- Currency
- Convertible Mark (BAM)
The Convertible Mark (BAM, sometimes written KM for Konvertibilna Marka) is the sole legal tender of Bosnia and Herzegovina. BAM is hard-pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 1 EUR = 1.95583 BAM via a currency board arrangement that has been in place since the establishment of the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CBBH) in 1997. The currency board is statutory: every Convertible Mark in circulation is fully backed by euro reserves held by the CBBH. UAE travellers can derive AED conversion in two steps — 1 EUR ≈ AED 4.0 (standard reference, derived from the UAE Dirham’s fixed 3.6725 USD peg against the EUR/USD market rate) and 1 BAM ≈ AED 2.04 (approximately AED 2 per BAM, computed as 4.0 / 1.95583). Euro cash is widely accepted at many merchants in Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka, Tuzla and at major tourist points such as Baščaršija and Stari Most, while BAM remains the predominant currency for cash transactions and smaller merchants — change is typically returned in BAM regardless of the cash tendered. Visa and Mastercard cards issued by UAE banks are accepted in larger hotels, restaurants and shops in major cities; contactless payment is standard in Sarajevo and Mostar. Carry small BAM cash for taxis, kiosks, public transport and smaller vendors. Reference rate: cbbh.ba publishes daily exchange rates and confirms the 1.95583 BAM/EUR fixed peg.
- eSIM available?
- Yes
Airalo offers Bosnia and Herzegovina eSIM plans at airalo.com/bosnia-and-herzegovina-esim (Airalo, May 2026). UAE travellers combining Bosnia with other European destinations on a single trip can alternatively use Airalo’s Europe regional eSIM ("Eurolink"), which covers multiple European networks under one plan. Physical prepaid SIMs from BH Telecom, m:tel and HT Eronet (the three major BiH operators) are sold at Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ) arrivals as a backup option — a passport is required for SIM registration under BiH telecommunications law. The three local operators are mentioned as alternatives only; OraVisa does not endorse a specific provider.
- UAE Embassy — general contact
- There is no UAE diplomatic mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For consular emergencies, UAE residents should contact the UAE MOFA 24/7 assistance line on 800-44444 from inside the UAE or +971 800 44444 from Bosnia and Herzegovina; MOFA routes consular emergencies based on the traveller’s specific situation. The nearest UAE diplomatic mission in the region is the Embassy of the UAE in Podgorica, Montenegro (Capital Plaza, Diplomatic Tower St. Shaikh Zaid, Podgorica 81000; tel +382 20 411 411; email podgoricaEMB@mofa.gov.ae); its mission page does not publish jurisdiction over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but it is among the closest UAE consular points geographically for travellers in Bosnia. UAE residents in Bosnia and Herzegovina should still route consular emergencies through the UAE MOFA hotline as the primary contact point, and use BiH-domestic emergency services for immediate in-country incidents.
- UAE Embassy — repatriation
- Repatriation assistance is routed through the UAE MOFA 24/7 line (800-44444 inside the UAE / +971 800 44444 from Bosnia and Herzegovina); MOFA coordinates with the nearest UAE diplomatic mission per the traveller’s situation. No UAE mission is established in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For immediate in-country incidents, use BiH-domestic emergency services: 112 (general emergency, EU-standard single emergency number adopted in BiH), 122 (police), 123 (fire), 124 (ambulance).
For UAE residents on non-Emirati passports
Bosnia and Herzegovina visa requirements for UAE residents on non-Emirati passports depend on passport nationality, not on UAE residency. (Emirati passport holders enter Bosnia and Herzegovina visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period under the UAE–Bosnia and Herzegovina Mutual Visa-Exemption MOU signed in Abu Dhabi on 6 November 2023 by H.E. Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy on behalf of the UAE and H.E. Elmedin Konaković on behalf of BiH — a relatively recent bilateral foundation, approximately 30 months old at the time of this briefing.) Bosnia and Herzegovina is an EU candidate state (candidate status granted December 2022; accession negotiations opened 21 March 2024) but is NOT an EU member and NOT a Schengen Area member; it operates its own bilateral visa regime, separate from the Schengen Annex I/II framework. The following guidance covers the top UAE expat demographics; passport nationalities not listed should verify their category with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (mvp.gov.ba) or the nearest BiH diplomatic mission before travel.
