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Giving up BiH citizenship 2026: cost, procedure, documents and engagement of the law office

In brief: Giving up citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina, that is, renunciation of BiH citizenship, is conducted before the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH in Sarajevo or through a diplomatic or consular mission of BiH abroad. The law office conducts the entire procedure in the client's absence, wherever the client happens to live, and neither a valid BiH passport nor a valid BiH identity card is required.

  • Competent authority: the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, Sector for Citizenship and Travel Documents, or a diplomatic or consular mission of BiH abroad.
  • Statutory time limit: 60 days to decide on the request.
  • In practice: the whole procedure, from the moment it is initiated to the delivery of the decision, takes about one month.
  • Fee 2025/2026: BAM 800.00 (about EUR 409) for the immediate family living at the same address, or about EUR 110 where the procedure is conducted in order to acquire citizenship of the Republic of Croatia with a valid registered residence in Croatia.
  • What the client supplies: a power of attorney certified before a notary or at a BiH mission abroad, the guarantee that the citizenship of another state will be granted, and proof of residence abroad not older than six months.
  • What the office obtains: the certificate of citizenship, the extract from the register of births, the marriage certificate and the certificates that the person holds no BiH passport and no BiH identity card.
  • When citizenship ceases: on the day the decision terminating BiH citizenship by renunciation is delivered.

Law Office Prnjavorac in Bosnia and Herzegovina conducts the entire procedure for giving up BiH citizenship (the synonym used in the statute is renunciation of BiH citizenship) before the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH in Sarajevo, Sector for Citizenship and Travel Documents, in the complete absence of the client from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Neither a valid BiH travel document nor a valid BiH identity card is needed for the procedure itself. We obtain for our clients all the documentation required in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the procedure.

Law Office Prnjavorac has been conducting the procedure for giving up citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1993, and where citizenship is concerned that is the work we do. Everything a complete request before the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH depends on, we do on the client's behalf: obtaining certificates and extracts in BiH, registering a marriage concluded abroad, entering a new surname, obtaining recognition of a foreign divorce or adoption judgment and, for people born abroad who were never entered in the BiH civil registers, the subsequent registration itself, because without an entry there is nothing to give up. Acquisition of BiH citizenship, restoration of citizenship and release are an exception in our practice rather than regular work; where they matter to a client's understanding, they are covered in the questions and answers on this page, with a link to the dedicated page.

Our clients are most often members of the diaspora acquiring the citizenship of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Slovenia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Croatia, whose authorities require proof of renunciation of BiH citizenship in ordinary naturalisation. The BiH administrative fee for 2025 and 2026 is BAM 800.00 (about EUR 409) for the immediate family living at the same address, or about EUR 110 where the procedure is conducted in order to acquire citizenship of the Republic of Croatia with a valid registered address of residence in Croatia.

You may also wish to read our page on renunciation and acquisition of citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which sets out the legal framework of Article 19 in more detail, and our page on the cost of the procedure and seventeen years of renunciation statistics.

Author and editor: , attorney at law and mediator  ·  Page last updated:

On this page
How it is done: seven stepsEngagement of the law officeThe procedure and the documents in detailCost and fees 2025/2026Table of countries that ask for renunciation in 2026Minor childrenAnnulment of the decision and restoration of citizenshipClient reviewsFrequently asked questionsLegal framework: regulations and agreements

Quick answer: how is BiH citizenship given up in 2026?

Citizenship of BiH is given up before the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH in Sarajevo, Sector for Citizenship and Travel Documents, or through the diplomatic and consular missions of BiH abroad. The client issues a power of attorney certified before a notary or at a BiH mission, the attorney obtains the BiH documentation (certificate of citizenship, extract from the register of births, marriage certificate, certificates that no BiH passport and no BiH identity card are held), the client sends from abroad the guarantee that the citizenship of another state will be granted and proof of residence abroad not older than six months, and the declaration of renunciation is then filed.

The statutory time limit for deciding is 60 days; in practice the whole procedure, from the issuing of the power of attorney to the delivery of the decision, takes about one month. BiH citizenship ceases on the day the decision terminating BiH citizenship by renunciation is delivered.

