Work and Residence Permits in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Comprehensive legal support throughout the process of obtaining work and residence permits before the competent administrative authorities in BiH, covering all phases – from the initial assessment of applicable regulations to the full implementation and obtaining of the respective permits.

Through our One Stop Shop approach, the client has a single point of contact throughout the entire process, with clear communication, efficiency, and regular written updates on all initiated or completed legal actions. Such an approach enables coordinated management of procedures and relieves the client from organizational and administrative burdens, while at the same time preserving focus on core business activities.

Work permits – in BiH, work permits for foreign nationals are issued by the competent entity/district employment services (Note: in entity, Federation of BiH, cantonal employment services also play a significant role), in accordance with the applicable regulations of the entity/district. The procedure in this area is decentralized.

Residence permits – in BiH, residence permits for foreign nationals are issued by the competent state authority, i.e. the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs (within the Ministry of Security of BiH, with operational independence and field offices in major cities). The procedure in this area is centralized.

Procedures for obtaining work and residence permits are, in principle, complex, primarily due to the extensive documentation that must be fully aligned with the specific requirements of the competent administrative authorities. Lack of knowledge of applicable regulations and administrative practice may lead to rejection or dismissal of applications, as well as to prolonged duration of procedures, which may result in unnecessary expenditure of time and resources, as well as adverse consequences for legal entities and/or individuals.

In this context, our approach is based on a detailed understanding of applicable regulations and legal practice, as well as on a clearly structured management of the procedure. We provide clients with precise guidance regarding the required documentation and the sequence of actions, along with prior verification of compliance of all elements before submission of the application. This contributes to the completeness and quality of submissions, reduces the need for subsequent supplements, and enables more efficient handling by the competent administrative authorities. Further details are available in the explanation below.

When it comes to obtaining work and/or residence permits (below you can find information on the „general list of resident related permits in BiH” that we can obtain for our clients) in BiH, these activities, in principle, are divided into two phases:

Phase 1Preparatory actions

In order to create the prerequisites for obtaining work and/or residence permits before the competent administrative authorities in BiH, in principle, it is necessary to perform the following actions:

1. prior consultations with the client for a thorough acquaintance with the project;
2. analysis of relevant regulations and legal practice (if necessary);
3. drafting the necessary legal documents;
4. delivery of instructions to the client for signature and/or certification of documents;
5. other legal advices of the client.

Phase 2Representation before competent administrative authorities in BiH and obtaining work and/or residence permits

In this phase, in principle, we perform the following actions:

1. preparation of applications for issuance of work and/or residence permits and other legal documents/forms;
2. certification of documents and payment of taxes in the name and on behalf of the client;
3. submission of the applications for issuance of work and/or residence permits to the competent administrative authorities in BiH with the necessary documentation;
4. oral and/or written communication (including urgencies) with the competent administrative authorities in BiH;
5. obtaining of issued work and/or residence permits.

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In the text that follows, we provide information on the „general list of resident related permits in BiH” that we can obtain for our clients.