19th century, in attempt to prevent fraud[4]. The Seal was replaced with Danil's Coat of Arms, the lion was moved onto a red shield on the eagle's chest, while an Imperial crown was added above the head, in remniscence of the Serbian Empire.

Front cover of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport
Front cover of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport

The passports issued by Nikola I Petrovic-Njegos were significantly changed in appearance, also losing any reference to nationality[5]. The same were the unrecognized passports published by the Montenegrin Government in Exile in 1919, after the country's annexation by Serbia.

Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, passports were issued in order with the “Law on Travel Documents of Yugoslav Nationals” which came into force on 26 July 1996, although the country came into existence in 1992. They were navy blue in color and have two inscriptions in golden letters - Савезна Република Југославија (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) at the top and the word passport written in three languages: Serbian (Cyrillic script), English and French at the bottom divided by the coat of arms. Following the restructuring of the FRY into the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in 2003, passports with the new name were not issued due to the expected breakup of the union, which eventually happened in 2006.

Following Montenegro's independence, citizens of Montenegro used the same travel document as Serbia until 2008, the only difference being in issuing authority, in this case Ministry of Interior of Montenegro.

On November 30, 2006, the Government adopted the Memorandum of Agreement between the Republic of Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia on Consular Protection and Services to the Citizens of Montenegro. By this agreement, Serbia, through its network of diplomatic and consular missions, provides consular services to the Montenegrin citizens on the territory of states in which Montenegro has no missions of its own.

[edit] Appearance

[edit] Design

The current passports are burgundy red with the Montenegrin coat of arms. The data page is printed in Montenegrin, English and French. Unlike the passports of the former Yugoslavia, which used both the Cyrillic and Roman alphabets, the current Montenegrin passport uses the Roman script exclusively.

[edit] Identity information page

Inside Montenegrin biometric passport
Inside Montenegrin biometric passport

The passport includes the following data:

  • Country code ('MNE' for Montenegro)
  • Nationality (Montenegrin )
  • Type ('P' for passport)
  • Passport serial number
  • Name of bearer
  • Place of birth
  • Date of birth (DD.MM.YYYY.)
  • National identity number (JMBG)
  • Date of issue (DD.MM.YYYY.)
  • Date of expiry (DD.MM.YYYY.)
  • Issuing office (Ministry of Interior of Montenegro)
  • Signature and photo of bearer

[edit] Types

Passports that can be issued are:

  • Ordinary passport is issued to all citizens.
  • Valid for 10 years
  • Collective passport is issued to groups traveling together.
  • Valid for a single trip abroad.
  • Though it is not primary means of international travel for organized groups, it is often used to facilitate the issuance of visas, or to decrease administrative costs if a lot of group members do not have their individual passports. Main users of these passports are high schools and tourist agencies.
  • Collective passport can be used for travel only to specific, usually nearby, countries. Some countries that do not accept collective passport as valid travel ID, do issue collective visas, but still stamp individual passports.
  • All members of the group must cross the border at the same time and be part of the same organized trip.
  • Diplomatic passport is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to diplomats, high-ranking officials, members of the parliament and persons traveling on official state business, and in some cases to immediate family members of the above.
  • Validity is determined by the nature of the position held - diplomats and officials will usually receive the passport covering their mandate in office.
  • Diplomatic passport holders require an exit visa in order to leave Serbia with their travel documents.
  • Official passport is identical in all aspects to the diplomatic passport, but lacks the privileges of diplomatic immunity. It is issued to mid and low-ranking officials, as well as to non-diplomatic staff at the embassies and consulates.

In case of a loss of passport abroad, emergency travel document is issued by the embassy. A seaman's book is also considered a travel document if supplied with a valid visa.

[edit] Documents required

The following documents are required in order to obtain passport[6] :

  • Old passport (if applicable, regardless of expiry date)
  • National ID card (adults only)
  • Birth certificate or Certificate of citizenship, and Residence certificate (minors only)
  • Certificate of citizenship (not older than 6 months)
  • Issuing charge (€15,00)
  • Proof of administrative taxes paid (€25,00)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Liberation, Independence and Unification of Serbia and Montenegro, Minic F. Petrovic
  2. ^ Crnogorski pasos iz 1849 godine
  3. ^ http://www.njegos.org/passports/pasos1.jpg
  4. ^ http://www.njegos.org/passports/pasos3.jpg
  5. ^ http://www.njegos.org/passports/pasos4.jpg
  6. ^ "Putne isprave i vize (in Montenegrin)", Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Montenegro. Retrieved 14 Jun 2007.

[edit] External links