How to Get Bosnia and Herzegovina CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 3 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- Citizens abroad only
- Civic test
- Required, no test specified
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Partly accepted: for citizens who naturalise abroad onlyNew citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions.Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship.
- Available routes
- Region
- Europe
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
For foreign nationals living in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this is the ordinary route based on residence. Citizenship must be granted under the law of Bosnia and Herzegovina once an application meets the legal conditions.
- Residence
- 3 years
Person has been resident in BiH for 3 years immediately before the application.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions
Person renounces or loses in any other way another citizenship, unless regulated otherwise by a bilateral agreement with the country in question (renunciation or loss of another citizenship will not be required if it is not allowed, or is unreasonable to request).
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Person has sufficient command of one of the official languages of BiH.
- Civic knowledge
- Required, no test specified
Person signs a statement accepting the legal system and constitutional order of BiH.
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Person was not expelled from BiH by the competent authority, was not sentenced to imprisonment for more than 3 years within the 8 years preceding the request, no ongoing criminal procedure against the person (unless unreasonable to request a proof thereof), no threat to security of BiH.
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Person has sufficient permanent source of income or be able to provide evidence of sufficient funds, has no tax or other financial obligations.
Marriage or civil partnership
For spouses of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the rules below set out what this route requires. Citizenship must be granted under the law of Bosnia and Herzegovina once an application meets the legal conditions.
Person has been the spouse of a citizen for at least 5 years (including the time of application), has been granted permanent residence in BiH, and does not pose a threat to security of BiH. Other conditions: renounces or loses in any other way another citizenship, unless regulated otherwise by a bilateral agreement with the state in question (renunciation or loss of another citizenship will not be required if that is not allowed, or is not reasonable to request).
Descent (citizen parent)
This route covers children of a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, subject to the conditions below.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in BiH to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen and would otherwise be stateless.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen on the condition that before the age of 23 he or she is registered as a citizen before the competent authorities.
Child of a new citizen
A parent acquiring citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the basis of this route. Citizenship must be granted under the law of Bosnia and Herzegovina once an application meets the legal conditions.
Person is a minor who is a permanent or temporary resident of BiH and whose parent acquired citizenship. If older than 14, the child's consent is needed.
Adoption
This route covers people adopted by a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, subject to the conditions below. Citizenship arises directly under the law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, without any authority making a decision.
Person is a minor who is adopted by a citizen (full adoption).
Former citizens (reacquisition)
Earlier citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the basis of this route. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person has been a citizen of BiH and renounced citizenship for the purpose of acquiring or keeping another citizenship, and was granted either permanent residence or temporary residence for at least 1 year prior to submitting a request. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Ethnic or cultural affinity
An ethnic or cultural connection to Bosnia and Herzegovina is the basis of this route. Citizenship must be granted under the law of Bosnia and Herzegovina once an application meets the legal conditions.
Person is an emigrant from BiH, or first or second generation descendant of a former emigrant. Other conditions: proficient in one of the official languages of BiH, was not expelled from BiH by a competent authority, was not sentenced to imprisonment for more than three years.
Refugees
Refugee status in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the basis of this route. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person is a registered refugee and has continuously resided for 5 years BiH (minors are exempted from this temporal requirement). Other conditions: no expulsion from BiH by the competent authority, no sentence to imprisonment for more than 3 years, no ongoing criminal procedure against the person (unless unreasonable to request a proof thereof), and no threat to security of BiH. If older than 14, the child's consent is needed.
Stateless persons
For people without any citizenship, the rules below show what the law of Bosnia and Herzegovina provides.
Foundlings
Person is found in BiH of unknown parentage.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born in BiH to parents of unknown citizenship or without citizenship, or the child would otherwise be stateless.
Stateless persons
Person is a registered stateless person and has continuously resided for 5 years BiH (minors are exempted from this temporal requirement). Other conditions: no expulsion from BiH by the competent authority, no sentence to imprisonment for more than 3 years, no ongoing criminal procedure against the person (unless unreasonable to request a proof thereof), and no threat to security of BiH. If older than 14, the child's consent is needed.
Special achievements
This route covers people recognised for special achievements or for contributions to Bosnia and Herzegovina, subject to the conditions below. Even if the legal conditions are satisfied, authorities may still decide to refuse.
Person is someone whose acquisition of citizenship would be in the special interest of BiH. Other conditions: proficient in one of the official languages of BiH, was not expelled from BiH by the competent authority, was not sentenced to imprisonment for more than three years.
Not available in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Birth in the country, Other family members of citizens, Citizens of specific countries, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Public or military service, Investment. Based on the GLOBALCIT coding of the law, updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
Bosnia and Herzegovina accepts dual citizenship in one direction: citizens who naturalise abroad.
- New citizens
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad keep their citizenship
Compare with neighbours
Compare Bosnia and Herzegovina with all countries in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 Albania | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Greece | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Kosovo | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Malta | 7 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Portugal | 5 years | Required, no test | Accepted |
 Serbia | 3 years | None | Citizens abroad only |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 9.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get Bosnia and Herzegovina Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/bosnia-and-herzegovina/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/bosnia-and-herzegovina/">How to Get Bosnia and Herzegovina Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a Bosnian and Herzegovinian citizen?
3 years of residence, under the ordinary naturalisation route. The conditions that come with it are listed on this page.
Does Bosnia and Herzegovina allow dual citizenship?
In part. The law of Bosnia and Herzegovina accepts dual citizenship for its citizens who naturalise abroad, not generally for new citizens.
Do I need a language test for Bosnian and Herzegovinian citizenship?
Bosnia and Herzegovina requires language skills without naming a particular test or certificate.
Is there a civic knowledge test for Bosnian and Herzegovinian citizenship?
Bosnia and Herzegovina requires civic knowledge for naturalisation but does not specify a formal test.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get Bosnian and Herzegovinian citizenship?
Giving up your current citizenship is required, with major exceptions.
Can I get Bosnia and Herzegovina citizenship by marriage?
Yes, the law of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a route for spouses. Procedure: entitlement.
Can I get Bosnia and Herzegovina citizenship by descent?
Yes. A child of a citizen can acquire citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina by descent. Procedure: automatic, discretionary.
Can I get Bosnia and Herzegovina citizenship by investment?
No investment route is coded in the law of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Related pages
Also see: Bosnia and Herzegovina passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.