Areas of professional involvement: Renunciation and Acquisition of Citizenship
Our law office has almost 30 years of specialized legal experience in cases related to citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina. For our clients we perform a complete procedure of withdrawal from citizenship / renunciation of citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as acquisition of citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina without the need for the client’s presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In this area, we represent our clients in proceedings related to BiH citizenship, especially in the part of renunciation of BiH citizenship / withdrawal from BiH citizenship, release from BiH citizenship, as well as the procedure of acquiring citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina (based on origin, birth on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, adoption, through naturalization, as well as through an international agreement – the so-called facilitated naturalization), which includes also the regulation of status issues, marriage registration, regulation of surnames and a number of other necessary activities. We also represent before the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina the parties whose BiH citizenship has been revoked.
The fact that the administrative offices of Germany (cities of Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart …), Austria (Vienna, Linz, Graz…) and Croatia also contact our law office in case of legal doubts speaks best about our international reputation in the field of BiH citizenship. We give them binding legal positions, according to which the person is obliged to proceed (e.g. that according to the old law on citizenship of RBiH a person has the right to register in BiH citizenship by origin, and after that they can carry out the procedure of renunciation of BiH citizenship). Our legal positions are taken unreservedly by foreign authorities as binding on all persons who are then obliged to continue to do so in order to obtain the right to citizenship of a foreign state.
In relation to the acquisition of foreign citizenship, the law office also provides cross-border consulting services through regional law firms with enviable knowledge and competencies in the field of citizenship of Germany, Austria and Croatia. Through our affiliated law firms, we can ensure the acquisition of citizenship of Germany, Austria and Croatia.
After almost three decades of law practice of our law office in the field of citizenship, which includes: renunciation of citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina, acquisition of citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina, revision of BiH citizenship, subsequent registration, return of BiH citizenship, regulations in the field of personal name, registries, travel documents, recognition of foreign court decisions on divorce and status issues and other basic civil statuses, we present here the most common questions of our clients and answers to them. The area governing citizenship and registries in Bosnia and Herzegovina is regulated through 90 legal sources that include conventions, laws, bylaws, regulations, decrees and other regulations at the state and entity levels of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We have sorted the questions from the most frequently asked to the less frequent ones, so let us start:
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Is there a possibility without my
arrival in Bosnia and Herzegovina that you, as my lawyer, can register a marriage
for me, regulate the surname, prepare all documents in Bosnia and Herzegovina and
complete the procedure of renunciation of BiH citizenship?
Lawyer: Your arrival in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not required. We can do everything for
you as your lawyers, and based on the power of attorney you will receive from us and
certify if before a notary abroad.
Question: If I renounce the citizenship of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, can I inherit the property after the death of my parents?
Lawyer: Foreign nationals are equated with domestic nationals in terms of inheritance.
Therefore, you can inherit property without restrictions as a foreign citizen, and after
the completion of the procedure of renunciation of Bosnian citizenship.
Question: I do not have a valid passport of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, can the procedure of withdrawal from BiH citizenship be done
without a passport of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
registers in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Lawyer: The procedure of renunciation of citizenship of Bosnia and
Herzegovina can be done without a valid travel document of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Question: I got married abroad and changed
my surname, does it have to be registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina before
initiating the procedure of withdrawal from Bosnian citizenship?
Lawyer: It is mandatory that the surname you have abroad is registered in Bosnia and
Herzegovina as well, in order to carry out the procedure of renunciation of Bosnian
citizenship.
Question: Can you do the procedure for
acquiring the citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina for me without my coming to
Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Lawyer: Yes, we can do the procedure for you to acquire the citizenship
of Bosnia and Herzegovina without your coming to Bosnia and Herzegovina if you meet all
the legal requirements prescribed by the Law on Citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
which relate to the acquisition of citizenship of BiH.
Question: Can a minor child alone do the
procedure of renouncing BiH citizenship?
Lawyer: A minor child cannot independently perform the procedure of
renunciation of BiH citizenship. If a minor renounces BiH citizenship, it is necessary
for one of the parents to renounce BiH citizenship or to renounce it together with the
minor. A statement on behalf of a minor is given by a parent who renounces Bosnian
citizenship, and the other parent gives a duly certified consent.
Question: I got married abroad, changed my
surname and registered my marriage in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the registry office,
my BiH passport and BiH ID card are currently in my maiden name, do I have to get a
new passport and a new ID in my current surname if I want to withdraw from
citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Lawyer: It is not necessary to obtain a new passport of Bosnia and
Herzegovina or an ID card of BiH – a travel document and an identity card with a maiden
name can be used – it is important the marriage is properly registered and that your
surname is recorded in the registry books, and that you are listed with the proper and
current surname in the birth certificate and certificate of citizenship of BiH; and for
the procedure of renunciation of BiH citizenship.
Question: Is there a possibility to appeal
the decision on renunciation of citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Lawyer: The decision on termination of BiH citizenship is final and no
appeal is allowed against it, but it can be challenged by filing a lawsuit with the
Administrative Division of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina within 60 days from
receiving the decision on renunciation of BiH citizenship.
Question: The procedure for withdrawal from
Bosnian citizenship would be done by my husband, me and our two minor children. How
much fees do we pay to the state of BiH, are there 4 separate fees or just one?
Lawyer: You as a family pay a total of one single administrative fee,
since you live at the same address and the children are minors in the process of
renouncing Bosnian citizenship.
Question: The price of the administrative
fee for the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina is approximately 425,- EUR in the
procedure of renunciation of BiH citizenship for the family, tell us whether a
family is a brother and sister if they do the procedure without parents?
Lawyer: According to the law, for close family members – married couple
and children, one fee is paid provided they all live at the same address, and for adult
children over 23 years of age it is necessary to submit proof that they are unemployed
or in regular schooling. So, a brother and sister fulfill the conditions to pay one
administrative fee only under the condition that at least one of the parents does the
procedure with them and they are younger than 23 and they all live together at the same
address abroad.
Question: Who makes decisions on acquiring
citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina or renouncing citizenship?
Lawyer: Decisions on acquiring or termination of citizenship of Bosnia
and Herzegovina are made by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sarajevo. An application for acquisition, release or renunciation of BiH citizenship
must be submitted directly to the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Question: Can we certify the power of
attorney that you gave us for the procedure of renunciation of citizenship of Bosnia
and Herzegovina / acquisition of citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina before the
Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina / Consulate of Bosnia and Herzegovina abroad?
Lawyer: You can certify the power of attorney before the Consulate of
Bosnia and Herzegovina / Embassy of BiH – if it is close to you, if it is not possible,
then before the nearest notary abroad.
