How to become officially employed in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

To get an official job in Bosnia, you must obtain an employment permit issued by a body authorized to employ foreigners. After obtaining an employment permit, a foreigner applies for a temporary residence permit.

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What is the procedure of acquisition of an employment permit in Bosnia?

The procedure of acquisition of an employment permit in Bosnia is as following:

1. After you had been employed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, your employer had to get an employment permit from the Employment Center. You can start working only after obtaining such a permit. 

2. Now you can apply for a residence permit in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

3. You will need to visit a Service center for foreigners and on the basis of your employment permit apply for a residence permit in Bosnia and Herzegovina. If you are temporarily not present on the territory of an European country you can apply through a diplomatic consulate representing Bosnia and Herzegovina, or, if in Bosnia and Herzegovina – directly to the relevant organizational unit of the Service.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a foreigner may apply for their first temporary residence permit only if they have entered with a long-term visa (Visa D) or if they are a citizen of a country that allows visa-free travel.

You can apply for a short-term visa to Bosnia and Herzegovina for temporary work. For a hired employee, you will need a C visa. The validity of a short-term visa can be up to 90 days. Short-term visas can be either single-entry or multiple-entry.

Bosnia and Herzegovina requires two things from foreign workers - a work permit and a temporary residence permit.

Please note that foreign nationals cannot start working in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the basis of a work permit until they have obtained a temporary residence permit.

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Cost of a short-stay visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina

A short-stay visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina costs 31 EUR for a single-entry visa and 57 EUR for a multiple-entry visa (may vary depending on your country and citizenship). In addition, you may also be required to pay other administrative fees such as visa fees, courier services, etc. depending on the country and place of application.

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Requirements for the acquisition of a work visa in Bosnia and Herzegovina:

• A valid passport. Your passport must contain at least two blank pages;
• Copies of previous visas (if present);
• A valid identification document;
• An application form. You can download one online at the website.
• Payment of the fee.
• One photograph. Your photograph must be of passport size, colored and taken within the last six months.
• A travel medical insurance. Your health insurance must be valid for the entire period of your stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Proof of residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This can be a rental agreement, hotel reservation, invitation letter, etc.
• An invitation letter;
• A bank statement. This is a document issued by your bank confirming your financial stability and financial capability to provide for yourself while in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Flight route. Contains flight date, flight time and return ticket.

Even if your home country is exempt from visa requirements for a short-term period, if you intend to stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina longer, you will have to apply for a long-term visa from your home country before arriving in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With a long-term visa (D), you can stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a maximum of 180 days within 1 year.

Bosnia and Herzegovina requires two things from foreign workers - a work permit and a temporary residence permit.

Please note that foreign nationals cannot start working in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the basis of a work permit until they have obtained a temporary residence permit.

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Cost of a long-stay visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina

A long-stay visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina costs 72 EUR (may vary depending on the country and citizenship). In addition, you may also need to pay other administrative fees, such as visa fees at the visa center, courier services, etc. depending on the country and place of application.

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Requirements for the acquisition of a work visa in Bosnia and Herzegovina:

• A valid passport. Your passport must contain at least two blank pages;
• Copies of previous visas (if present);
• A valid identification document;
• An application form. You can download one online at the website.
• Payment of the fee.
• One photograph. Your photograph must be of passport size, colored and taken within the last six months.
• A travel medical insurance. Your health insurance must be valid for the entire period of your stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Proof of residence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This can be a rental agreement, hotel reservation, invitation letter, etc.
• An invitation letter;
• A bank statement. This is a document issued by your bank confirming your financial stability and financial capability to provide for yourself while in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Types of companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has the following types of companies that can be registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina

1. unlimited joint liability company: established by at least two partners, each of whom can and must manage the company - they both have unlimited liability; there is no mandatory minimum contribution when establishing a company. 
2. limited liability company: as the name suggests, the liability of the partners in this case is limited and it can be founded by one or more investors; this type of company has a minimum authorized capital of approximately 1,000 euros, and the partners make a minimum contribution each.
3. joint-stock company: has similarities with a limited liability company (in terms of limited liability of the shareholders), but is designed to meet the needs of large businesses, as it has a higher minimum share capital (approximately EUR 25,000).
4. limited partnership: established by two or more partners, one of whom is unlimitedly liable for the debts and obligations of the company; general partners are the ones who manage the business.

Foreign entrepreneurs can also establish the same types of legal entities in Republika Srpska as described above. 

