Bosnia & Herzegovina Reciprocity Schedule


Visa Classification Fee Number of Applications Validity Period
A-1 None Multiple 60 Months
A-2 None Multiple 60 Months
A-3 [1] None Multiple 12 Months
B-1 None Multiple 12 Months
B-2 None Multiple 12 Months
B-1/B-2 None Multiple 12 Months
C-1 None Multiple 12 Months
C-1/D None Multiple 12 Months
C-2 None Multiple 15 Days
C-3 None Multiple 48 Months
D None Multiple 12 Months
E-1 [2] None Multiple 12 Months
E-2 [2] None Multiple 12 Months
F-1 None Multiple 24 Months
F-2 None Multiple 24 Months
G-1 None Multiple 60 Months
G-2 None Multiple 60 Months
G-3 None One 6 Months
G-4 None Multiple 60 Months
G-5 [1] None Multiple 12 Months
H-1B None Multiple 12 Months [3]
H-1C None Multiple 12 Months [3]
H-2A None Multiple 12 Months [3]
H-2B None Multiple 12 Months [3]
H-2R None Multiple 12 Months [3]
H-3 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
H-4 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
I None Multiple 12 Months
J-1 [4] None Multiple 24 Months
J-2 [4] None Multiple 24 Months
K-1 None One 6 Months
K-2 None One 6 Months
K-3 None Multiple 24 Months
K-4 None Multiple 24 Months
L-1 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
L-2 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
M-1 None Multiple 12 Months
M-2 None Multiple 12 Months
N-8 None Multiple 60 Months
N-9 None Multiple 60 Months
NATO 1-7 N/A N/A N/A
O-1 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
O-2 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
O-3 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
P-1 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
P-2 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
P-3 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
P-4 None Multiple 12 Months [3]
Q-1 [6] None Multiple 12 Months [3]
R-1 None Multiple 12 Months
R-2 None Multiple 12 Months
S-5 [7] None One 1 Month
S-6 [7] None One 1 Month
S-7 [7] None One 1 Month
T-1 [9] N/A N/A N/A
T-2 None One 6 Months
T-3 None One 6 Months
T-4 None One 6 Months
T-5 None One 6 Months
TD [5] N/A N/A N/A
V-1 None Multiple 120 Months
V-2 None Multiple 120 Months [8]
V-3 None Multiple 120 Months [8]

Documents

Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates

Birth (“Izvod iz matične knjige rođenih”), marriage (“Izvod iz matične knjige vjenčanih”) and death (“Izvod iz matične knjige umrlih”) certificates are available from the civil registrar (“matičar”) having jurisdiction over the locality where the event occurred.  If the event occurred abroad, the BiH citizen may report it to the BiH authorities and is then issued the corresponding document, listing the foreign country as the place of occurrence of the event.  The fact that a marriage took place by proxy is not usually evident from the marriage certificate.  Only civil marriages are legal in BiH.

Note:  The practice in BiH has been that changes in civil status, such as divorce or name change are entered onto birth certificates.  Thus, the BiH authorities usually require submission of a recently issued (within the past six months) birth certificate when BiH citizens request issuance of government documents. 

Divorce Certificates

Copies of divorce judgments are available from the court which decided the case.  A divorce certificate is typewritten with the initial phrase, “In the name of the people” (“U ime naroda!”).  Only divorces obtained through the civil courts are legal. 

Police Records

 

Police certificates for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina are available from the cantonal ministries of interior in the Federation entity of BiH, and from district police department in the Republika Srpska (RS) entity of BiH.

An application for a copy of a police record should be submitted to the police authority (cantonal ministry of interior or police department) at the applicant’s place of residence.  People who reside in the same canton or district where they were born will have the fastest service (about three days), as all civil records in BiH are archived based on the citizen’s place of birth.  For people residing in a canton or district different from their place of birth, the local police will have to request information from the person’s town of birth; response times are uncertain.  Citizens born in the Republika Srpska should apply for the police certificate in person in their town of birth.  Based on the certificate from the place of birth, the cantonal ministry of interior at the place of residence will issue the final official version of the certificate.  Every citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina should be able to obtain this certificate.  The fee for this certificate in the Federation is KM 60.

It is very important not to confuse the police certificate with a certificate issued by courts, which is often referred to by the same name (“Uvjerenje o nekažnjavanju”), but covers only the period of the past six months and indicates the absence of any investigation, charge, or conviction in that period.  The police certificate covers all periods of time the person has lived in BiH.