Visa-free for up to 90 days (within any 180-day period): Holders of British (United Kingdom), American (United States), Canadian and Australian passports enter Bosnia and Herzegovina visa-free for stays up to 90 days under the BiH bilateral visa regime. Conditions at the border: passport valid for at least the duration of the stay (a 3- to 6-month onward validity buffer is recommended), a confirmed return or onward travel itinerary, and proof of accommodation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Per-passport-type asymmetry — Pakistani passport holders: Pakistani diplomatic or official/service passport holders may enter Bosnia and Herzegovina visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period; Pakistani ordinary passport holders require a pre-arrival visa. Most UAE-resident Pakistani nationals hold ordinary passports and therefore fall in the pre-arrival visa route described below.
Per-passport-type asymmetry — Egyptian passport holders: Egyptian diplomatic or official/service passport holders may enter Bosnia and Herzegovina visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period; Egyptian ordinary passport holders require a pre-arrival visa. Most UAE-resident Egyptian nationals hold ordinary passports and therefore fall in the pre-arrival visa route described below. Note: Bosnia and Herzegovina operates its own standalone bilateral arrangement with Egypt — Montenegro’s October 2025 suspension of Egyptian ordinary-passport visa-free entry does NOT apply to Bosnia.
Per-passport-type asymmetry — Jordanian passport holders: Jordanian diplomatic or official/service passport holders may enter Bosnia and Herzegovina visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period; Jordanian ordinary passport holders require a pre-arrival visa. Most UAE-resident Jordanian nationals hold ordinary passports and therefore fall in the pre-arrival visa route described below. Note for travellers comparing Western Balkans destinations: in Serbia, the analogous Jordan diplomatic/official bilateral has been signed but is not yet in force, so the practical impact in Serbia is uniform "visa required" across all Jordanian passport types; in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Jordan diplomatic/official visa-free arrangement is already active. Same bilateral pair may be at different stages destination-by-destination — verify current status per destination before relying on a diplomatic-passport visa-free route.
Pre-arrival visa required — apply before travel: Holders of Indian, Pakistani ordinary, Filipino, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Egyptian ordinary, Jordanian ordinary and Nepalese passports require a pre-arrival BiH visa. Applications are submitted to the nearest BiH diplomatic mission accepting applications from UAE residents; consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (mvp.gov.ba) for the current intake channel. Standard supporting documents include a passport valid at least 6 months beyond intended entry with at least 2 blank pages, a recent passport-style photograph, proof of UAE residency (Emirates ID + residence visa), confirmed return or onward ticket, hotel booking or local host details, travel medical insurance and proof of financial means. Standard processing time per BiH diplomatic practice is approximately 5 to 10 working days; apply well ahead of travel.
Schengen-equivalent provision — visa-free for up to 30 days with a MULTIPLE-ENTRY qualifier: Per the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina (msb.gov.ba) cross-referenced with the Wikipedia "Visa policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina" record of BiH-published language, holders of a valid MULTIPLE-ENTRY Schengen visa, OR residents of an EU member state or Schengen Area member state, OR holders of a valid United States visa may enter Bosnia and Herzegovina without a separate BiH visa for a maximum stay of 30 days. This provision applies regardless of passport nationality — an Indian, Pakistani-ordinary, Filipino, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Egyptian-ordinary, Jordanian-ordinary or Nepalese passport holder who already holds a qualifying multiple-entry Schengen visa, EU/Schengen residence permit or valid US visa can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina for up to 30 days without applying for a separate BiH visa. CRITICAL qualifiers: (1) a SINGLE-entry Schengen visa does NOT qualify — the underlying Schengen visa MUST be multiple-entry; (2) a UAE residence permit ALONE does NOT qualify — only the visa/permit types specifically enumerated above (multiple-entry Schengen visa, EU or Schengen residence permit, valid US visa) qualify under this provision. Cluster note for Western Balkans itineraries: the BiH 30-day duration matches Montenegro’s 30-day Schengen-equivalent provision but is one-third the length of Serbia’s 90-day equivalent; UAE residents planning a multi-country Western Balkans trip should verify the per-destination duration AND qualifier separately.
Other passport nationalities not listed above should consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina at https://www.mvp.gov.ba/ and the Ministry of Security entry-and-stay portal at https://msb.gov.ba/inf_za_strance/default.aspx?id=14555&langTag=en-US before booking travel.