←Bosnia and Herzegovina⇄

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina · Europe · updated 22.08.2026

Bosnia and Herzegovina suits those hired by a local employer: a work permit is issued both within the annual quota and outside it, and there is a Blue Card for qualified employment. The constraint is the exit from the process: citizenship after 8 years, dual citizenship not allowed, meaning the previous one has to be given up.

Some descriptions for this country are still Russian only: 81% translated. Numbers, prices and timelines are complete.

Entry

Entry rules depend on citizenship. Choose a passport to see the requirement for that one.

Work and visas

Visa speed
The Service for Foreigners' Affairs decides on an application for a temporary residence permit within 60 days when it is filed directly and 90 days when it is filed through a diplomatic or consular mission of BiH; the same periods apply to a permanent residence application. The deadline for appeal to the Ministry of Security is 15 days.
Degree required
no
Changing employer
For the first two years a Blue Card holder may work only in the position and for the employer for which the card was issued. Changing employer is permitted once two years have elapsed — a new card is issued on the general terms (art. 74). If the contract is terminated early, the card remains valid for a further three months.

Visa types: Work permit within the annual quota · Work permit outside the quota · Blue Card — residence permit for highly qualified employment · Residence permit without a work permit (intra-company transfer, scientific research, registration of employment) · Seasonal worker's residence permit

Foreigners in Bosnia and Herzegovina are a state-level matter: the temporary or permanent residence permit is issued by the Service for Foreigners' Affairs under the Ministry of Security, and the procedure is one for the whole country. The work permit itself, however, is issued by the foreign-employment body of the Federation of BiH, Republika Srpska or the Brčko District according to where the employer is located (arts. 62–63 of the Law on Foreigners); in the document lists it appears as «a work permit issued by the competent branch of the employment bureau». The Service's fee for issuing or renewing temporary residence is 150 KM and for permanent residence 200 KM; the same figures stand in the general tariff and in every per-ground document list. The term is 60 days when the application is filed directly and 90 days through a diplomatic mission (arts. 83 and 87), counted in calendar days — the law says simply «days». Money for maintenance: the only published figure is 400.00 KM a month in the account, and it appears in the lists for higher education and volunteering; on entry the Service and the Foreign Ministry name 150.00 KM a day, but the decision fixing it (Council of Ministers decision 250/15 of 23.12.2015) limits that figure to the year 2016, and both bodies keep printing it as current. The Serbian Cyrillic version of the Service's site is roughly ten years out of date: it still cites the repealed Law on the movement and stay of foreigners and asylum, whereas the Bosnian, Croatian and English versions carry the current Law on Foreigners (Official Gazette of BiH 88/15). The «English» version is in fact Bosnian, byte for byte the same size as the Bosnian one.

Long-term visas and residence permits

Long-stay visa (Visa D)

Other
term 12 modoes not count toward permanent residenceprocessing time not published
Fee: The Service for Foreigners' Affairs' tariff contains no visa fee at all: visas are issued by BiH missions and the consular fee is set by the Foreign Ministry. The Service's tariff carries only the certification of an invitation — 20 KM from an individual and 50 KM from a legal person — and the extension of a C visa inside the country for 100 KM.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Temporary residence for work with a work permit

Work
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: 150 KM of administrative fee for issuing or renewing a temporary residence permit. The same amount is named both by the Service's general tariff and by each of its per-ground document lists. The fee is paid on every application, renewals included; tariff item 1 charges a separate 5 KM for the application itself.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Seasonal worker residence permit

Work
term 6 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Blue Card for highly qualified employment

Talent
term 24 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefamily allowedfee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Intra-corporate transfer residence permit

Work
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Researcher residence permit

Work
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Company founder residence permit

Startup
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Cultural and educational cooperation staff residence permit

Work
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Foreign government officials residence permit

Other
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

International scientific mission member residence permit

Other
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Religious community official residence permit

Other
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Foreign correspondent residence permit

Work
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Defence, justice and security contract residence permit

Other
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Residence permit for projects of significance to BiH

Work
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Residence permit under an international agreement

Other
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Work registration certificate (work without a work permit)

Other
term 3 modoes not count toward permanent residencefee 100 BAMprocessing time not published
Fee: 100 KM under the Service's tariff for issuing the certificate of registered work under the remaining paragraphs of art. 77 of the Law on Foreigners; under items c) and d) of part 1 of the same article — performers with technical staff and specialists in cultural heritage, library and archive work — 5 KM.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Family reunification with a BiH citizen