Bosnian applicants living outside BIH must apply at the police department in their place of birth, either in person or through an authorized representative, in which case an original notarized power-of-attorney will be required.

Prison Records

May not be available.  A statement of the time spent in a correctional institution can be obtained from the prison in which a person was confined.  It does not contain a report of his demeanor during imprisonment.

Military Records

As of January 1, 2006, obligatory military service in BiH has been discontinued (BiH now has only a professional army).  All men who in the past completed their obligatory military service (including the service in the former Yugoslav People’s Army, “JNA”) are in possession of so-called “military record books” (“vojna knjižica”), which lists the dates of their mandatory service, reserve duty, participation in wars, etc. 

Passport and Other Travel Documents

  • Passports:

    The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina issues tourist, official and diplomatic passports.  Following the Swiss example, the text throughout is in four languages:  Bosnia and Croatian (Latin alphabet), Serbian (Cyrillic), and English.  

    The passports are machine-readable and contain anti-fraud technology.  The photo page is safeguarded by a colorful hidden image of the Bosnian crest in a diminishing left to right repetitive series that is visible only under a black light.  The bearer's photo is photo-digitized and doubly protected from tampering by a global image imprinted on the lower left corner and initials "BiH" appear above the applicant photo.  A watermark of the Bosnian crest is visible over the date and place of issue.

    The front cover is dark blue with gold lettering and features a gold and blue version of the national crest bisected by a diagonal row of seven stars.  The inside back and front cover are printed in multicolored ink that fluoresces, and the binding threads are fluorescing blue and yellow, the colors of the Bosnia and Herzegovina flag.  Micro printing is included in the wavy design which is carried over from the front to the back cover.

    There are 32 pages; each page number is incorporated into the design and printed at the lower right corner on each page.  The passport number is perforated into the top of all the pages.  When viewed under ultraviolet light, the letters "BiH" in Cyrillic and Latin alphabets appear in the center of the page, the page number appears on the left and right edges on each page, and a random pattern of confetti also appears.

    The pages are imprinted with a stylized map of southern Europe and a diagonal line of stars in the pattern of the Bosnia and Herzegovina flag.  The words "Bosna i Hercegovina" repeat in both Latin and Cyrillic script, across the pages.  An oval is incorporated into the lower center of the page, with the words “Bosna i Hercegovina” in a smaller size font.  Since November 2005, the practice of minor children being entered (on pages 30 and 31) in a parent’s passport has been discontinued.  However, this may still be seen in passports issued prior to that date which are still valid.  Adult passports are valid for 5 years, and minor passports are valid for 2 years. 

     

  • Identity card:

    As of October 31, 2005 the “old” identity cards (those issued based on the entity and cantonal regulations in BiH or those issued at the time of the former Yugoslavia) ceased to be valid.  All BiH citizens over the age of 18, whose place of residence is in BiH, must carry an identity card (“lična karta”), which is issued by the CIPS (Citizens’ Identification Protection System) office in their place of residence.

Special Clearances and Issuances Procedures

On June 26, 2001, the President signed a 212(f) proclamation for the Western Balkans. This proclamation gives authority for suspending the entry of certain categories of individuals into the United States. The proclamation states that these categories include those "who seek to undermine peace, stability, reconciliation or democratic development in any area or state of the Western Balkans region." Although no specific nationalities are named, the primary targets of this proclamation are individuals who have been identified as obstructing the Dayton Peace Accords in Bosnia and Herzegovina and those who are seen to be attempting to destabilize Kosovo and Macedonia. In addition, those believed to be responsible for wartime atrocities in the region since 1991 are also included under this proclamation.

VO enters the names of suspected offenders into CLASS. As with any "00" hit, posts are expected to send in a Security Advisory Opinion (SAO). These SAOs should be in Donkey or Bear format as appropriate and should be slugged for CA/VO/L/C and EUR/SCE. The Department's response is required prior to visa issuance. In addition, there may be individuals who are not in CLASS, but about whom posts may have suspicions. Posts are encouraged to send in SAOs to VO/L/C for anyone whom they believe may be affected by the limitations of the 212(f), regardless of the results of the CLASS name check.

Visa Issuing Post

Sarajevo, Bosnia (Embassy) -- Nonimmigrant, including K, and Immigrant visas

NIV and IV services for citizens and permanent residents of Bosnia only are processed by the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo.

Visa Services

All of Bosnia and Herzegovina.