TEMPORARY RESIDENCE

Temporary residence may be granted to a foreigner if they provide:

1. A passport valid for at least three months longer than the period for which temporary residence is requested;
2. Proof of means of subsistence to avoid becoming a recipient of social assistance during their stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina;
3. Proof of adequate accommodation;
4. Proof of health insurance;
5. A medical certificate issued no later than three months before the application date, indicating that they do not suffer from diseases posing a threat to public health in Bosnia and Herzegovina, except cases where the illness occurred after the approval of the first temporary residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and
6. Confirmation issued by the competent authority of the country of origin that the individual is not subject to criminal proceedings and has not been convicted of a criminal offense, not older than six months from the date of application for residence.

Evidence justifying the grounds for temporary residence approval, which vary depending on the basis of residence is as follows:

• Family reunification

1. Evidence that a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a foreigner with approved residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or a foreigner with recognized refugee status has secured accommodation for themselves and family members for whom they seek residence approval due to family reunification, and has a stable source of income or means of subsistence in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the family members for whom family reunification is sought,
2. Evidence that a foreigner with approved residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina or a foreigner with recognized refugee status has health insurance for themselves and family members for whom they seek residence approval due to family reunification.

Note: Temporary residence for family reunification is granted for a period of up to one year and can be extended under the same conditions as the initial approval.

• Education

Primary Education:

1. Evidence that the foreigner enrolled in a primary school institution,
2. Evidence that the foreigner has parental or legal guardian consent for the planned stay for primary education purposes in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
3. Evidence that the foreigner has a guardian in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that
4. Foreigner provided evidence that the guardian or educational institution or organization overseeing the student exchange program is responsible for the student during their stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially regarding accommodation, means of subsistence, education, health insurance, and return.

Note: Temporary residence for primary education is granted for a period of up to one year and can be extended under the same conditions as the initial approval.

Secondary Education:

1. Evidence of enrollment in a secondary school institution for regular secondary education or participation in a student exchange program,
2. If a minor, has parental or legal guardian consent for the planned stay for secondary education purposes in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
3. Evidence of having a guardian in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
4. Foreigner provided evidence that the guardian or educational institution or organization overseeing the student exchange program is responsible for the student during their stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially regarding educational expenses, accommodation, means of subsistence, health insurance, and return, and if participating in a student exchange program, evidence of participation.

Note: Temporary residence for secondary education is granted for a period of up to one year and can be extended under the same conditions as the initial approval.

Higher Education:

1. Evidence of enrollment in an accredited higher education institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or
2. Evidence of participation in a student exchange program or youth mobility.

Temporary residence for regular higher education is granted for a period of up to one year and can be extended under the same conditions as the initial approval.

• Internship:

1. Internship agreement concluded with a legal entity where professional practice is conducted, specifying theoretical and practical training,
2. Evidence of obtaining a higher education qualification within two years preceding the application date or evidence of current studies aiming to obtain a higher education qualification, and
3. Evidence that the legal entity where the professional practice or internship is conducted will be responsible for the costs of stay and accommodation, means of subsistence, health care, and return.

Temporary residence for an intern is granted for a period of up to one year and can be extended under the same conditions as the initial approval, only once, for the period necessary to obtain professional qualifications.

• Volunteer:

1. Volunteer agreement concluded with an institution, organization, humanitarian organization, association, or foundation in Bosnia and Herzegovina where volunteering is performed,
2. Submission of the project on which they are engaged, indicating the volunteer work scheme, job description, number of workers, volunteer period, supervision, and working hours,
3. Confirmation that the organization where the foreigner volunteers holds liability insurance towards third parties and assumes responsibility for the foreigner during volunteering, including expenses for sustenance, accommodation, food, health insurance, and return.

Temporary residence for a foreign volunteer is granted for a period of up to one year and may exceptionally be extended under the same conditions as the initial approval if the project duration exceeds one year.

• Humanitarian Reasons:

1. Evidence of admission to an institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina for treatment, rehabilitation, or placement in a nursing home.

• Ownership of Real Estate:

1. Evidence of ownership and existence of an effective connection with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Temporary Residence for Employment with a Work Permit:

If a foreigner intends to reside in Bosnia and Herzegovina for paid work purposes, they must have a work permit issued by the authority responsible for foreign employment affairs before entering Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The employer must attach to the application for a work permit for a foreigner:

1. Information about the foreigner with whom they intend to conclude an employment contract or other relevant contract, including: name, including any previous names, parents' names, date of birth, gender, place of residence, and address in the country of origin, number, date, and place of issue of valid travel documents,
2. Information about the job position or type of work and working conditions,
3. Extract from the relevant register of the competent court regarding the registration of the employer in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or a certificate of residence if the employer is a natural person,
4. Evidence from the bank where the employer has an account of the employer's solvency,
5. Proof of settled tax obligations and paid contributions for all existing employees, including the foreigner in case of work permit renewal, and
6. Justification for employing the foreigner.

The foreigner cannot commence work in Bosnia and Herzegovina based on a work permit before temporary residence is approved. The foreigner can work in Bosnia and Herzegovina only based on the work permit under which temporary residence is approved. Based on the work permit, the foreigner can work in Bosnia and Herzegovina only in the specific job position or type of work for which the work permit is issued, and for which temporary residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina is approved. Temporary residence for employment with a work permit is granted for the validity period of the work permit plus an additional 30 days, but not longer than one year, and can be extended under the same conditions as the initial approval. Temporary residence approval ceases within 30 days from the expiration date of the work permit.