How to give up BiH citizenship: seven steps (2026)

  1. Issuing the power of attorney to the attorney at law. The client abroad issues a power of attorney, certified before a notary or at a diplomatic or consular mission of BiH (embassy or consulate), in favour of the attorney who then conducts the whole procedure.
  2. Obtaining the BiH documentation. The law office obtains in Bosnia and Herzegovina every certificate required: the certificate of BiH citizenship (not older than six months), the extract from the BiH register of births containing the most recent entries, the marriage certificate for married persons, and the certificate that no BiH passport or BiH identity card is held where those documents are missing.
  3. Supplying the documents from abroad. The client supplies the guarantee that the citizenship of another state will be granted (for Austria, the Zusicherung der Verleihung der Staatsburgerschaft) and proof of residence abroad not older than six months. The documents are translated by a court interpreter in BiH or abroad; for states outside the 1961 Hague Convention an Apostille certificate or full legalisation is required.
  4. Payment of the BiH administrative fee. The manner of payment is explained when the declaration of renunciation is given. A single fee is paid for the immediate family (a married couple and their children at the same address); for adult children up to the age of 23, proof of unemployment or of full-time education is required.
  5. Filing the declaration of renunciation of BiH citizenship. Acting on a valid power of attorney, the attorney files the declaration together with the complete documentation before the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH in Sarajevo. The client does not have to travel to BiH.
  6. The decision within the statutory time limit. The Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH is required to issue the decision terminating BiH citizenship by renunciation within 60 days (Article 33 of the Law on Citizenship of BiH; the basis of the renunciation itself is Article 19).
  7. Delivery of the decision and cancellation of the BiH passport. The client or the attorney takes delivery of the decision terminating BiH citizenship. A client who holds a valid BiH passport must hand it over to the competent official or to the embassy of BiH so that it can be cancelled.

Engagement of Law Office Prnjavorac in the procedure

Law Office Prnjavorac conducts the complete procedure for giving up citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina before the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sector for Citizenship and Travel Documents, with the client entirely absent from BiH. Neither a valid BiH travel document nor a valid BiH identity card is necessary for the procedure itself: our office obtains all the required BiH documentation on the client's behalf, including the certificate of BiH citizenship, the extract from the register of births with the most recent entries, the marriage certificate where relevant, and the certificates that no BiH passport or identity card is held where those documents have been lost.

In individual cases our written clarifications of provisions of the Law on Citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been used in correspondence with naturalisation authorities in Austria, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Croatia, most often when the foreign authority asks why the BiH decision reads as it does or from which day citizenship ceases.

The procedure in detail: giving up citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina

A person who renounces citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina gives a declaration of renunciation, in person or through a representative, on a prepared form at the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH in Sarajevo or at a diplomatic or consular mission of BiH abroad.

The following documents must be attached to the declaration in the original:

  1. A certificate of the citizenship of another state, or proof that the acquisition of the citizenship of another state is guaranteed: the guarantee of acquisition of citizenship (for Austria, the Zusicherung);
  2. Proof of residence or of registered residence abroad not older than six months, in the state whose citizenship the client holds or has been guaranteed;
  3. The certificate of BiH citizenship, not older than six months;
  4. The extract from the BiH register of births, that is, the birth certificate, containing the most recent entries;
  5. The marriage certificate for married persons, containing the most recent entries in the BiH registers;
  6. Recognition of a foreign court decision on divorce, for persons whose marriage was dissolved abroad;
  7. A certified copy of the BiH passport, the page bearing the photograph, certified by the competent BiH mission, by a notary or by a competent authority in BiH, or a certificate that no BiH passport is held;
  8. A valid identity card issued in BiH, or a certificate that no BiH identity card is held;
  9. Proof of payment of the administrative fee.

These documents must be translated into one of the languages in official use in BiH by a court interpreter in BiH or abroad, with certification by the competent authority. A power of attorney issued abroad must be certified by a notary or by the consulate or embassy of BiH.

For documents issued by states with which Bosnia and Herzegovina has no bilateral agreement on the mutual recognition of foreign public documents, additional certification by the competent authorities is required (the Apostille certificate), including for the notarial power of attorney, for declarations and for translations of public documents. Where the client is giving up BiH citizenship in order to acquire the citizenship of a state with which BiH has no such bilateral agreement and which is not a party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, full legalisation of the foreign documents is required.

