Nezavisne novine: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) BiH has not yet adopted all the bylaw acts required for liberalization of visa regime.
On necessity of adopting the rulebook on issuing of visas, which is the obligation of the MFA, has recently been warned by Rafi Gregorian, Deputy High Representative of International Community in BiH.
In the MFA BiH they have said that in December last year the Rulebook on issuing of D visas has been adopted, and it has already been published in the "Official Gazette of BiH". From the Intelligence service of the MFA, yesterday we have not received an answer on why it is still waited on the adoption of bylaw acts related to other visas.
These rulebooks originate from the Law on moving, residing of foreigners and asylum of BiH, which has been adopted in May last year and whose full implementation demands the EC in its last report on progress of BiH.
The only rulebook, which has been adopted by now in the MFA, has been related to the long-lasting, so called D visas, with the residence up to 180 days.
In harmonization with the European standards, only four types of visas can be issued in BiH by now, while there were more before.
Besides D visas, for which the rulebook has been confirmed, there are also visas A, which are being issued at the airport or border, then visas B or the transit visas through BiH and visas C, which are being issued for more entrances up to 90 days.
According to information from the MFA, the correspondence with the Ministry of Security of BiH and the Service for affairs with foreigners has been in the process for a long time because of issuing of visas in the diplomatic-consular representations of BiH.
The rulebooks must also regulate the other types of visas, but the competencies between the MFA and the Ministry of Security as well, because there is a possibility that the persons with long-lasting visas submit the request for a temporary residence as well.