Skip to content
MyVisaPort

Bosnia and Herzegovina for Syrian passport holders: Embassy visa

Your circumstances

Passport:
🇸🇾 Syrian
Lives in:
Not specified (general rule)
Going to:
🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Purpose:
Holiday

Route summary

Embassy visa

Visa required

Syrian passport holders need a visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina, unless they hold a qualifying Schengen, EU or US visa or residence permit.

Conditions

  • If you hold a valid multiple-entry Schengen or US visa, a visa of an EU state, or a residence permit of the US (Green Card), a Schengen state or an EU state, you can enter without a BiH visa: up to 90 days in any 180, no single stay longer than 30 days, and only while that visa or permit is valid (Decision on visas, Official Gazette 3/15, 47/17, 73/17).
  • Apply at an embassy or consulate of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Border officers can ask for proof of funds: at least KM 150 (or equivalent) per day of stay (MFA).

About this route

Route type
Embassy visa: you apply through an embassy, consulate or appointed visa centre.
Documents
Document list not published by the official source.
Fee
Fee not published by the official source.
Processing
Processing time not published by the official source.

Next step

Steps not published by the official source — use the official link to start.

Official sourcemvp.gov.ba ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Last checked 4 Oct 2026 against mvp.gov.ba · Checked on the live official page

Documents

Document list not published by the official source.

Fees

Official government fee
Not published by the official source
Visa-centre / service fee (not a government fee)
None stated by the official source
Notes from the source
Fee depends on the mission; e.g. the Embassy in Washington charges USD 39 (single entry) / USD 70 (multiple).

These notes may mention other charges that we have not yet separated into government and service fees. Visa-centre, service or other third-party charges are never official government fees.

Processing and validity

Processing time, validity and maximum stay: not published by the official source.

Already hold another country's visa or residence permit?

Some Syrian passport holders can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina differently if they hold one of these documents. Add yours (optional – kept only in the page address):

Documents I hold (optional)

If you hold a valid US/Schengen/EU (non-Schengen)/EU visa or residence permit: No visa needed – Up to 30 days per stay, 90 days in any 180, while the visa or permit is valid

Qualifying documents: US visa, Schengen visa, EU (non-Schengen) visa, US green card, Schengen-country residence permit, EU-country residence permit.

  • A valid multiple-entry US or Schengen visa, a visa issued by an EU member state, or a residence permit of the US (green card), a Schengen state or an EU member state.
  • Stay limits from the BiH Decision on visas (MFA): up to 90 days in any 180, no single stay over 30 days.

Source: Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Washington (bhembassy.org) · BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs – visas. Checked 16 Oct 2026. Official embassy document, not the immigration authority's own page.

What the source says

"Nationals of countries subject to the visa regime for entry into Bosnia and Herzegovina may enter … without a visa, provided that they hold a valid multiple-entry U.S. visa, a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa, a visa issued by an EU Member State, or a valid residence permit issued by the United State (U.S. Green Card), a Schengen State, or an EU Member State."

Border officers decide on entry. Check the official source before you travel.

How to apply: Visa required

Where to apply

Where: Embassy or consulate of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Quick answers

Do Syrian passport holders need a visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Visa required. Syrian passport holders need a visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina, unless they hold a qualifying Schengen, EU or US visa or residence permit. Source: https://www.mvp.gov.ba/en/vize

Business, work or just passing through?

The rules above are for a holiday: tourism and visiting family and friends. Business visits, paid work and transit are covered separately below.

Business visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Not verified yet (not yet covered). We haven't verified the business rules for Syrian passport holders, and we don't publish rules we haven't checked against an official source. A rule that is awaiting verification or not yet covered is not a negative visa decision: it only means we haven't confirmed it on an official source yet. Until then, see mvp.gov.ba.

Working in Bosnia and Herzegovina

⚠ Not from an official source: items marked below come from secondary sources (law firms, employer-of-record guides, IOM, Wikipedia), not the destination government. They are not verified and may be out of date; confirm with the embassy or immigration authority.

