About Bosnia and Herzegovina passports
Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in London issues passports to Bosnia and Herzegovina nationals who reside abroad with a valid residence visa, and in case that their passport was destroyed, damaged or lost.
Passport of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a document which establishes identity and nationality of its owner.
Passports are valid for 10 years for adults; for children under the age of 3, the validity period is 3 years; for children between the ages of 3 and 18, the validity period is 5years.
Owners of biometric passports are required to obtain entry visas for travel to the united Kingdom.
Requests for issuing passport can be submitted exclusively in person, at the embassy, because it is necessary to obtain the biometric data – photos, fingerprints and electronic signature.
The law prescribed deadline for issuing passport is 60 days after the submittal of application.
ISSUE OF NEW PASSPORTS
Adults
Minors
At the time of submitting an application for issuing a passport, the applicant must bring the following documents to the embassy:
- Original passport of Bosnia and Herzegovina that is to be replaced; or Birth certificate and Citizenship certificate (if they do not possess a valid passport, or the passport has expired and is no longer valid).
- Valid Bosnia and Herzegovina photo ID.
- Proof of residence permit in the United Kingdom.
- Receipt for payment of consular tax.
Consular tax for issuing passport to an adult is 108 GBP.
Payment of the consular tax can be done at the bank by payment receipt, or a bank transfer (please call the embassy for payment instructions).
Applications for passport issue to children under 18 are to be submitted by the parents or legal guardians, in the presence of the child for whom the application is filed.
To issue a passport to minors, it is necessary that the both parents have valid Bosnia and Herzegovina ID card or passport.
- If one of the parents is a foreign national, he/she must have a valid passport.
- If one of the parents is unable to come to the embassy, it is necessary to present a signed and notarized Power of Attorney along with a copy of his/her ID card or passport.
- If one of the parents is a single parent, it is their duty to present evidence in form of a valid document issued by a relevant institution.
- If the child is entrusted into a guardianship, it is necessary to present a valid document from a relevant institution that establishes the guardianship.
At the time of submitting an application for passport, the following documents are required:
- Child’s birth certificate.
- Child’s passport that is to be replaced (if there is one).
- Valid Bosnia and Herzegovina ID cards or passports of both parents.
- Parents’ UK residence permits with photo.
- Proof of payment of consular tax.
Consular tax for issuing a passport for children under age of 3 is 61 GBP.
Consular tax for issuing a passport for children between the ages of 3 and 18 is 66 GBP.
The procedure for submitting an application for issuing a passport
The first step in the process of issuing a passport is to verify the identity by checking the Unique Citizen Number (JMB) and making sure that the applicant’s JMB is present in the central database. The check is carried out by the BiH embassy staff in London.
This verification of JMB can be done by email or by phone:
Tel. +44 020 7373 0915 (week days between 10.00-13.00)
embassy@bhembassy.co.uk
Bosnia and Herzegovina nationals, who have previously held biometric passport, or posses a BiH ID card issued after 2003, are in the central JMB registrar.
BiH nationals who do not have a valid ID card and who did not register their JMB, must do so before applying for the passport. The process of JMB registration can be done at the BiH embassy in London.
The application for issuing a BiH passport can only be done in person, at the embassy, because it is necessary to obtain the biometric data – photos, fingerprints and electronic signature. The acquisition of the biometric data is completed by the embassy staff only.
The law prescribed deadline for issuing a passport is 60 days after submitting the application.
The BiH Law of Travel Documents states that, in case of a loss, damage or theft of the passport, it is necessary to report the loss, damage or theft to the appropriate police agency in the country of visit, and to request the police report on the said issued.
Upon the report of a loss, damage or theft of the passport, it is necessary to carry out a law-prescribed procedure of invalidating the travel document.
In order to do so, it is necessary to submit the following documents:
- Completed form for Reporting a lost passport – GPI-2 form.
- Police certificate (from the place where the accident occurred) attesting to the loss, damage or theft of the passport (This certificate must contain: personal data of the person who reported the incident, the nature of the report, and the data on the lost travel document).
- Proof of identity and BiH citizenship (valid ID card, or Driver’s license, photocopied both sides).
- Proof of payment of the consular tax.
