Visa Information

VISITING BIH

Citizens of many countries are allowed to enter the country without a visa, or by using passports or even identity cards with proof of identity. These citizens may enter and stay in BiH for up to 90 days within 180 days without a visa (unless otherwise noted). However, nationals of certain countries must obtain a visa to enter the country for their arrival to BiH. Visa BiH can be issued for entry, transit, short-term or long-term stay, and depending on the above, we also distinguish three basic types of visa (i.e. visa type A, visa type C and visa type D).

LIST OF COUNTRIES THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED BIH ENTRY VISA

Citizens from the following countries do not need a visa when entering BiH: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Guatemala, Holland, Honduras, Croatia, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Costa Rica, Korea – Republic, Canada, Qatar, Cyprus, Kuwait, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Moldova, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Norway, Germany, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia*, United States of America, Salvador, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Holy See, Serbia, St. Christopher and Navis, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK of Great Britain and North Ireland, Ukraine**, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela

*up to 30 days during a period of 60 days, starting from the first day of entry

**up to 30 days in two months, from the first day of entry

Other groups that don’t need a visa when entering BiH are the following:

Holders of diplomatic passports:

Algeria

Holders of diplomatic and official passports:

China
Cuba
Egypt
Indonesia
Iran
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Moldova
Pakistan
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Tunisia
Ukraine

Holders of business-civil passports:

China

Holders of special passports:

Egypt

THE UNITED NATIONS AND SPECIALIZED UN ORGANIZATIONS LAISSEZ-PASSER HOLDERS.

Citizens of the European Union Member States, citizens of countries that signed the Schengen Agreement and citizens of Andorra, Montenegro, Lichtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Serbia, Holly See and Switzerland can use their identity cards as a travel document to enter, exit and pass through BiH. Foreigners who have multiple Schengen visas or European Union member state visa or residence permit of the Schengen Agreement country or European Union member state, if for such passport holders a visa is required, can stay up to 15 days in BiH without a visa, under the condition that they enter BiH from the Schengen Agreement country, European Union member state or from the country with which BiH has an agreement on readmission in force (Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia). Such visas should be valid at least 15 days longer when entering our country. Diplomatic, service or ordinary passport holders accredited with the Department of Diplomatic Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, and who have been issued a special card, are visa exempted for entry/transit/stay in BiH. Citizens of all other countries are required an entry visa when entering BiH.

CITIZENS OF COUNTRIES THAT MUST OBTAIN A VISA FOR BIH

Citizens of countries not exempted from visa requirements for BiH must comply with the procedure and pay taxes to enter BiH. A visa application must be sent at least 30 days before the planned entry into BiH. In order to obtain a visa, personal documents must be submitted to the embassies of BiH: valid passport, filled in visa application, photo for a passport made recently, documents proving the purpose of the visit, accommodation and money provided during the stay, means of travel, intentions of return to the country from which he/she comes (employment, return ticket or similar) and provided healthcare, and a document on payment of consular fees (approx.. BAM 60 = EUR 30 EUR).

REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING A VISA:

In addition to aforementioned, the following items should be presented depending on the reasons for applying:

A. If you are travelling for business purposes, you will need:

A letter from employer stating the purpose of your trip.
An Invitation Letter (Form 4) issued upon a Request for Verification of the Invitation Letter from a domestic or foreign legal person (registered in BiH) from BiH, verified by the Field Office of the Ministry of Security of BiH. The letter should have details of the invitee, including the passport number, as well as a statement that the inviter is going to provide accommodation, apartment or other means of stay, cover costs of hospitalization and medication, provide support and pay for all other costs that may occur during the stay of the foreigner in BiH, pay for costs of placing the visitor under supervision, voluntary leaving of the country or forced expulsion, as well as all other costs of the individual exiting from BiH.

B. If you are travelling as a tourist, you will need a:

Travel itinerary with details of accommodation and board or a copy of a return flight ticket.
Copy of a bank statement, which includes proof of sufficient funds to cover expenses during your stay in BiH.

C. If you are visiting friends/family, you will need an:

Invitation Letter (Form 5) issued upon a Request for Verification of the Invitation Letter from a citizen or a foreigner (who is legally residing in BiH) you intend to visit, verified by the Field Office of the Ministry of Security of BiH. The letter should have details of both the inviter and of the invitee, including the passport number, as well as a statement that the inviter is going to provide accommodation, apartment or other means of stay, cover costs of hospitalization and medication, provide support and pay for all other costs that may occur during the stay of the foreigner in BiH, pay for costs of placing the visitor under supervision, voluntary leaving of the country or forced expulsion, as well as all other costs of the individual exiting from BiH.

Note: Applications should be made at least one month before your intended arrival date. The consular administrative fee covers the processing of the visa application, and there is no refund in case of rejection.

IMPORTANT:

Foreigners can be asked at the point of entry into BiH to present all relevant documents on the basis of which a visa was issued. A visa itself does not guarantee entry into BiH!

Upon arrival to BiH, foreigners are required to register their residence within 48 hours from the moment of entering the country in a field office of the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs or a local police office.