Main work visa routes for Bosnia and Herzegovina

These are the main routes and what they require. Whether you qualify depends on your circumstances; the official page decides.

Residence and work permit (employer-sponsored)

⚠ Not from an official source

For: Foreign employees in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EU nationals included)

  • Residence and work authorisation before starting work; also for EU nationals
  • Permits are tied to a specific employer and position

Source: Rivermate – Bosnia and Herzegovina hiring guide (employer-of-record guide) (Not official) (rivermate.com) · Not from an official source.

What the source says

"Foreign nationals require both residence and work authorization before starting employment in Bosnia and Herzegovina." … "even European nationals need to follow the same visa and work permit process." … "Employers usually sponsor the application process, and work permits are issued for a specific employer and position."

Checked 16 Oct 2026. Requirements, fees and thresholds change; confirm on the official page before applying.

Your work travel report

We only create the PDF report from rules checked against an official government source.

Transit through Bosnia and Herzegovina

Not verified yet (not yet covered). We haven't verified the transit rules for Syrian passport holders, and we don't publish rules we haven't checked against an official source. A rule that is awaiting verification or not yet covered is not a negative visa decision: it only means we haven't confirmed it on an official source yet. Until then, see mvp.gov.ba.

Your transit travel report

We only create the PDF report from rules checked against an official government source.

Alert me if this route changes

Get an email when we update the guidance for Syrian passport holders going to Bosnia and Herzegovina, after we've checked the change against the official source. Nothing else.

Tell me about changes to

We send a confirmation email first. Unconfirmed sign-ups are deleted after 7 days.

Before you go to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Customs cash limits and the scams official travel advice warns about in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Cash you can bring in and take out

Bringing cash in
Declare cash, cheques or securities worth more than EUR 10,000 to customs at the border, on the currency declaration form (available at all international crossings or on uino.gov.ba).
Taking cash out
Same when leaving: declare more than EUR 10,000. Taking out more than EUR 10,000 also needs approval from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Srpska or of the Federation of BiH.

Official source: uino.gov.ba · Last checked 2 Nov 2026 · Details

Common tourist traps

  1. Pickpockets and bag-snatchers in Sarajevo

    How it works: They work public transport and the tourist and pedestrian areas of Sarajevo and other cities.

    How to avoid it: Keep belongings and passport secure and avoid showing off cash or jewellery.

  2. Theft from cars at tourist spots

    How it works: Thefts from cars have increased in tourist areas around Sarajevo, especially on Mount Trebević.

    How to avoid it: Lock the car and keep belongings out of sight.

  3. "Fixed price" taxis at Sarajevo airport

    How it works: Drivers at the airport rank may refuse the meter, quote a fixed fare or charge for luggage.

    How to avoid it: Agree the price before setting off, pre-book an established taxi firm and avoid unlicensed taxis.

Emergency numbers in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Paraphrased from official travel advice: gov.uk · FCDO page updated 13 Aug 2026 · Last checked 2 Nov 2026.

Explore Bosnia and Herzegovina

Planning more than the paperwork? Our Bosnia and Herzegovina guide picks out places to visit, with a source for every tip.

Places to visit:
Old Bridge of Mostar · Višegrad bridge
Read the full Bosnia and Herzegovina guide

Syrian passport: of the 146 destinations with a rule verified from an official source, 5 visa-free, 7 visa on arrival, 37 eVisa or travel authorisation, 96 embassy visa.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: rules verified from an official source for 195 of 198 passports. Bosnia and Herzegovina guide and every passport →

Where else can Syrian passport holders travel? See every destination we cover →

Optional travel offers

Some links are affiliate links. Booking through them costs you nothing extra, and a small commission helps pay MyVisaPort’s ongoing hosting and maintenance costs and keeps the site free of banner ads. We only list services we think are useful, and they never affect the visa information we publish. These offers are not part of the visa guidance above and are never used to rank routes. How partner links work

Plan your trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Verify with the embassy before you book. Visa rules change without notice. We link every rule to its official source and last checked it on 4 Oct 2026, but the embassy, official e-visa portal and your airline have the final say. MyVisaPort is not a visa agent and is not affiliated with any government.