Bosnia and Herzegovina · Spouse visas
Bosnia and Herzegovina Spouse of a citizen
First stay: 1 yr
Temporary residence for family reunification with a BiH citizen (Law on Foreigners Art. 50)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Bosnia and Herzegovina. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Processing
- Up to 90 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
Granted for up to one year and extendable.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
A permanent residence permit can be granted after 5 years of uninterrupted approved temporary residence, with income, housing, health insurance and a test of one of the official languages.
ProcessingUp to 90 days
A decision is due within 90 days if filed through a BiH diplomatic mission, and within 60 days if filed directly with the Service for Foreigners' Affairs.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Applications can be filed through a BiH diplomatic or consular mission or directly with the Service for Foreigners' Affairs in BiH.
Presence rulesAt least 90 days
Family members of a BiH citizen must spend at least 90 days in BiH during each approved temporary residence for absences to be disregarded.
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Applicant is the married or unmarried partner, a child under 18 or a dependent adult child up to 26, or a dependent parent of a BiH citizen with residence in BiH.
- The permit is refused for a marriage of convenience.
What you must show1
- The citizen has accommodation and a steady source of income or means enough to support the family members.
Documents6
- Citizenship certificate and residence registration of the BiH citizen, and a marriage certificate not older than six months.
- Household list, and the citizen's certified statement to bear accommodation, treatment, support and return costs.
- Passport valid at least three months beyond the requested stay.
- Medical certificate issued not more than three months before the application.
- Certificate from the country of origin, not older than six months, that no criminal case is pending and there is no conviction.
- Proof of payment of the administrative tax.
Steps2
- The first application is filed in person through a BiH mission abroad, or in BiH with the Service if the applicant holds a long-stay visa (D) or is visa-exempt.
- The Service decides within 90 days if filed through a mission, or 60 days if filed directly with the Service.
After you arrive2
- The permit runs up to one year and is extended under the same conditions.
- After three years of such residence an adult can apply for residence on another basis.
What happens at day 183
How Bosnia and Herzegovina decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a tax period (Federation of BiH)Staying 183 or more days in the Federation, continuously or with breaks, in any tax period makes a person resident.
- At least 183 days in 12 months starting or ending in the tax year (Republika Srpska)Staying 183 or more days in Republika Srpska in a 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year makes a person resident.
- Foreign-source income
Residents are taxed on worldwide income.
All tax rules for Bosnia and Herzegovina Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Accommodation
The citizen has accommodation and a steady source of income or means enough to support the family members
- Police certificate and civil documents
Citizenship certificate and residence registration of the BiH citizen, and a marriage certificate not older than six months
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
One-year residence for the spouse or partner, children and dependent parents of a BiH citizen who lives in BiH. 1 2 3 4
Requirements
- Applicant is the married or unmarried partner, a child under 18 or a dependent adult child up to 26, or a dependent parent of a BiH citizen with residence in BiH. 1
- The permit is refused for a marriage of convenience. 1
- The citizen has accommodation and a steady source of income or means enough to support the family members. 1
- Citizenship certificate and residence registration of the BiH citizen, and a marriage certificate not older than six months. 2
- Household list, and the citizen's certified statement to bear accommodation, treatment, support and return costs. 2
- Passport valid at least three months beyond the requested stay. 1 4
- Medical certificate issued not more than three months before the application. 1 4
- Certificate from the country of origin, not older than six months, that no criminal case is pending and there is no conviction. 1 4
- Proof of payment of the administrative tax. 1 4
- The first application is filed in person through a BiH mission abroad, or in BiH with the Service if the applicant holds a long-stay visa (D) or is visa-exempt. 1 4
- The Service decides within 90 days if filed through a mission, or 60 days if filed directly with the Service. 1
- The permit runs up to one year and is extended under the same conditions. 1
- After three years of such residence an adult can apply for residence on another basis. 1
Stay
- Permit granted for up to one year and extendable.
- First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Open to foreigners generally; nationals who need a visa apply for a long-stay visa (D) with or before the first application.
Work
Right to work in BiH without a work permit for a spouse or partner of a BiH citizen.
Family
Children up to 18, dependent adult children and dependent parents can also apply.
Official sources
- Law on Foreigners, unofficial consolidated text (Official Gazette of BiH 88/15, 34/21, 63/23) · Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina · checked 2026-10-11
- Rulebook on entry and stay of foreigners (Official Gazette of BiH 25/16) · Service for Foreigners' Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2016-04-08
- Administrative tax amounts (Annex 1) · Service for Foreigners' Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-04
- Stay of foreigners in BiH · Service for Foreigners' Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a resident | – | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a citizen Portugal | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a resident Spain | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a resident Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Permit granted for up to one year and extendable.
How long does the Spouse of a citizen take to process?
A decision is due within 90 days if filed through a BiH diplomatic mission, and within 60 days if filed directly with the Service for Foreigners' Affairs.
Can I work on the Spouse of a citizen?
Yes. Right to work in BiH without a work permit for a spouse or partner of a BiH citizen.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen?
Children up to 18, dependent adult children and dependent parents can also apply.
Does the Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.
How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. The standard rules apply: Income tax in Bosnia and Herzegovina is set by the entities: the Federation taxes income at 10% after a KM 3,600 a year basic deduction, and Republika Srpska taxes employment pay at 8% after a KM 1,000 a month deduction; employee contributions are 31% of gross pay in both entities, deductible from taxable pay in the Federation but not in Republika Srpska. Residents are taxed on worldwide income.
More in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Law on Foreigners, unofficial consolidated text (Official Gazette of BiH 88/15, 34/21, 63/23) · Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina · checked 2026-10-11
- Rulebook on entry and stay of foreigners (Official Gazette of BiH 25/16) · Service for Foreigners' Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina · checked 2026-10-11
- Administrative tax amounts (Annex 1) · Service for Foreigners' Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina · checked 2026-10-11
- Stay of foreigners in BiH · Service for Foreigners' Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.