Work permits and visas in Bosnia: An employer’s guide

If you are hiring a new employee or relocating a team member to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you need to make sure they have the proper work permit and visa under local immigration laws. Your company also needs to stay on top of labor and tax laws for compliant HR.

Known for its stunning landscapes and growing infrastructure, Bosnia and Herzegovina is an attractive work destination for international talent. In this article, Remote walks you through right-to-work checks, work visa types, and visa requirements for your employee to work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

See also: The complete employer's guide to hiring in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Right-to-work checks in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Foreign nationals need two approvals to work in Bosnia and Herzegovina:

• Work permit: Work permits are issued to the Bosnian employer by the relevant Employment Service or Employment Institute. Work permits are job-specific, and usually last up to one year per grant.
  
• Temporary residence permit for work: Temporary resident permits are issued by the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs.

Do non-citizens need a work visa or work permit in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Yes. To hire a foreign national, follow this sequence:

• Work permit (employer): The Bosnian employer applies for a work permit with the competent Employment Service or Employment Institute in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, or Brčko District.
  
  
• Long-stay Visa D (if employee is outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina): With the approved work permit, the worker applies for a Long-stay Visa D (work visa) at a Bosnian embassy or consulate using the required visa application form.
  
  
• Temporary residence for work (employee, after arrival): Once in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the worker submits the application for the temporary residence permit to the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs and completes registration.
  

Note that a short-stay Visa C (up to 90 days) is not an employment visa, and does not replace the work permit and temporary residence process.

How is the Schengen visa applicable? 

Bosnia and Herzegovina is not part of the Schengen Area. A Schengen visa does not permit work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some travelers with a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa or a residence permit from the European Union or the United States may enter Bosnia and Herzegovina for a short stay. 

How is the EU Blue Card applicable?

The EU Blue Card is an immigration program of the European Union. Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a member of the European Union, so the Blue Card does not apply in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is not accepted as a work or residence permit there.

Work visa types in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Decision on Visas and related Rulebooks sets Bosnia and Herzegovina’s visa types. For employment, the lawful route always depends on three elements: an employer-sponsored work permit, a long-stay Visa D if the worker is applying from outside the country, and a temporary residence permit for work issued by the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs.

Long-stay Visa D for work 

Visa D is the entry visa used for employment stays longer than ninety days. It is issued abroad by Bosnian embassies or consulates under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the Bosnian employer has obtained a work permit from the competent Employment Service or Employment Institute.

After the worker enters Bosnia and Herzegovina on a Visa D, they must apply for a temporary residence permit for work with the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs to legalize their stay for the employment period.

Short-stay Visa C

This visa is for visits of up to ninety days. It is suitable for short trips such as meetings or tourism. It does not authorize employment and it does not replace the combination of a work permit and a temporary residence permit that is required to work legally.

Work visa application process in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The employer and employee need to go through the following visa application process for foreign nationals to live and work in Bosnia and Herzegovina:

Work permit application (employer)

The employer applies to the competent Employment Service or Employment Institute in the jurisdiction where the job is located, which is Federation of BiH, Republika Srpska, or Brčko District.

Long-stay Work Visa D (employee)

If the employee is outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina, they need to apply for work visa D. With the approved work permit, the employee submits the visa application form and supporting documents at a Bosnian embassy or consulate under the Rulebook on issuing Visa D.

Residence after entry (employee)

After arrival, the employee registers their address and files the application for the first temporary residence permit with the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs (SPS). SPS issues the temporary residence permit for work.

Required documents for a work visa in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Use the exact checklists from the Bosnian embassy or consulate handling the Work Visa D, and from the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs (SPS) for the temporary residence permit. The required documents for a work visa are generally: 

From the Bosnian employer

• Signed employment contract with job title, duties, salary, location, and start date
• Company details and work permit sponsorship letter, as required by the Employment Service or Employment Institute
• Evidence the role matches the approved work permit (job and location)
  

From the employee

• Passport with required validity and blank pages
• Completed visa application form for Long-stay Visa D (if applying from outside BiH) and any embassy photo/format requirements
• Proof of qualifications and professional credentials (degrees, licenses, certificates), with translations or legalization if required
• Health insurance valid in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the intended stay
• Civil-status documents if requested (for example, birth or marriage certificates)
• Proof of address after arrival and the Registration Form of Temporary Residence
• Any documents the SPS lists for the application for the first temporary residence permit (background certificates, means of support, and other forms specified by SPS)
  

Digital nomad visas in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina does not offer a dedicated digital nomad visa. The Decision on Visas and its implementing rulebooks govern the country’s visa framework and do not include a digital nomad category.

For short stays of up to 90 days in an 180-day period, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs applies the standard entry regime (visa-free, or Visa C where required). This entry does not authorize employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For longer stays, foreigners must use existing lawful routes and follow residence rules that the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs (SPS) administers. After entering on the appropriate basis (for example, with a Visa D if required), applicants submit the application for the first temporary residence permit. SPS also sets address-registration obligations after arrival.

Note that any work performed for a Bosnian employer, the lawful route is the same as for other foreign workers: employer-sponsored work permit from the competent Employment Service or Employment Institute, the appropriate visa (often Visa D if applying from abroad), and an SPS-issued temporary residence permit for work.

How Remote can help with work visas in Bosnia and Herzegovina

To hire or relocate employees to Bosnia and Herzegovina, you need to navigate immigration laws to avoid potential penalties, as well as handle payroll and benefits according to local tax laws. 

That's why Remote’s Employer of Record service is invaluable. We act as the legal employer in Bosnia and Herzegovina on your company’s behalf. Remote helps you stay compliant with local labor and tax laws, so you can onboard your employees in a matter of days to save time and resources. 

If you already have an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Remote can help with international employee relocation with case-by-case immigration assessments, and guidance on work visa applications. 

To learn more about the processes involved in relocating international employees, download Remote's Relocation Guide, or contact our Relocation team today.