Bosnia and Herzegovina entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): Issued less than 10 years before the date you arrive, and expiry date at least 90 days after the day you leave
Visa (FCDO): You can visit Bosnia and Herzegovina without a visa for up to 90 days within a 6-month period (for the reasons listed in the FCDO text). Official visa text
Official source: GOV.UK – Bosnia and Herzegovina travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 13 August 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
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Do I need a visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina with a British passport?
In short: You can visit Bosnia and Herzegovina without a visa for up to 90 days within a 6-month period (for the reasons listed in the FCDO text).
Our one-line summary of the first FCDO sentence below, which matches a wording we recognise. It applies to British citizen passport holders; read the full official text, which may add conditions.
You can travel without a visa to Bosnia and Herzegovina for up to 90 days within a 6-month period. This applies if you travel:
- as a tourist
- to visit family or friends
- to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events
- for short-term studies or training
For all other types of travel, check the conditions for temporary residence or contact the Bosnia and Herzegovina Embassy in the UK.
Make sure you get your passport stamped on entry and exit.
If you’re a visitor, border guards will look at your entry and exit stamps to check you have not overstayed the 90-day visa-free limit. If you do not have a stamp, the Border Police may fine you when you leave.
More from the FCDO visa section (extensions, border checks and other cases)
Staying longer than 90 days in a 6-month period
If you want to stay longer than 90 days within a 6-month period, apply for a residence permit. You must provide a document showing that you have no criminal record in the UK. The British Embassy is not able to issue such a document. You can get a copy of your police records before you travel.
For more information, see the Bosnia and Herzegovina government’s page about residency and work permits.
Official source: GOV.UK – Bosnia and Herzegovina travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 13 August 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
To enter Bosnia and Herzegovina, your passport must:
- have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
- have an ‘expiry date’ at least 90 days after the date you plan to leave
You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid, undamaged travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
Official source: GOV.UK – Bosnia and Herzegovina travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 13 August 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 27 January 2026: “Addition of information about travel disruption at land border crossings (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 10 December 2025: “New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 31 May 2022: “Updated information following the removal of COVID-19 restrictions on entry (‘Entry requirements’ pages)”
- 9 May 2022: “Full editorial review. Updated information on COVID-19 measures (‘Coronavirus’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages)”
- 29 June 2021: “Addition of information on changes to entry requirement rules (‘Entry requirements’ page)”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for Bosnia and Herzegovina (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
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