The manner of payment of the administrative fee is explained at the time the declaration is given.

Giving up BiH citizenship: cost 2025 and 2026

Administrative fee and other costs
  • Immediate family at the same address (a married couple and their minor children, and adult children up to the age of 23 on proof of unemployment or of full-time education): BAM 800.00, about EUR 425, as a single administrative fee.
  • An adult applying alone who does not meet the conditions for the family fee: a separate BiH administrative fee under the tariff in force (the Law on Administrative Fees of BiH).
  • Giving up citizenship in order to acquire citizenship of the Republic of Croatia, with a valid registered address of residence in Croatia: about EUR 110, a reduced tariff.
  • A brother and a sister together may pay a single fee only if at least one of the parents goes through the procedure with them, if they are under 23 and if they all live at the same address abroad.
  • In addition to the state administrative fee, the client bears the cost of obtaining the BiH documents, certified translations, notarial services, any Apostille certificate, and the attorney's fees under the Attorneys' Tariff of the Federation of BiH.

The amounts in euro are converted at the reference rate of the Central Bank of BiH (the convertible mark is pegged at EUR 1 = BAM 1.95583) and are given for guidance only. The tariff prescribed by the Law on Administrative Fees of BiH is the authoritative one.

Countries that in 2026 require renunciation of BiH citizenship for naturalisation

The table below shows the position as at September 2026: which states require an applicant for ordinary naturalisation to provide proof of renunciation of the previous citizenship, in our context BiH citizenship, and which generally allow dual or multiple citizenship. The table is informative and relates to ordinary naturalisation procedures; exceptions exist (acquisition by descent, marriage to a national of the state concerned, refugee status, a special interest of the state). For an individual situation we recommend that you send us an enquiry.

Renunciation of BiH citizenship in ordinary naturalisation, position as at September 2026
State Renunciation of BiH citizenship required in 2026? Bilateral treaty on dual citizenship with BiH Note for 2026
AustriaYes, as a ruleNoA strict regime. A time limit of two years to submit proof of release (Entlassungsurkunde) after the guarantee (Zusicherung) has been issued. Exceptions under Article 10(6) of the Austrian Citizenship Act of 1985 are rare.
GermanyNo, since 27 June 2024Under preparation, an initiative of 2024With the entry into force of the reform of the Staatsangehorigkeitsgesetz (StAG) on 27 June 2024, Germany generally allows multiple citizenship. Giving up BiH citizenship in order to acquire German citizenship is no longer required in the ordinary procedure.
SloveniaYes, in ordinary naturalisationNoProof of renunciation of the previous citizenship is required in ordinary naturalisation. Exceptions: acquisition by descent, repatriation, marriage to a Slovenian national, refugees.
CroatiaIn part; in practice often yesYes, since 2012Although the treaty on dual citizenship between BiH and Croatia has been in force since 2012, the Croatian authorities in practice often require renunciation of BiH citizenship, except in the case of marriage to a Croatian national.
SwedenNo, as a ruleYes, since 2006The Kingdom of Sweden has allowed dual citizenship since 2001. An agreement on dual citizenship with BiH was signed (Official Gazette of BiH, international treaties, no. 2/06). Individual cases are dealt with on their merits.
SwitzerlandNo, as a ruleNoSwitzerland has allowed dual citizenship since 1992. In ordinary naturalisation it does not require renunciation of BiH citizenship as a condition for acquiring Swiss citizenship.
ItalyNoNoItaly does not require renunciation of BiH citizenship in ordinary naturalisation; dual Italian and BiH citizenship is permitted in the ordinary procedures.
FranceNoNoFrance does not require renunciation of BiH citizenship in ordinary naturalisation; dual French and BiH citizenship is permitted.
BelgiumNo, since 2008NoBelgium has allowed dual citizenship since 28 April 2008 and does not require renunciation of BiH citizenship in ordinary naturalisation.
NetherlandsIn part; yes in ordinary naturalisationNoIn ordinary naturalisation the Netherlands generally requires renunciation of BiH citizenship, with important exceptions: marriage to a Dutch national, acquisition by birth, and cases of legal or practical impossibility of renunciation.
NorwayNo, since 1 January 2020NoFollowing the reform of 1 January 2020 Norway allows dual citizenship and does not require renunciation of BiH citizenship for the acquisition of Norwegian citizenship.
DenmarkNo, since 1 September 2015NoDenmark has allowed dual citizenship since 1 September 2015 and does not require renunciation of BiH citizenship for the acquisition of Danish citizenship.
SerbiaNoYes (agreement with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, by succession)The agreement on dual citizenship between BiH and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Official Gazette of BiH, international treaties, no. 4/03) is in force; in the ordinary procedure renunciation of BiH citizenship is not required for the acquisition of Serbian citizenship.
MontenegroIn partNone with BiH; the status of the agreement with Serbia is disputedIn ordinary naturalisation Montenegro generally requires renunciation of BiH citizenship. Particular cases (descent, marriage to a Montenegrin national, refugees) are dealt with individually.
North MacedoniaIn partNoIn ordinary naturalisation North Macedonia generally requires renunciation of BiH citizenship, with exceptions for descent, marriage to a Macedonian national and special reasons of public interest.
United States, Canada, AustraliaNoNoAll three states allow multiple citizenship and do not require renunciation of BiH citizenship for the acquisition of American, Canadian or Australian citizenship.