Family
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: 150 KM of administrative fee for issuing or renewing a temporary residence permit. The same amount is named both by the Service's general tariff and by each of its per-ground document lists. The fee is paid on every application, renewals included; tariff item 1 charges a separate 5 KM for the application itself.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Family reunification with a resident foreigner

Family
term 12 morenewablefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Higher education residence permit

Study
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residenceincome from 400 BAM a monthfee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Primary and secondary education residence permit

Study
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Unpaid trainee residence permit

Study
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Volunteer residence permit

Other
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residenceincome from 400 BAM a monthfee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Humanitarian residence permit

Other
term 12 morenewabledoes not count toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: 150 KM of administrative fee for issuing or renewing a temporary residence permit — so say the document lists for treatment, rehabilitation and a care home. The lists for the other humanitarian sub-grounds — victims of human trafficking, an unaccompanied foreign minor, a stateless person, a case on a ministry's proposal — carry no fee line at all: for those sub-grounds the law does not require the general conditions of stay either.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Property ownership residence permit

Investment
term 12 morenewablecounts toward permanent residencefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: 150 KM of administrative fee for issuing or renewing a temporary residence permit. The same amount is named both by the Service's general tariff and by each of its per-ground document lists. The fee is paid on every application, renewals included; tariff item 1 charges a separate 5 KM for the application itself.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Residence permit on other justified grounds

Other
term 12 morenewablefee 150 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: on the same terms as the ground above.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Permanent residence

Other
not renewablefamily allowedfee 200 BAMprocessing 60–90 days
Fee: 200 KM of administrative fee for issuing a permanent residence permit — so say the Service's document list and its general tariff. Amending a decision already taken on temporary or permanent residence costs a separate 20 KM.
official source · read 2026-08-22

Programme terms change, and the final decision rests with the consulate or the country migration service. The data is collected from official sources on the date shown and is not legal advice.

Residence and citizenship

Permanent residence after
5 years
Citizenship after
8 years
Language
one of the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian) and its script; the examination is required both for permanent residence and for naturalisation
Dual citizenship
not allowed

Absence limits: Continuity for permanent residence is preserved with absences of up to 6 consecutive months and up to 10 months in total over five years; for Blue Card holders — up to 12 consecutive months and 18 months in total (art. 79 of the Law on Foreigners). Time on a student residence permit counts by half, while seasonal work, intra-company transfer and a number of other grounds do not count towards permanent residence at all (art. 80).

The Law on Foreigners (art. 79) grants permanent residence after 5 years of continuous temporary residence; the Citizenship Act of Bosnia and Herzegovina (art. 9) requires the status of permanent resident for at least 3 years before applying — around 8 years in total. Also required are knowledge of the language and script of one of the constituent peoples, a stable source of income, settled taxes, no criminal convictions and a signed statement accepting the legal order of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Art. 9(6) requires renunciation of the previous citizenship unless a bilateral treaty provides otherwise. Spouse of a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina (art. 10): at least 5 years of marriage and permanent residence already obtained.

Documents

Document certification
apostille

The country is party to the 1961 Hague Convention: a degree or certificate is authenticated with a single apostille in the country that issued it.

Family

Partner

Timeline
The residence permit is issued for the duration of the sponsor's residence permit but for no more than one year, renewable on the same terms; for family members of a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina — up to one year
Right to work
yes

Art. 50 of the Law on Foreigners: the sponsor may be a citizen of BiH, a holder of permanent residence, a Blue Card holder, a foreign national with a residence permit of one year or more with reasonable prospects of permanent residence, or a recognised refugee. Accommodation, a permanent source of income or sufficient funds, and medical insurance for all applicants are required. A family member of a Blue Card holder has the right to work without a separate permit (art. 50(7)); the spouse of a BiH citizen works without a permit (art. 78). In other cases a work permit is required. After 3 years of continuous residence on reunification grounds a switch to an independent basis is possible (art. 50(6)). A marriage of convenience is a separate ground for refusal (art. 52).

Children

Can be brought
yes
Age limit
up to 18 years

Art. 50(3)(b): children under 18; dependent adult children continuing full-time education — up to the age of 26; adult children unable to work or to run a business and living in the same household — with no age limit. Children born in and out of wedlock, adopted children and stepchildren who have not started a family of their own are taken into account.

