The state of Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in south-eastern Europe. Bosnia, in the north, makes up about 80 per cent of the country's territory, while Herzegovina lies in the south. Until now, citizens of the country have only been able to enter the Schengen area with a passport. This will change in the future, as an ETIAS form will also be required.
Bosnia and Herzegovina in a nutshell
The country is located on the Balkan Peninsula, east of the Adriatic Sea and in the Dinaric Mountains. Bosnia and Herzegovina borders Croatia to the north and west, Serbia to the east and Montenegro to the south-east. The Adriatic coast is about 25 kilometres long. About 3.3 million people live in an area of 51197 square kilometres.
The capital is Sarajevo. Its form of government is a parliamentary republic.
Short History of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The name Bosnia comes from the river Bosna, which rises near Sarajevo. Herzegovina comes from Herceg, which means duke. Herzegovina therefore means duchy.
The area of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina has been inhabited since the Neolithic Age. There are finds dating back to 5500 BC.
In the Middle Ages, Slavic peoples dominated the area. The first documentary mention dates back to the 9th century, and from about 1250 the Kotromanic dynasty ruled.
In 1463 the Ottomans conquered the kingdom. A popular uprising in 1876/77 ended Ottoman rule.
From 1878 the province was administered by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1914, a Bosnian Serb student assassinated the heir to the Austrian throne, leading to the First World War. After World War I, the country united to form the Kingdom of Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, which was renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929.
The first ruler was King Peter I. From the beginning, the kingdom was torn apart by the many states seeking independence.
After the Second World War, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was formed. The Communist Party ruled until 1990. From the outset, the constituent states disagreed about the future shape of the state. Croatia and Slovenia declared independence in 1991. On 3 March, Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence. This was not recognised by Serbian representatives. This led to the Bosnian War, which lasted three years and claimed more than 100,000 lives.
On 14 December 1995, peace was sealed with the Dayton Agreement. The federally organised state of Bosnia and Herzegovina was established. However, inter-ethnic conflicts remained, not in the form of armed conflict, but in the form of different ideas about the future of the state.
The Political System of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The political system is very complicated due to the ethnic diversity mentioned above. The 10 cantons each have their own government with legislative and executive powers.
As the state is still under an international mandate, the German Christian Schmidt has exercised much of the state's power since 2021. Good governance is not possible because of the mistrust between the different ethnic groups. In addition, more than 1,000 foreign troops are stationed in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the EUFOR operation.
Entering the Schengen area
In future, anyone wishing to travel from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Schengen area will only need a few minutes to apply for ETIAS.
You will need a computer, laptop, tablet or mobile phone. This may be a problem for some, but the application can also be completed by a third party. So if you do not have an internet connection or a suitable device, it is best to ask a friend or acquaintance to do it for you. Travel agencies and agents are also happy to help.
Filling in the form should not differ much from the familiar ESTA form. The important thing is to enter your personal details correctly. A mobile phone app that can be used to take a photo of the passport is currently being discussed. Although this will make it easier to submit data, it is important to check the data carefully, as it may not be transmitted correctly if the passport is photographed in poor lighting conditions.
The security questions must be answered truthfully. If you answer in the affirmative, your application will be rejected.
Approval is given within a few hours. In some cases it may take longer. If the application is refused, the applicant may appeal. In this case, the application will be re-examined. This is an important difference to the ESTA system, where no appeal is possible.
Filling in the ETIAS form may seem like a hassle to some - after all, there is a lot to do when preparing for a trip. But it is worth it, because the safety of all travellers is at stake. If you want to enter the Schengen area today, you do not need a visa or any other form. This is an invitation to terrorists and criminals. This must be stopped, and this is what ETIAS will do. It will take very little time to fill in the form, but the gain in security will be enormous.
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The state of Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in south-eastern Europe. Bosnia, in the north, makes up about 80 per cent of the country's territory, while Herzegovina lies in the south. Until now, citizens of the country have only been able to enter the Schengen area with a passport. This will change in the future, as an ETIAS form will also be required.
Bosnia and Herzegovina in a nutshell
The country is located on the Balkan Peninsula, east of the Adriatic Sea and in the Dinaric Mountains. Bosnia and Herzegovina borders Croatia to the north and west, Serbia to the east and Montenegro to the south-east. The Adriatic coast is about 25 kilometres long. About 3.3 million people live in an area of 51197 square kilometres.
The capital is Sarajevo. Its form of government is a parliamentary republic.
Short History of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The name Bosnia comes from the river Bosna, which rises near Sarajevo. Herzegovina comes from Herceg, which means duke. Herzegovina therefore means duchy.
The area of present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina has been inhabited since the Neolithic Age. There are finds dating back to 5500 BC.
In the Middle Ages, Slavic peoples dominated the area. The first documentary mention dates back to the 9th century, and from about 1250 the Kotromanic dynasty ruled.
In 1463 the Ottomans conquered the kingdom. A popular uprising in 1876/77 ended Ottoman rule.
From 1878 the province was administered by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1914, a Bosnian Serb student assassinated the heir to the Austrian throne, leading to the First World War. After World War I, the country united to form the Kingdom of Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, which was renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929.
The first ruler was King Peter I. From the beginning, the kingdom was torn apart by the many states seeking independence.
After the Second World War, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was formed. The Communist Party ruled until 1990. From the outset, the constituent states disagreed about the future shape of the state. Croatia and Slovenia declared independence in 1991. On 3 March, Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence. This was not recognised by Serbian representatives. This led to the Bosnian War, which lasted three years and claimed more than 100,000 lives.
On 14 December 1995, peace was sealed with the Dayton Agreement. The federally organised state of Bosnia and Herzegovina was established. However, inter-ethnic conflicts remained, not in the form of armed conflict, but in the form of different ideas about the future of the state.
The Political System of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The political system is very complicated due to the ethnic diversity mentioned above. The 10 cantons each have their own government with legislative and executive powers.
As the state is still under an international mandate, the German Christian Schmidt has exercised much of the state's power since 2021. Good governance is not possible because of the mistrust between the different ethnic groups. In addition, more than 1,000 foreign troops are stationed in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the EUFOR operation.
Entering the Schengen area
In future, anyone wishing to travel from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Schengen area will only need a few minutes to apply for ETIAS.
You will need a computer, laptop, tablet or mobile phone. This may be a problem for some, but the application can also be completed by a third party. So if you do not have an internet connection or a suitable device, it is best to ask a friend or acquaintance to do it for you. Travel agencies and agents are also happy to help.
Filling in the form should not differ much from the familiar ESTA form. The important thing is to enter your personal details correctly. A mobile phone app that can be used to take a photo of the passport is currently being discussed. Although this will make it easier to submit data, it is important to check the data carefully, as it may not be transmitted correctly if the passport is photographed in poor lighting conditions.
The security questions must be answered truthfully. If you answer in the affirmative, your application will be rejected.
Approval is given within a few hours. In some cases it may take longer. If the application is refused, the applicant may appeal. In this case, the application will be re-examined. This is an important difference to the ESTA system, where no appeal is possible.
Filling in the ETIAS form may seem like a hassle to some - after all, there is a lot to do when preparing for a trip. But it is worth it, because the safety of all travellers is at stake. If you want to enter the Schengen area today, you do not need a visa or any other form. This is an invitation to terrorists and criminals. This must be stopped, and this is what ETIAS will do. It will take very little time to fill in the form, but the gain in security will be enormous.