Note: the table reflects the position as at . The legal position of individual states may change when their citizenship legislation is amended, so before any concrete legal decision it is essential to check the current position with our office or with the competent authority of the state whose citizenship is being acquired.

Particular points: giving up BiH citizenship for minor children

If the other parent is a foreign national, a certificate of that state's citizenship is attached for that parent. If the other parent has died, an extract from the register of deaths is attached. If a parent has been deprived of parental rights over the minor child, the decision of the competent court depriving that parent of parental rights is attached. It is not sufficient that a divorce judgment placed the child in the care and custody of one parent.

The BiH citizenship of a minor child may cease by renunciation only: (a) at the request of both parents whose BiH citizenship has ceased by renunciation; (b) at the request of one parent whose BiH citizenship has ceased by renunciation, with the consent of the other parent who is a citizen of BiH; or (c) at the request of one parent whose BiH citizenship has ceased by renunciation, where the other parent has died, has lost parental rights, is a foreign national or is stateless.

If the child is older than 14, the consent of the minor child is also required. Declarations of renunciation of BiH citizenship are given by signature on the record at the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, or declarations certified before a notary or at a BiH mission abroad are attached to the request.

General notes

  • Every person renouncing citizenship of BiH must have been assigned a unique identification number (JMBG).
  • Where a person has changed a surname, on marriage or otherwise, or has changed any other relevant particulars, those changes must be entered in the birth certificate and in the certificate of BiH citizenship before the procedure is initiated.
  • In cases conducted through an embassy or consulate of BiH, the covering letter must contain a list of the documents in the file.

Under Article 19(3) of the Law on Citizenship of BiH, a person's BiH citizenship ceases when the competent authority establishes that the necessary conditions are met and delivers the decision to the party, or when the competent BiH mission sends the decision by post. On delivery of the decision terminating citizenship, a person who holds a BiH travel document and whose citizenship is ceasing must hand over the valid BiH travel document to the competent official for cancellation, or send it to the competent embassy of BiH.

Annulment of the decision terminating BiH citizenship

The decision terminating BiH citizenship may be annulled at the request of a person who has not acquired the citizenship of the state that issued the guarantee. The decision annulling the earlier decision reads as follows:

Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH
Sector for Citizenship and Travel Documents
Number: /21
Sarajevo, [year]

The Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, upon the request of [name of person], from BiH, on the basis of Article 30(1) and Article 20 of the Law on Citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of BiH, nos. 4/97, 13/97, 41/02, 6/03, 14/03, 76/09, 87/13 and 22/16, consolidated text), in the matter of the annulment of the decision on renunciation of citizenship of BiH, issues the following:

DECISION
The decision of this Ministry number [...] of [...], by which the declaration of renunciation of citizenship of BiH in respect of [...] was accepted, is hereby annulled.