Parents

Route
Family reunification: the law counts dependent parents among close family members (art. 50(3)(c))
Timeline
A residence permit for up to one year with renewal; the decision takes 60 days when the application is filed directly and 90 days when it is filed through a diplomatic mission
Income threshold
Accommodation, a stable source of income or sufficient means to support all applicants, and health insurance (art. 50(2)); the law does not name a specific amount

The right to work without a separate permit is provided for family members of a Blue Card holder (art. 50(7)); in other cases a work permit is required. Time on a residence permit for reunification with a foreign national whose own status does not carry a right to permanent residence is not counted towards the period for permanent residence (art. 80(1)(f)).

Partner's parents

Matters: The sponsor requirements are the general ones (art. 50(1)): BiH citizenship, permanent residence, a Blue Card, or a residence permit of one year or more with reasonable prospects of permanent residence.

Pets

Limit
5
Antibody titre test
needed
Preparation
~4 months

About the limit: For movement of more than 5 dogs, cats and ferrets the ordinary import procedures apply rather than the non-commercial movement regime

Veterinary Office of BiH: a microchip and a rabies vaccination given no earlier than 12 weeks of age and no earlier than the date of microchipping are mandatory. For countries not on the approved list, a rabies antibody titre test of at least 0.5 IU/ml is required, taken no earlier than 30 days after vaccination and no later than 3 months before entry, at an accredited laboratory — hence a preparation time of about four months. A veterinary certificate from an official veterinarian is valid for 10 days from the date of issue (extended for the duration of sea transport). Entry is only through designated border crossing points for passengers, with a referral to the border veterinary service. Quarantine is not mentioned in the published requirements.

Safety

Climate

0J
3F
5M
9A
14M
18J
21J
21A
16S
12O
7N
3D

Quality of life

Life expectancy
78 years

Cities

Sarajevo

tech hub
275 524 residents
$ 386
1 bedroom, per month

The capital (275,524 people within the city boundary, 2013 census — the country's most recent), the administrative, university and business centre; an international airport.

2 bedrooms $ 518 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 694utilities $ 206ticket $ 1,29monthly pass $ 33,4
To buy, per m²: centre $ 3 220 · suburbs $ 2 356

Winter smog: the city sits in a basin, much of the heating is coal-fired, and PM readings are regularly among the worst in Europe. A seismic zone. Uncleared minefields remain in the surrounding area — BHMAC maintains the maps.

+Capital functions and all the federal bodies
+Noticeable IT outsourcing and remote work
+The Jahorina and Bjelašnica ski resorts within an hour
+Rent is low by European standards
−Winter air pollution
−The most expensive utility bills of the five cities
−A complicated administrative structure: some matters are settled at entity level

Banja Luka

185 042 residents
$ 420
1 bedroom, per month

The administrative centre of Republika Srpska and the country's second city (185,042 people, 2013 census), on the Vrbas river.

2 bedrooms $ 550 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 718utilities $ 147ticket $ 1,35monthly pass $ 45,7
To buy, per m²: centre $ 3 123 · suburbs $ 2 005

The 1969 earthquake destroyed much of the city; the zone is active. Floods on the Vrbas.

+The administrative centre of the entity: its own ministries and public-sector jobs
+Flat terrain, and air noticeably better than Sarajevo's
+University
+The Vrbas and rafting within the city
−Rent comparable to the capital's on a smaller job market
−Two parallel administrative systems complicate the paperwork
−Fewer international links than Sarajevo

Tuzla

110 979 residents
$ 238
1 bedroom, per month

The centre of the north-east (110,979 people, 2013 census): salt production, chemicals and a large coal-fired power station.

2 bedrooms $ 319 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 427utilities $ 129ticket $ 1,78monthly pass $ 53,8
To buy, per m²: centre $ 2 557 · suburbs $ 1 826

Some of the country's most polluted air, from the coal-fired plant and heavy industry. Ground subsidence from decades of salt extraction: several blocks were destroyed and their residents rehoused.

+Some of the cheapest rent in the country
+University
+Salt lakes within the city
−Air quality
−Ground subsidence in the historic quarter
−Shrinking industrial employment

Zenica

110 663 residents
$ 189
1 bedroom, per month

An industrial city in the centre of the country (110,663 people, 2013 census) built around a steelworks.

2 bedrooms $ 222 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 262utilities $ 123ticket $ 0,89monthly pass $ 31,8
To buy, per m²: centre $ 1 650 · suburbs $ 1 310

The steelworks give the city some of the worst winter air readings in Europe. A seismic zone.

