Moving to Bosnia

Law on Aliens (Zakon o strancima, Službeni glasnik BiH 88/15), Articles 62 to 67. The employer applies for a work permit for a specific job to the employment authority of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska or Brčko District, depending on where it is based (Art. 63). The permit is issued within the annual quota set by the Council of Ministers (Art. 64) unless the foreigner falls in an exempt category, among them key personnel in a business, a teacher engaged for their specific knowledge, a professional athlete, a person who renounced BiH citizenship, and the spouse, partner or child of a foreigner with permanent residence (Art. 65). The employer attaches its court-register extract, a bank's proof of its solvency, proof that taxes and contributions are paid for all existing employees, and a statement justifying the hiring of a foreigner (Art. 66); the permit is also issued under the other laws on the work of foreigners, which this entry has not re-read (Arts. 62(1) and 63(2)). The permit must be held before entering BiH (Art. 62(1)), and a foreigner who entered without one cannot be granted residence on this ground while in BiH (Art. 67(6)). The first residence application is filed through a BiH embassy or consulate, or at the Service in BiH only after entry on a long-stay Visa D or as a national of a visa-free country (Art. 82). General conditions: a passport valid at least three months beyond the stay, means of support, suitable accommodation, health insurance, a medical certificate no older than three months and a home-country criminal record certificate no older than six months; a work permit counts as proof of means and insurance (Art. 49). Work may not start before residence is approved; residence runs for the permit's validity plus 30 days, never more than one year, and is renewable (Arts. 63(4) and 67). Family members can join only once the worker has held temporary residence for a year or longer and has reasonable prospects of permanent residence (Art. 50(1)(b)). Five years of continuous temporary residence can lead to permanent residence (Art. 79). The text read is the Law as enacted in 2015; later amending acts (Službeni glasnik BiH 34/21 and 63/23) have not been re-read here.

Law on Aliens (Zakon o strancima, Službeni glasnik BiH 88/15), Articles 71(d) and 77. A founder of a company (privredno društvo or preduzeće) based in BiH may work without a work permit only if the company employs at least five BiH citizens for each foreigner, founders included, pays each employee a gross salary at least equal to the average gross salary in BiH, and settles its tax obligations regularly (Art. 77(2)(a)). Temporary residence on this ground also requires the general conditions of Art. 49 (a passport valid at least three months beyond the stay, means of support, suitable accommodation, health insurance, a medical certificate no older than three months and a home-country criminal record certificate no older than six months) and special conditions set by a Ministry of Security by-law, which this entry has not read (Art. 77(8)). Setting up and registering the company is not itself work that needs a permit (Art. 62(2)); a founder whose company does not meet the five-employee and salary test needs a work permit to work in it (Art. 62(1)). Residence is granted for up to one year and renewed only on the same ground (Art. 48). Unlike most residence for work without a permit, a founder's residence counts toward the five years of continuous temporary residence needed for permanent residence (Arts. 79 and 80(3)). Family members can join only once the founder has held temporary residence for a year or longer and has reasonable prospects of permanent residence (Art. 50(1)(b)). The text read is the Law as enacted in 2015; later amending acts (Službeni glasnik BiH 34/21 and 63/23) have not been re-read here.

Law on Aliens (Zakon o strancima, Službeni glasnik BiH 88/15), Articles 48(2) and 61. Residence on this ground may be granted only as an exception (izuzetno), and only where the foreigner has an effective connection (efektivna veza) with BiH; ownership alone does not qualify (Art. 48(2)). The applicant must hold proof of ownership and of that connection, and meet the general conditions of Art. 49: a passport valid at least three months beyond the stay, means of support, suitable accommodation, health insurance, a medical certificate no older than three months and a home-country criminal record certificate no older than six months (Art. 61(1)). The Law sets no minimum property value and does not define an effective connection, so each application is assessed on its facts; it should not be treated as a reliable investment-migration route. Whether a foreigner may acquire the property at all is governed by other laws, which this entry has not re-read. Residence is granted for up to one year and renewed on the same conditions (Art. 61(2)). This ground is not among those that Art. 80 excludes from the five years of continuous temporary residence needed for permanent residence (Art. 79). Family members can join only once the owner has held temporary residence for a year or longer and has reasonable prospects of permanent residence (Art. 50(1)(b)). The text read is the Law as enacted in 2015; later amending acts (Službeni glasnik BiH 34/21 and 63/23) have not been re-read here.

Law on Aliens (Zakon o strancima, Službeni glasnik BiH 88/15), Article 50. The sponsor must be a BiH citizen with prebivalište (registered permanent residence) in BiH; a foreigner with approved permanent residence; a foreigner with temporary residence as a blue card (plava karta) holder; a foreigner who has held temporary residence for a year or longer and has reasonable prospects of permanent residence; or a recognised refugee (Art. 50(1)). Close family means a spouse or unmarried partner whose marriage or partnership is valid in BiH; children under 18, dependent adult children in regular education up to age 26, and adult children who lack legal capacity or are unable to work, living in the common household and not having started a family of their own, whether born in or outside marriage, adopted, or a spouse's or partner's children; and dependent parents (Art. 50(3)). The sponsor must have accommodation for the family and a steady income or means sufficient to support them (Art. 50(2)), and the family member must meet the general conditions of Art. 49, health insurance included. Residence is granted for up to one year and renewed on the same conditions; for the family of a foreigner it lasts no longer than the sponsor's own residence (Art. 50(4) and (5)). The spouse or partner of a BiH citizen may work without a work permit (Art. 78(c)); family of a blue card holder may work (Art. 50(7)); family of other foreigners need a work permit (Art. 62(1)), with priority within the quota when joining a foreigner with temporary residence (Art. 64(5)) and outside the quota for the spouse, partner or child of a foreigner with permanent residence (Art. 65(g)). An adult who has lived in BiH for three continuous years on this ground may apply for residence on another ground (Art. 50(6)). Time on this ground counts toward the five years of continuous temporary residence needed for permanent residence (Art. 79), except when joining a foreigner whose own residence does not count (Art. 80(1)(f)). The text read is the Law as enacted in 2015; later amending acts (Službeni glasnik BiH 34/21 and 63/23) have not been re-read here.