Bosnia and Herzegovina Relocation Index

How Bosnia and Herzegovina scores

Relatively peaceful environment for relocation | Defined legal frameworks for foreigner stay and rights

• Peace and conflict safety77
• Immigrant safety74
• Visa accessibility57
• Residence permit realism61
• Labor market access71
• Healthcare82
• Civil rights83
• Discrimination safety79
• Status security64
• Infrastructure reliability79
• Cost of living sustainability78

Recent news impact

Recent official updates and enforcement/administrative notices indicate ongoing immigration administration capacity (checks and entry/stay guidance) and routine security activity (EUFOR exercise). However, the available recent documents do not show an enacted, major change that materially improves or worsens short-term relocation safety, asylum access, or legal predictability for immigrants beyond baseline levels. Overall, the net short-term relocation impact is neutral.

• Labor Access Change

  An official page outlining basic entry/stay information for foreigners was published on 2026-09-03, which can improve clarity but does not indicate a new restriction or reform on relocation access.

• Border Restriction

  A Council of Ministers update references a border-crossing agreement with Croatia starting 6 June 2026 and cites border-control legal basis/effectiveness; without details on tightening vs facilitation in the provided source, the likely effect on relocation access is uncertain, but border-management changes can increase short-term uncertainty for travelers.

• Deportation Policy Change

  State-level Service for Foreigners’ Affairs reports enhanced checks and discovery of foreign nationals in illegal accommodation, which signals active enforcement and may raise near-term fear of detentions/returns, even if it does not represent a new policy enactment in the provided material.

Sources

• Global Peace Index 2024 (Bosnia and Herzegovina score and ranking table)Vision of Humanity
• Worldwide Governance Indicators – Rule of Law: Percentile Rank (Bosnia and Herzegovina)World Bank
• Worldwide Governance Indicators – Rule of Law: Governance score (0-100) (Bosnia and Herzegovina)World Bank
• WJP Rule of Law Index 2024 (Bosnia and Herzegovina results)World Justice Project
• Law on movement and stay of foreigners in BiH (Official Gazette text; includes long-stay visa concept)FIPA (Bosnia and Herzegovina foreign investment promotion agency) portal
• SFA (Service for Foreigners’ Affairs) – Stay of aliens in BiH (registration and residence-permit overview)Service for Foreigners’ Affairs (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• OHCHR document referencing work permit and status linked provisions under BiH foreigners lawOHCHR
• Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees – Anti-discrimination (Law on Prohibition of Discrimination; Ombudsman role)Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees (Bosnia and Herzegovina)