Bosnia and Herzegovina’s visa policy “under the magnifying glass” of Brussels

In the latest report of the European Commission, it is pointed out that Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2025 is the only country in the region that recorded a negative trend

“Turkey, China and Russia hardly in this phase can come under visa regime due to geopolitical relations,” with that sentence, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Elmedin Konaković practically confirmed what the European Union has been warning about for months, that BiH does not follow the European visa policy and that because of that it is becoming a security and migration risk.

At the moment when Brussels demands urgent alignment of the visa regime, Bosnia and Herzegovina is, according to the latest report of the European Commission, the only country in the Western Balkans that during 2025 recorded an increase in the level of non-alignment with the EU visa policy. While neighboring countries tightened rules, BiH went in the opposite direction.

Instead of introducing visas, BiH still allows visa-free entry to citizens of Russia, China, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Qatar, and seasonally Saudi Arabia, countries whose citizens must have a visa to enter the European Union. It is precisely this that Brussels sees as a direct channel for irregular migrations to the EU.

It concerns countries for whose citizens a visa is mandatory if they want to enter any EU country.

While in the highest EU institutions in reports they warn that non-compliance with their policies in BiH represents a direct security and migration risk, those responsible in BiH justify the non-introduction of visas with “geopolitical” challenges and “friendly relations”.

The EU abolished visas for BiH citizens in 2010, after which Bosnia and Herzegovina committed to aligning its visa policy with the European Union.

Through the reform program, which the European Commission approved in December 2025, BiH committed, by 2027, to introduce visas for at least one country each year, aligning with the European visa policy.

In the latest report of the European Commission, it is pointed out that Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2025 is the only country in the region that recorded a negative trend, while neighbors tightened their regimes.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina has maintained the number of permanent visa-free agreements at 72, but increased the number of seasonal visa-free exemptions from 1 to 3. As a result, the number of non-alignments between the visa policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the visa policy of the European Union increased from 8 in 2024 to 10, as many as there are currently,” states the EC Report on the alignment of visa regimes of Western Balkan countries and the European Union.

It is particularly emphasized that the border with Croatia remains the main entry point for irregular migrants, with increasingly frequent cases of using falsified passports.

In the recommendations in the report, it does not explicitly state for which countries it is expected from BiH to abolish visas, but it is highlighted that BiH must accelerate the alignment of visa policy, abolish seasonal facilitations, strengthen border control and introduce biometric visa applications in order to maintain the visa-free regime with the EU.

The report also states that BiH has taken certain steps, such as signing an agreement with Frontex, but that there are still delays in readmission and problems in border control.

The European Commission demands that the visa policy be urgently aligned with the EU list, that seasonal facilitations be abolished and that checks on arrivals from risky countries be strengthened. Special emphasis is placed on the need to strengthen the capacities of the border police and introduce biometric procedures in the visa system, so that BiH maintains the visa-free regime with the European Union.

Cooperation with EU agencies was positively assessed, after BiH signed a status agreement with Frontex in June 2025.

Minister Konaković stated on January 5, appearing on N1 television, that there is “constant communication” with the European Union, but that there are “great pressures”.

“Besides Turkey, China and Russia, with whom we have excellent relations, we also have Azerbaijan, Qatar and Kuwait. The pressures are great, but here we expect a two-way street. We expect first what the reaction of the European Union will be. I call them to seriousness,” Konaković said, alluding to internal political blockades in the country.

Speaking about temporary visas with Saudi Arabia, Konaković said there was a large number of visits from this country to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“And zero security challenges, not one asylum, Saudis won’t flee to BiH, that’s good practice, I am convinced it will continue,” he said.

To introduce visas, the Council of Ministers of BiH, of which Konaković is a member, must make a decision.

The Council consists of the chairperson and nine ministers, of which three are Bosniaks, Croats, Serbs as “constitutive peoples”, and one minister from the “Others”.

For a proposal to be on the agenda of the session, the chairperson and her two deputies, who cannot be from the same constitutive people, must vote for it.

For adopting a decision, in addition to a simple majority, at least one minister from each people must vote.

Due to opposition from Serbian ministers, BiH did not introduce visas to Russia, with which the visa-free regime was established in 2013.

After Russia carried out aggression on Ukraine in 2022, the EU introduced sanctions and visas for Russian citizens, and demanded the same from BiH on several occasions.

The European Commission also warns that over 5,000 Turkish citizens during 2024 attempted to illegally cross the BiH-Croatia border, which the EU sees as a direct consequence of non-aligned visa policy.

However, despite that, political parties from Sarajevo refuse to introduce visas to Turkey.

Citizens from more than 70 countries can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina without visas, according to the decision of the Council of Ministers from 2017, which was later amended several times.

Political analyst Adi Ćerimagić emphasizes that the EU sees the non-alignment of BiH’s visa policy as a significant risk for increased irregular migration.

“The penalties for non-fulfillment of requirements are double, BiH could lose 23 million euros provided by the growth plan and reform agenda, and the other option is suspension of the visa-free regime,” Ćerimagić says.

However, he adds that the penalty in the form of suspension of the visa-free regime for BiH is “unlikely, because such a decision would require the consent of all EU members”.

“The EU has clearly made it known that BiH must start aligning visa policy, and it has committed to gradual reduction through the Reform Agenda, with financial support of 7.3 million euros per country for which it abolishes visa-free regime, total about 22 million euros,” he noted.

Ćerimagić emphasizes that the other key EU demand relates to strengthening the capacities of BiH’s border service.

“Authorities are required to introduce a stricter passenger identification system, especially from Turkey. BiH should develop a system to distinguish tourists from those who use the visa-free regime for illegal entry into the EU, which implies better data exchange with countries of origin and modernization of border infrastructure,” Ćerimagić emphasized.

He also added that the existence of a seasonal visa-free regime, which BiH has with Saudi Arabia, the EU does not recognize as a legal category.

Political analyst Denis Hadžović stated that it is unlikely that the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina will agree in the short term to introduce a visa regime, as demanded by the European Union.

Hadžović emphasized that BiH will have a series of problematic tasks, among which is the issue of the visa regime with Kosova.

BiH has not abolished visas for Kosova due to opposition from one of its entities, Republika Srpska, while, on the other hand, BiH citizens can travel to this country without visas.

He pointed out that the EU will not give up on its demands, because BiH has received candidate status.

“If we want to become part of the EU, we must fulfill the complete acquis, including visa policy and foreign policy. There will be no room for negotiations there,” he concluded.

Bosnia and Herzegovina established a visa-free regime with Russia in 2013, and with Turkey in 2016.

According to the latest amendment adopted by the Council of Ministers in April of last year, BiH still allows a visa-free regime for citizens of Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia during the tourist season from June 1 to September 30 of the calendar year, for a stay of up to 30 days.

According to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), BiH citizens can travel visa-free to 118 countries out of 193 UN member states.

Among European countries, BiH citizens need visas only for the United Kingdom, and in the region, BiH maintains a visa regime with Kosova, whose independence it does not recognize due to opposition from representatives of Republika Srpska. /Radio Free Europe/