Student Visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina: Visa D and Residence Permit

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Foreign students in Bosnia and Herzegovina deal with one state agency, the Service for Foreigners' Affairs (Služba za poslove sa strancima), which works under the Ministry of Security and has field offices in several cities. The rules are in the Law on Aliens. This guide covers the position in October 2026. Deadlines and documents are applied differently by field offices and universities, so confirm every step with your university's international office.

Entry: visa or no visa

Whether you need a visa depends on your passport. The University of Sarajevo says that passport holders from the EU, and from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye, do not need one, and that other nationals should check the visa regime of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A visa-free stay is limited to 90 days in any 180-day period, according to the Service for Foreigners' Affairs. That is shorter than any degree, so every student needs a residence permit.

Students who need a visa apply for a long-stay visa D at a Bosnian embassy or consulate. The embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Warsaw publishes the checklist:

a valid passport, a signed application and a 35 x 45 mm photo;
the original invitation letter or other required documentation;
proof of travel health insurance and of money for travel and stay;
proof of the reason for a stay longer than 90 days, which for you means admission to a university;
proof that the administrative fee was paid; it cannot be paid in cash;
application in person, three months at the earliest and one month at the latest before the trip.

A visa D allows a stay of up to 180 days within one year and lets you apply for a temporary residence permit.

The invitation letter

For students who need a visa, the university sends an invitation letter to the Service for Foreigners' Affairs after admission, and the letter is verified before you apply for the visa. The University of Sarajevo warns that the coordinator's paperwork can take up to 60 days, so ask your faculty early.

Step 1: register within 48 hours

On arrival you must report your address. The Service says that anyone who does not stay in a hotel or similar registered accommodation, and stays longer than three days, must report within 48 hours of entry. You receive the white card. The University of Sarajevo says the fee is 11.90 KM, that your landlord may need to come with you, and that failing to register can lead to a fine. You need the white card before you can apply for the permit.

Step 2: temporary residence for study

Under Article 55 of the Law on Aliens, temporary residence for full-time higher education can be granted if you are enrolled at an accredited institution or arrive under a student exchange scheme. It is granted for up to one year and can be extended under the same conditions. After the normal length of the programme has passed, it can be extended for at most two more years, with proof that you are repeating a year.

You can file the first application inside the country only if you entered with a visa D or are a citizen of a visa-free country. The Service's checklist includes:

the signed application form;
the 150 KM administrative fee;
a recent 35 x 45 mm photo;
a copy of your passport, valid at least three months longer than the requested period, and of your visa D if you have one;
a copy of the white card;
a certificate of enrolment for the current academic year;
proof of means of subsistence: for example, a certified guarantee statement from a resident, a bank balance of at least 400 KM per month, or a scholarship or a certificate from the university;
a medical certificate issued within the last three months;
proof of health insurance valid in Bosnia and Herzegovina;
a certificate of no criminal record from your home country, issued within six months;
proof of accommodation, such as a rental contract;
a translation of every foreign document into one of the official languages.

Universities add details. Banja Luka's medical faculty asks for a passport valid for at least 15 months and a vaccination report, and the University of Sarajevo says insurance from Bosnia and Herzegovina is mandatory for its students. Ask which proof your university accepts.

Deadlines and processing time

Sources disagree on how soon after arrival you must apply. Banja Luka's medical faculty says visa-free students apply within 75 days of entry; the University of Sarajevo says the permit should be issued within the first one or two months and recommends applying early. The Service's own page states no single number. Overstaying is expensive: the Service lists a fine of 300 to 1,500 KM, removal and an entry ban of one to five years.

Staying on after your studies

Time spent on a study-based permit counts toward permanent residence at half its length, but an application for permanent residence cannot be based on education. Permanent residence needs five years of uninterrupted temporary residence. We found no official rule on a job-search period after a degree, so ask the Service for Foreigners' Affairs before your last permit expires.

Working as a student

Paid work needs a work permit, with exceptions. See scholarships and part-time work in Bosnia and Herzegovina and working while studying in Europe.

Where to look next

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.