Statement of reasons
On the basis of the declaration of renunciation of BiH citizenship and the remaining documentation, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH issued a decision terminating BiH citizenship by renunciation. The person named subsequently asked the Ministry to annul that decision. The request was accompanied by the original decision terminating BiH citizenship and the original final decision showing that the person named had not acquired the citizenship of the state that had issued the guarantee. The Ministry examined the evidence and established that the conditions for annulment under Article 20 of the Law on Citizenship of BiH were met.

Legal remedy: this decision is final and no appeal lies against it, but it may be challenged by an action before the Administrative Division of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina within 60 days of its delivery.

A person whose BiH citizenship has ceased by renunciation or by release, for the purpose of acquiring or retaining the citizenship of another state, may apply for the reacquisition of BiH citizenship only if that person has been granted temporary residence in the territory of BiH for at least one year immediately before the application. In other words: temporary residence in BiH must first be registered for at least one year, the application for BiH citizenship is then filed, and once the competent authority has issued the guarantee of acquisition of BiH citizenship, which is valid for two years, the client must renounce the citizenship of the foreign state in order to acquire BiH citizenship.

Client reviews: giving up BiH citizenship

An extract of ten reviews by clients of Law Office Prnjavorac who successfully gave up citizenship of BiH through our office. The reviews are aggregated from two Google Business profiles: 1,056 reviews in total with a rating of 5.0 out of 5. Only initials are given, to protect our clients' privacy.

M.K. Vienna, Austria: for Austrian citizenship ★★★★★

"They carried out the whole procedure of giving up BiH citizenship for the purposes of Austrian naturalisation quickly and without a single error. I did not have to travel to BiH, and I had the power of attorney certified at the embassy of BiH in Vienna. They obtained every document themselves and had them translated to Austrian standards. Recommended."

S.A. Linz, Austria: family procedure ★★★★★

"We gave up BiH citizenship as a whole family: my wife, myself and our two children. It was all done on a single administrative fee because we live at the same address. The office guided us through every step, from the extracts from the registers to the delivery of the decision. We used the Austrian guarantee within the statutory two-year period."

E.H. Graz, Austria: a complicated surname ★★★★★

"My situation was complicated: my surname had changed on marriage in Austria but had never been entered in BiH. The law office first regularised the surname in the BiH registers and then conducted the whole renunciation procedure. Without their help I could not have acquired Austrian citizenship within the period of the guarantee."

J.B. Ljubljana, Slovenia: for Slovenian citizenship ★★★★★

"The Slovenian authorities required renunciation of BiH citizenship for naturalisation. The attorney did everything from BiH while I was in Ljubljana. Communication by e-mail was quick, the decision terminating BiH citizenship reached me in time and I was able to complete the Slovenian procedure."

A.K. Amsterdam, Netherlands: an unusual situation ★★★★★

"The Dutch authorities required renunciation of BiH citizenship for Dutch naturalisation. My case was unusual because of the short time before the naturalisation ceremony in Amsterdam and because I could not travel to BiH. The law office conducted the entire procedure from BiH and the decision arrived in time. Thank you for the professional approach."

R.M. ★★★★★

"I was adopted abroad by a court judgment and my surname was changed by that judgment. The office first obtained recognition of the foreign judgment on adoption in BiH, then regularised the surname in the registers, and only then conducted the renunciation procedure. Every step was explained clearly, in Bosnian and in German."

F.D. ★★★★★

"I lost my BiH passport years ago and did not know whether giving up BiH citizenship was still possible. The attorney first had the passport declared lost before the Ministry of the Interior, obtained the certificate that no passport was held, and then filed the request. Everything was resolved within the statutory period."

T.S. ★★★★★

"We gave up BiH citizenship for our two minor children, aged three and seven, together with the procedure for ourselves. It was all done on a single fee. The attorney obtained the consent of both parents and the certified forms. The procedure finished sooner than we expected and we were kept informed of its status throughout."

V.B. ★★★★★

"I had the power of attorney certified at the consulate of BiH abroad and sent it by post. The attorney did everything else from BiH, without a single trip on my part. Communication was clear, the costs were agreed in advance and there were no surprises. The decision was delivered to me through the competent BiH mission."

