Bosnia Travel Visa

While nationals of these countries can enter without a travel authorisation, please note that if you’re flying directly, airlines reserve the right to deny boarding if you only hold a 1-way ticket or if your return date is more than 3 months past your date of entry.

On the other hand, if you do require a visa, you’ll be pleased to hear that Bosnia and Herzegovina visa requirements are quite straightforward. To be eligible to apply, make sure you hold:

• A valid birth certificate if you’re under 18 years of age.
• A passport that is no older than 10 years and valid for at least 90 days past your expected date of arrival in BiH. This document must have at least 2 blank pages

It’s also important to mention that all foreign nationals, whether entering with a visa or not, must register with the police within 72 hours of arrival in the country. If you’re staying in a hotel or registered hostel, your hosts will generally complete this step for you.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Visa Form and Documents

If you’re not eligible for visa-free entry, you will likely apply for a Category C (short-term) authorisation. This travel pass will allow you to visit BiH for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. The document you apply for will depend on your reason for visiting. Here’s an overview of some of the entry options:

• Touristic Entry Permit – the most commonly issued type of authorisation, intended for holidaymakers interested in sightseeing.
• Business or Fair Participation Entry Permit – for individuals or groups who are attending meetings, training or business-related affairs.
• Family, Relative or Friend Visit Entry Permit – for friends or relatives of Bosnian citizens.
• Cultural, Sports or Conference Visit Entry Permit – for those attending cultural activities, sports competitions, training or filmmaking.
• Short-Term Education or Internship Entry Permit – issued to international students who wish to study in BiH for university projects or special occasions for less than 3 months.

With the exception of the tourist entry permit, all applications must include a letter from the inviting party. This might be a BiH-based company, family in the country, or a university where you plan on completing a course. All letters must be duly certified by the Ministry of Security – Department for Foreign Citizens.

For the purpose of this article, we will focus more on the tourist visa. However, many of the steps will be the same.

Before heading to the embassy for your appointment, be sure to prepare the following documents, each with 1 copy:

• A printed application form, completed in block letters.
• Your original passport (valid at least 90 days past your date of entry and with at least 2 blank pages).
• A passport-sized photo.
• Visa fee receipt.
• Proof of a return flight.

The application itself will ask for some personal and passport details such as:

• Your full name and any former names (ie maiden name).
• Your place and country of birth.
• Your passport number and date of issue/expiry.
• The full names of your mother and father.
• Your marital status and spouse’s full name (if applicable).
• Whether you currently reside in another country and if you have permission to return to that country.
• Your current occupation or the name of your university.
• The number of entries requested (Single, Double or Multiple).
• Details on previous visits to BiH.

Certain applicants may be asked to provide additional supporting documentation:

For applicants who are employed:

• An employment contract.
• A letter from your company that states the duration of your stay in the country and confirms that you will be returning to the company after your travel.
• A bank statement of the last 6 months.

For applicants who are students:

• Proof of enrollment and no objection certificate from the registered school.
• Sponsorship documents in the case that you cannot support yourself financially during your stay.

For applicants who are self-employed:

• A copy of your business license.
• Company bank statements from the last 6 months.

A long-term Bosnia work visa or Bosnia study visa would require a different application process. For more details on this, please contact your nearest embassy.

Bosnia Tourist Visa Status Check

To check the status of your document, you must reach out to your embassy’s consular section. However, keep in mind that many embassies have a strict policy not to inform applicants of their status until a final decision has been made.

When your entry permit has been processed, you will receive a confirmation that contains information on when you can pick up your passport. If you’re unable to go to the embassy yourself, most consular sections will give your passport to a third party provided they present a valid ID and written authorisation.

How Much Is a Bosnia Visa?

Fees vary based on your nationality and on the embassy where you apply.

If you’re a US permanent resident (green card holder) applying at the Bosnian Embassy in Washington, D.C., for example, you can expect to pay 39 USD for a Single-Entry permit and 70 USD for a Multiple-Entry document.

Most embassies only accept payments made by money order/cashier’s check. It’s a good idea to check with your embassy beforehand to confirm.

More Bosnia Visa Information

We hope the sections above provided you with some useful insights on how to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina with a tourist visa. See our FAQ section below for some additional helpful information.