EU Pressures Bosnia Over Visa Policy Divergence

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Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing increasing pressure from the European Union over its refusal to align its visa policy with EU standards. According to the latest European Commission report, BiH became the only Western Balkan country to increase its level of visa non-compliance in 2025, raising concerns in Brussels over security and irregular migration.

The only Western Balkan outlier

While neighbouring countries have tightened their visa regimes, Bosnia and Herzegovina has moved in the opposite direction. In 2025, it maintained visa-free entry for citizens of Russia, China, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Qatar and Kuwait, and continued seasonal exemptions for Saudi Arabia. Citizens of all these countries require visas to enter the European Union.

Brussels views this policy as a direct pathway for irregular migration into the EU, particularly given Bosnia’s geographic position and limited border management capacity.

Geopolitics cited as justification

Bosnia’s Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic effectively confirmed EU concerns in early January, stating that introducing visas for citizens of China, Russia and Turkey would be extremely difficult due to “geopolitical relations”. He described pressure from the EU as significant, while emphasising Bosnia’s close ties with these countries.

The statement highlighted the growing tension between Bosnia’s foreign policy priorities and its commitments under the EU integration process.

Threat to visa-free travel with the EU

The European Commission has repeatedly warned that failure to harmonise visa policy poses a direct risk to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s visa-free regime with the EU, which has been in place since 2010. Visa liberalisation was granted on the condition that BiH would gradually align its visa rules with those of the EU.

Under a reform programme approved in December, Bosnia pledged to introduce visas for at least one country per year starting in 2027. However, the Commission has expressed doubts about the credibility of this timeline given current trends.

Brussels’ demands and capacity gaps

The Commission is calling for urgent harmonisation with the EU visa list, the removal of seasonal exemptions and stricter checks on arrivals from high-risk countries. It has also stressed the need to strengthen border police capacities and introduce biometric procedures into the visa system.

Without these reforms, Brussels argues, Bosnia and Herzegovina will struggle to maintain visa-free access to the EU while managing migration and security risks.

Political deadlock and unanswered questions

Bosnia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to respond to media inquiries on why the country continues to diverge from EU visa policy. Konakovic has said that communication with Brussels is ongoing but referred to internal political deadlock, suggesting that BiH expects a more reciprocal approach from the EU.

As a result, visa policy is increasingly seen as a barometer of Bosnia’s broader EU accession challenges.

As reported by International Investment experts, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s visa stance highlights the growing friction between EU conditionality and geopolitical balancing. Continued divergence from EU visa policy significantly increases the risk of corrective measures from Brussels, including potential pressure on Bosnia’s own visa-free access to the Schengen area.