Z.O. ★★★★★

"I was weighing release from BiH citizenship against renunciation: the attorney patiently explained the difference and recommended the simpler procedure. Fewer documents, the same legal effect. Thirty-three years of experience show in every detail. The best possible recommendation for anyone in the diaspora."

Frequently asked questions: giving up BiH citizenship in 2026

How much does it cost to give up BiH citizenship in 2026?

The BiH administrative fee for the procedure in 2026 is BAM 800.00, about EUR 425, for members of the immediate family (a married couple and their minor children, and adult children up to the age of 23 who are unemployed or in full-time education), provided that they all live at the same address. Adults who do not meet those conditions pay a separate fee. Where citizenship is given up in order to acquire citizenship of the Republic of Croatia, with a valid registered address of residence in Croatia, the fee is about EUR 110.

Do I lose my rights to real property after giving up BiH citizenship?

You do not lose your rights to real property in Bosnia and Herzegovina. All your property, whether houses, flats, land, holiday homes or business premises, remains your property after BiH citizenship ceases. Foreign nationals in BiH retain ownership rights over real property on the basis of reciprocity.

I gave up BiH citizenship and acquired Austrian citizenship: may I still buy real property in BiH?

As a national of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Slovenia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Republic of Croatia or another state with which reciprocity has been established with BiH, you may acquire ownership of real property in the Federation of BiH and in Republika Srpska on the basis of reciprocity. The full list of states with which reciprocity in the acquisition of ownership rights over real property in BiH has been established can be found on our page on the rights of foreign nationals to real estate or in the list of states.

Do I lose my right of inheritance once I have given up BiH citizenship?

Foreign nationals are treated in the same way as nationals in matters of inheritance. You therefore do not lose your right of inheritance in BiH on any basis, whether under the statute or under a will. You may be a statutory heir, a testamentary heir or a legatee, notwithstanding that you are no longer a citizen of BiH.

Is dual BiH and Austrian citizenship possible?

In ordinary naturalisation the Republic of Austria does not allow dual citizenship and requires proof of renunciation of the previous citizenship (Entlassungsurkunde), with a time limit of two years for submitting it. Exceptions exist only in very specific cases: Article 10(6) of the Austrian Citizenship Act, an exceptional interest of the Republic, victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants, and certain cases of acquisition by birth. For a legal assessment of your own case we recommend that you send us an enquiry.

Does Germany still require renunciation of BiH citizenship for German naturalisation?

No. With the entry into force of the new German citizenship legislation (Staatsangehorigkeitsgesetz, StAG) on 27 June 2024, Germany generally allows multiple citizenship (Mehrstaatigkeit). Applicants for German citizenship are no longer required to renounce their previous citizenship, BiH citizenship included. For that reason the procedure of giving up BiH citizenship in order to acquire German citizenship has not been relevant since June 2024, save in rare individual cases.

I have lost my BiH identity card or passport: can I still give up BiH citizenship?

You can, but the lost BiH passport or identity card must first be declared invalid before the competent Ministry of the Interior, and a certificate that no BiH passport or identity card is held must be obtained. That certificate is then attached to the request.

I was adopted abroad and my surname was changed by a court judgment: can I give up BiH citizenship without regularising the surname in BiH?

In order to give up BiH citizenship, your surname in BiH must be the same as your surname abroad. The foreign court decision on the adoption must first be recognised in BiH, that decision must then be entered in the registers and the surname regularised, and only then can the renunciation procedure be initiated.

Is release from BiH citizenship or renunciation the simpler course for me?

In practice renunciation of BiH citizenship is far simpler than release from BiH citizenship, because it requires considerably less documentation from BiH: a certificate that tax obligations have been settled, for example, is not required. Both procedures result in the cessation of BiH citizenship on the day the decision is delivered, with the same legal effect.

How long does the procedure take?

The Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH must decide within the statutory time limit of 60 days from the day it receives a properly completed request with the full documentation. In practice the total duration, from the issuing of the power of attorney to the delivery of the decision, is roughly one month, depending on how quickly the documentation can be obtained in BiH and abroad. A decision refusing the request must contain written reasons, and an action against it lies to the Court of BiH.

