Montenegro 
Operational Context
Even though the total number of children at risk of statelessness is unknown, children from Roma and Egyptian minorities and from one unknown parent (or from separated parents who do not communicate to each other) may be considered at risk of statelessness due to lack of birth registration.
Montenegro has gone through four state transitions since the 1990s, which resulted in several changes in legislation regulating nationality. Due to its rather small population, historical reasons and internal political circumstances, the country implemented special policies of access to nationality and dual nationality. This policy limits effective access to Montenegrin nationality to those who found refuge and have since lived in the country following conflicts in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo (S/RES/1244(1999). In terms of statelessness, the most affected groups are the Roma and Egyptians originating from Serbia and Kosovo (S/RES/1244(1999), who were not registered at civil offices prior to their departure to Montenegro in the 1970s or before they left Kosovo due to the conflict in 1999.
By amending the Law on Non-Contentious Proceedings, Montenegro has made progress in improving birth registration for vulnerable children and adults. Even though the new procedure is more accessible, children from one unknown parent or from separated parents who do not communicate to each other still face serious obstacles during the birth registration process.
The Elsanis are a Roma family of eight from Kosovo who live in a settlement outside the coastal town of Budva, Montenegro. They have recently obtained identity documents and are no longer at risk of statelessness ©UNHCR/Miomir Laban
Strategy Objectives
1. Improving birth registration to prevent statelessness
Goal 1: To sensitize social welfare professionals on the challenges with birth registration
Goal 2: To train social welfare professionals on international standards and on how to assist children without birth registration