• Temporary Residence for Employment without a Work Permit:

Temporary residence for employment without a work permit may be granted for the purpose of:

1. Employment of highly skilled workers,
2. Intra-corporate transfers,
3. Scientific research, or
4. Employment without a work permit with a work registration certificate.

Temporary residence for employment of highly skilled workers may be granted to a foreigner if:

1. Before applying for residence for employment of highly skilled workers, there was a competition announced by the employer intending to hire the foreigner,
2. The employer announced the competition in at least three daily newspapers available throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina with a 30-day application deadline and simultaneously provided it to the Employment Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which made the competition available to all employment institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
3. No citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina meeting the competition requirements applies,
4. The advertised job position requires a higher education qualification and at least five years of professional experience in the field acquired after completing formal higher education.

Temporary residence for intra-corporate transfers may be granted to a foreigner if there is:

1. Evidence that the host legal entity and the legal entity based abroad belong to the same legal entity or group of legal entities,
2. Evidence of employment within the same legal entity or group of legal entities for a continuous period of at least 12 months immediately before the transfer date within the legal entity in the case of a manager or specialist, or six months in the case of an intern,
3. Employment contract concluded with the legal entity from which the foreigner is transferred to Bosnia and Herzegovina,
4. Employer's confirmation.

Temporary residence for scientific research may be granted to a foreigner if:

1. A foreigner holds a higher education qualification enabling access to doctoral programs and specific experience and knowledge related to the research project,
2. Has a guest research contract with a research organization concluded before applying for temporary residence,
3. The research organization with which the guest research contract is concluded assumes responsibility for the foreigner during the research, including expenses for sustenance, accommodation, and return.

• First Step: Submission of Application

The request for approval of the first temporary residence in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina by a foreigner is submitted to the Service for Foreigners' Affairs only if:

1. they entered in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a long-term stay visa (Visa D),
2. they are a citizen of a visa-free regime country.

The request for approval of the first temporary residence must be submitted no later than 15 days before the expiry date of the long-term stay visa (Visa D) or visa-free stay.

The Service for Foreigners' Affairs directly receives the request for extension of temporary residence, while outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is processed through the Bosnia and Herzegovina diplomatic consular representation. The request should be submitted within a timeframe of no earlier than 60 days and no later than 15 days before the expiration of the approved residence period.

• Second Step: Decision on the Request

The request for approval and extension of temporary residence for any reason is decided by Service for Foreigners' Affairs within 90 days from the date of submission of a complete application if the request is submitted through the diplomatic consular representation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and within 60 days if the request is submitted directly to the Service for Foreigners' Affairs

If the residence approval request is submitted in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the applicant receives a confirmation of the submitted request, which allows them to stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina until a final decision is made. If the request is accepted, the foreigner receives a notice of the accepted request and a temporary residence permit, which the foreigner collects in person or through an authorized representative or legal representative for legally incapacitated persons, at the organizational unit of the Service for Foreigners Affairs' or the diplomatic consular representation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The foreigner's request for approval and extension of temporary residence is rejected if:

1. they do not meet the general conditions for approval of temporary residence,
2. they entered in Bosnia and Herzegovina illegally, unless there are conditions for approval of residence for humanitarian reasons,
3. the evidence provided is obtained by fraud, falsified, or unlawfully altered,
4. they provided incorrect information or concealed circumstances relevant to the approval of residence,
5. they have been banned from entering Bosnia and Herzegovina during the duration of that ban,
6. they are recorded in the records of the competent authority as a violator of regulations in Bosnia and Herzegovina or international regulations or as an international offender,
7. they have been finally convicted of a criminal offense, and the conviction has not been expunged,
8. the presence of the foreigner poses a threat to public order or security in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or poses a threat to public health, except in cases where the illness occurred after the residence was approved in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
9. there is evidence or serious and objective reasons to establish that the foreigner would stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a purpose other than that for which they are applying for temporary residence, or
10. the foreigner's previous residence, which is being extended, was used contrary to the purpose for which temporary residence was granted.

The foreigner's request for approval and extension of temporary residence is dismissed if:

1. the request for approval of temporary residence is not submitted to the competent authority,
2. they refuse to provide biometric data when submitting the request,
3. it is submitted contrary to the deadlines for submitting requests.

The procedure initiated upon the request for approval and extension of temporary residence is terminated if the foreigner:

1. withdraws the request,
2. within 30 days from the date of receipt of the call does not collect the notice of the accepted request and the temporary residence permit or the decision on the approved temporary residence based on employment with a work permit and the temporary residence permit and does not inform the Service of the reasons for not collecting it.

When temporary residence is approved based on employment with a work permit or blue card, the foreigner is issued a decision on the approved temporary residence and a temporary residence permit. The residence permit is issued in the form of a sticker on the approved residence and is considered a decision on the approved residence. The residence permit sticker entered in the valid passport of the foreigner serves as permission to cross the state border of Bosnia and Herzegovina during its validity period.

A decision on the approved temporary residence and temporary residence permit or decisions rejecting the foreigner's request or dismissing it or decisions suspending the procedure may be appealed to the Ministry within 15 days from the date of receipt of the decision. The decision rejecting or dismissing the request for approval of temporary residence shall determine the period within which the foreigner may voluntarily leave BiH, which shall not exceed 30 days from the date of receipt of the final decision.