+The cheapest housing among the country's large cities
+70 km to Sarajevo on the motorway
+Work at the plant and in the industries around it
−Air pollution
−A one-plant economy
−Little of a service economy

Mostar

105 797 residents
$ 345
1 bedroom, per month

The centre of Herzegovina (105,797 people, 2013 census), with the UNESCO-protected Old Bridge, tourism and wine.

2 bedrooms $ 457 · estimate3 bedrooms $ 607utilities $ 115ticket $ 1,19monthly pass $ 33,8
To buy, per m²: centre $ 2 352 · suburbs $ 1 614

Summer heat: national temperature records are regularly set here. A seismic zone. The city remains divided by the war, with parallel institutions in its two halves.

+A Mediterranean climate, with the Croatian coast around 60 km away
+Tourism all year round
+An airport of its own
+Rent below Sarajevo
−Summer heat above +40
−The economy hangs on tourism
−The city is split administratively

Grocery basket

Bread, 500 g
$ 1,06
Milk, 1 l
$ 1,30
Eggs, 12
$ 2,90
Chicken breast, 1 kg
$ 7,68
Cheese, 1 kg
$ 9,16
Rice, 1 kg
$ 1,74
Potatoes, 1 kg
$ 0,99
Apples, 1 kg
$ 1,44
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 l
$ 1,55
Total
$ 27,8

The same set for every country, so the comparison is fair.

Cost of living across the country

Rent, 1 bedroom
$ 306 a month
Rent, 3 bedrooms
$ 581 a month
Utility bills
$ 160 a month
Home internet
$ 27,4 a month
Monthly transport pass
$ 37,8 a month
Single transport ticket
$ 1,51
Petrol, litre
$ 1,53
Cold medicine
$ 7,39 for a week

Country averages. City prices, where collected, are shown above and are more precise.

Indicators

Life expectancy
78 years2024
Homicides
1 per 100k2024
Road deaths
13,7 per 100k2021
Unemployment
11 %2025
Unemployment, ages 15–24
28,2 %2025
Inequality (Gini)
30,32021 · data lags behind
Health spending per person
$ 773 a year
Air pollution, PM2.5
26,1 µg/m³2023
Access to clean water
96,1 %2024
Internet, fixed line
39,6 Mbit/s2026
Internet, mobile
28,2 Mbit/s2026

Governance

Political stability
below average · -0,5
Control of corruption
below average · -0,5
Rule of law
below average · -0,3
Government effectiveness
below average · -0,6

World Bank estimates on a −2.5 to +2.5 scale, higher is better.

Natural hazards

Earthquakes
6 out of 10
River floods
5,9 out of 10
Coastal floods
0 out of 10
Tropical cyclones
0 out of 10
Droughts
3 out of 10
Tsunamis
0,3 out of 10

Each value carries the year it refers to. “Data lags behind” means this country's figure was collected noticeably earlier than the rest. Natural hazards use one 0–10 scale and are meant to be compared against each other.

Pros and cons

+Work permits are issued both within the annual quota and outside it
+There is a Blue Card for highly qualified employment
+Separate routes without a work permit: intra-company transfer, scientific research
+The spouse has the right to work
−Dual citizenship is not allowed
−Citizenship after 8 years — longer than in the neighbouring countries of the region
−Citizenship requires one of the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina
−A spouse's residence permit is issued for no more than one year and is tied to the duration of the sponsor's permit

Compare with other countries in the region

Albania · Belarus · Iceland · Kosovo · Moldova · North Macedonia · Russia · Ukraine

Other countries in the region: Europe

Albania · Belarus · Iceland · Kosovo · Moldova · North Macedonia · Russia · Ukraine

All countries by region

Official sources

Service for Foreigners' Affairs of BiH — the Law on Foreigners (in Bosnian)
The service under the Ministry of Security issues temporary and permanent residence permits; the link leads to the official text of the law on its website
↗
Agency for Labour and Employment of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The annual quota of work permits is approved by the Council of Ministers; the permits themselves are issued by the employment services of the entities and cantons
↗
Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Citizenship matters; naturalisation — art. 9 of the Citizenship Act of Bosnia and Herzegovina
↗
Veterinary Office of BiH — non-commercial movement of animals
Up to 5 animals, microchip, rabies vaccination, antibody titre for countries outside the list
↗

Reliability. Collected from open sources: official immigration service sites, statistical aggregators, industry surveys. Updated: 2026-08-22.

This is not advice. This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.