After that, the appropriate authorities will proclaim the said travel document invalid. The travel document will be pronounced invalid in the “BiH Official Gazette,” or official gazettes of entities or Brcko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Consular tax for reporting lost, damaged or stolen travel document is 5 GBP
ISSUING A PASSPORT DUPLICATE
Person requesting the issuance of a passport duplicate is required to submit police certificate on the lost, damaged or stolen passport, and a valid BiH ID (personal ID card, driver’s license, copy of the lost/stolen passport), and the proof of a legal residence status in the UK.
Consular tax for issuing a duplicate passport for adults is 185 GBP.
Consular tax for issuing a duplicate passport for children under the age of 3 is 97 GBP.
Consular tax for issuing a duplicate passport for children between the ages of 3 and 18 is 102 GBP
VISAS
The nationals of the states with which Bosnia and Herzegovina has a visa regime may enter Bosnia and Herzegovina, without a visa for entry, exit and transit, if they also hold a valid multiple entry visa or a permanent residence visa issued by the Schengen agreement states, EU states, or the United States of America. The length of stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina in this case, may be for up to 90 days in a 180 day period, with maximum of 30 consecutive days during one such stay.
Since the United Kingdom has left the European Union, there is no longer a possibility that the nationals of third countries with whom Bosnia and Herzegovina has a visa regime, enter Bosnia and Herzegovina with UK-issued multiple entry visa or permanent residence visa.
Holders of travel documents for refugees issued by the signatories of the Geneva Convention on the Refugee Status of 28 July 1951 or travel documents for stateless persons need a visa to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Only if they hold a refugee/stateless person travel document issued by an EU/Schengen member state, Andorra, Lichtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, USA, Holy See and the Swiss Confederation they do not need a visa to enter, transit or stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina up to 90 days within a 180-day period as of the first date of entry.
Since the UK is neither an EU/Schengen member state, holders of a UK travel document for refugees and stateless persons need a visa to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Consular assistance:
Consular assistance is provided by the BiH embassy in London, UK
UK visas are required for the following types of travel documents (visas are issued in Sarajevo):
|
Ordinary passport |
YES |
|
|
Ordinary biometric passport |
YES |
|
|
Official biometric passport |
YES |
|
|
Diplomatic biometric passport |
YES |
The requests for visas for entering the UK as of 15.05.2013., are submitted via Internet site www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk , and the required documents are submitted to the appropriate service of the UK Embassy in Sarajevo or an authorized agency.
Citizens of the United Kingdom are exempted from visas for entry, exit or transiting the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for up to 90 days in a 6-month period, starting with the first day of entry into BiH.
Passengers travelling by plane to or from the UK are advised to increased security measures at the airports. Passengers intending to fly to the UK should get in touch with their airlines or tour operators for up to date information.
Consular assistance:
For consular assistance, please contact our Embassy in London, UK.
Visas for BiH nationals carrying the following passports (Visas are issued in Ljubljana, Slovenia):
|
Ordinary passport |
YES |
|
Biometric passport |
YES |
|
Official biometric passport |
YES |
|
Diplomatic biometric passport |
Yes |
Contact for the Embassy of the Republic of Ireland in Ljubljana:
Address: Poljanski nasip 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Phone: +386 1 300 8970
Fax: +386 1 282 1096
Working hours: Mon-Fri 09:00 do 12:30 and 14:30 do 16:00.
BiH nationals may travel to the Republic of Ireland without obtaining Irish visa if they already possess an appropriate travel visa for the United Kingdom for up to 90 days, or during the validity of the UK. BiH nationals who possess a transit visa, student visas, or visas issued based on family reconnection or stay based on the spouse’s visas are not permitted to enter the Republic of Ireland without obtaining a visa. BiH nationals who wish to travel to Ireland directly must obtain the Irish visa.
BiH nationals who carry official or diplomatic passports, may travel to the Republic of Ireland without the Irish visa if they are accredited in the UK and have a valid diplomatic vignette (exempt vignette) issued by the UK authorities prior to travelling to the Republic of Ireland.
Visa fees at the BiH Embassy in London:
One-time entry/exit visa (C) 53 GBP
Multiple entry-exit visa for up to 90 days (C) 53 GBP
Multiple entry-exit visa for over 90 days (D) 84 GBP