I have given up BiH citizenship: must I register my stay when I enter BiH?

Once you have renounced BiH citizenship you are treated as a foreign national, and as such you must register your stay in BiH on arrival. Foreign nationals intending to stay longer than three days must register their residence with the Service for Foreigners' Affairs at one of its 16 field centres across BiH, within eight days of arriving at the place of residence or of changing address. If you change your residence you must register the change of address, and you must also deregister your stay when leaving BiH.

Croatia asked me to give up BiH citizenship even though the two states have a treaty on dual citizenship. Why?

Unfortunately it is very common for the Republic of Croatia to require renunciation of BiH citizenship from persons wishing to acquire Croatian citizenship, without justification, even though the inter-state agreement applied since 2012 permits dual citizenship. In accordance with the agreement, the Bosnian and Herzegovinian side asked for a joint commission to be formed to resolve the problem, but the Republic of Croatia refused, relying on its own legislation, except in the case of marriage to a Croatian national. The Law on Citizenship of BiH contains an identical solution.

I gave up BiH citizenship for Austrian or Slovenian citizenship: how do I get BiH citizenship back if dual citizenship is not possible?

A person whose BiH citizenship ceased, by renunciation or by release, in order to acquire or retain the citizenship of another state may apply for the reacquisition of BiH citizenship only if that person has been granted temporary residence in the territory of BiH for at least one year immediately before the application. The procedure is: (1) register temporary residence in BiH for at least one year; (2) file the application for BiH citizenship; (3) once the guarantee of acquisition of BiH citizenship has been issued, and it is valid for two years, renounce the citizenship of the foreign state; (4) acquire BiH citizenship. There is more on this in our article on renunciation and acquisition of citizenship of BiH.

Must I come to BiH because of military service before giving up BiH citizenship?

No. Compulsory military service has been abolished in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and unserved military service is no longer an obstacle to the procedure.

Must the power of attorney be translated into German before it is certified?

No. A power of attorney issued for a procedure in BiH may be drawn up in Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian, but it must be certified before a notary abroad or at a BiH mission. German and Austrian notaries often ask for a translation, but in law it is enough that the power of attorney is linguistically comprehensible to the notary certifying the signature. Our office supplies a ready-made form of power of attorney adapted to local notarial practice.

From what date is the decision final, and when does citizenship actually cease?

Under Article 19(3) of the Law on Citizenship of BiH, a person's BiH citizenship ceases on the day the competent authority establishes that the necessary conditions are met and delivers the decision to the party, or on the day the competent BiH mission sends the decision by post. That is at the same time the date of cessation of BiH citizenship, and it must be entered in every decision and certificate issued by foreign authorities.

Why is my decision written in Cyrillic script?

The linguistic drafting of the acts of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH depends on an internal rotation of the language variants (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian) and of the two scripts (Latin and Cyrillic). The decision has the same legal effect whichever script is used. Where a foreign authority requires the Latin script, our office obtains a certified translation from a court interpreter.

Does my BiH passport cease to be valid automatically once BiH citizenship ceases?

Yes. On delivery of the decision terminating BiH citizenship you must hand your valid BiH travel document to the competent official or to the embassy of BiH so that it can be cancelled. After citizenship has ceased the BiH passport has no legal effect and must not be used.

Clients have trusted us since 1993.

The law office Prnjavorac has been active since 1993. Today, in its fourth decade of work, it has 1,056 Google reviews with a rating of 5.0 / 5 across two independent Google business profiles.

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Other areas of the firm's work

We provide legal assistance and representation across a wide range of areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina:

Renunciation of BiH citizenship Cost, power of attorney and statistics Obtaining the citizenship of BiH How to get BiH citizenship Croatian citizenship Subsequent registration in the civil registers Change of surname or first name Apostille in Bosnia and Herzegovina Rights of foreigners to real estate Probate proceedings Administrative law Re-acquisition of BiH citizenship Dual citizenship of BiH Constitutional Court decision U-19/22

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*Note: Attorney Alma Prnjavorac & Attorney Azur Prnjavorac - the content is of an informative nature and does not constitute legal advice in a specific case.