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The main steps to establish a company in Bosnia and Herzegovina

1. Draw up a memorandum of association: the company is registered by means of a notarized memorandum of association or a decision (for companies with one founder).
2. Pay the capital: the minimum authorized capital is to be paid in accordance with the existing rules for the chosen type of business.
3. Registration: carried out in the municipal court according to the city in which the company is located; court fees are mandatory.
4. Company seal: the company must have a seal that will contain the name and address, and the costs for this may vary.
5. Open a bank account: each company must have a bank account opened with a local bank, for which it is necessary to submit several documents to the selected bank branch.
6. Register for tax and labor purposes: the company can now register with the tax administration and be able to hire employees in Bosnia.
7. Permit to provide services: it is issued by the Municipality Office, and the cost and requirements for this permit may vary from municipality to municipality. 

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Preparatory steps before registering a limited liability company and a joint stock company in Bosnia

Prior to state registration, the entrepreneur must draw up a memorandum of association and have it notarized at the municipality office. The Law on Notaries requires that all documentation for the incorporation of a Bosnian company be certified by a public notary. It is also important that the founders open a bank account and deposit the minimum required capital by obtaining a bank certificate. The minimum authorized capital required to establish a company in Bosnia is 2,000 Bosnian dinars for a limited liability company, and for a joint-stock company, the founders must deposit at least 50,000 dinars as authorized capital. The last step before registration is to obtain a certificate from the tax authorities stating that the founders have no tax debts. The entire preliminary procedure before the company is established takes about seven business days.

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Registration of limited liability companies and joint stock companies in Bosnia

Founders of Bosnian companies must purchase prescribed forms from an office supply store or from the court and fill them out. Together with the application for registration at the Municipal Court, the memorandum of association, articles of association, bank account, information on the legal address and capital, as well as data on members and the board must be submitted. After issuing the certificate of incorporation, the municipal court informs the official gazette and companies are automatically registered for membership in economic chambers at the state, entity, cantonal and regional levels. Registration at the municipal court takes about 10 days.

The following five steps must also be completed when registering a business in Bosnia and Herzegovina:

1. Obtaining a company seal in Bosnia: After the certificate of incorporation is issued, the next step in setting up a Bosnian company is to submit the required documents and pay the fee for obtaining a company seal. 
2. Obtaining a permit to start operations: after obtaining the seal, the business entity must apply for a municipal permit for future operations. The process takes about 10 days.
3. Notification of the Cantonal Inspectorate: after obtaining the permit, the process of setting up a company in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues with a notification sent to the Cantonal Inspectorate about the start of activities.
4. Applying for a company identification number at the tax office of Bosnia and Herzegovina: the founders of the company must submit a photocopy of the court registration and the lease agreement for the business premises, as well as a copy of the director's identity card. The procedure can take up to 15 days.
5. Registration of employees with the Pension Insurance Institute and the Health Insurance Institute: An important step in completing the registration process is the registration of new employees with the Pension and Health Insurance Institutes. 

In order to complete the employee registration procedure, the founders of the company must submit applications for pension and health insurance, a copy of the company's registration certificate and the employee's identity card and health record, a copy of the concluded employment contract and, finally, the employee's work record. 

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Hiring employees in Bosnia and Herzegovina

When all the steps required to set up a company in Bosnia are completed, the entrepreneur can hire the necessary staff.  Working conditions, wages, working hours and other provisions are regulated by the Labor Code. An entrepreneur may hire an employee on an indefinite or fixed-term contract, in case of seasonal work, replacement of a temporarily absent employee, implementation of limited projects, or in other situations determined by a collective agreement. The duration of working hours should not exceed 40 hours per week, and if the position and duties require otherwise, the maximum duration of working hours may be increased to 60 hours per week.

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The Bosnian business visa allows foreign nationals to come to Bosnia for business, commercial or corporate purposes. Usually, a business visa falls under the category of short-term visas (which means that if you come for business purposes, you need to apply for a type C visa). However, in exceptional cases, a long-term visa may be required. 

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Here are all the necessary documents you need to submit when applying for a Bosnian visa:

• A valid passport. Your passport must be in good condition and have at least two blank pages.
• Copies of previous visas (if any). 
• An identity document. Your identity document must be valid.
• Application form. Download the Bosnian application form online, print it out and sign it at the end.
• Payment of the fee. Pay the fee at the time of submission of documents at the Bosnian embassy/consulate and pay it in cash there.
• One photo. Your photo must be passport size, color and taken within the last six months.
• Travel health insurance. Your health insurance must be valid for the entire period of time you plan to stay in Bosnia.
• Proof of residence in Bosnia. This document confirms that you have a place to live in Bosnia. It can be a rental agreement, hotel reservation, invitation letter, etc.
• Bank statement. This is a document issued by your bank and it must prove that you are financially stable and can finance yourself during your stay in Bosnia.
• Flight itinerary. This is a document that contains the date, time of departure and the return ticket. The return ticket proves that you plan to return to your home country after the expiration of your visa.