BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 7. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Elmedin Konaković and Deputy Director of the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs Almin Imamović signed the “Protocol on Procedures for Applications for Residence Permits and Extensions Submitted to the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs Outside Bosnia and Herzegovina through Diplomatic and Consular Missions of Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Trend reports.
This document facilitates the submission of applications for residence permits and extensions from outside the country through Bosnia and Herzegovina’s diplomatic and consular offices.
The signing ceremony was attended by media representatives, representatives of entity employers’ associations, and representatives of entity employment institutes, confirming broad institutional and social support for this significant step forward.
The introduction of this Protocol significantly eases access to residence permit application procedures for foreigners, especially those coming for employment purposes. Instead of previous methods relying on postal document delivery, a secure electronic document and application exchange channel via VPN is introduced, which not only speeds up the process but also reduces administrative costs.
The new classification of applications allows for easier data management, while precisely defined technical rules for inserting the residence permit sticker into the travel document increase document security.
Additionally, joint responsibility for infrastructure, security, and technical system upgrades between the Diplomatic and Consular Missions and the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs has been formalized in this document for the first time.
Minister Konaković emphasized that the signed Protocol is the result of intensive cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH and business community representatives, conducted through a series of constructive meetings and consultations with employers’ associations from both entities and the Brčko District.
He highlighted that the document represents an institutional response to long-standing requests from the economy and specifically addresses labor market needs and the engagement of foreign labor, while maintaining responsibility and legality of procedures.
According to the Minister, this form of cooperation demonstrates a mature institutional approach and the state’s readiness to actively adapt to modern migration flows through more efficient, secure, and transparent procedures.
Deputy Director Imamović thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH for its support in implementing this initiative, stressing that the new model truly facilitates foreigners seeking residence in BiH.
He noted that the system has been tested in practice and that Service employees have undergone appropriate training to ensure expert application of the Protocol across the entire territory.
The Protocol enters into force on the day of signing, and both institutions remain committed to further improving procedures and providing reliable services to citizens, foreign nationals, and business entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
