Bosnia and Herzegovina grants 43 citizenships to persons of special benefit

Between 1 January 2023 and 1 July 2026 the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina received 56 applications for citizenship under the “persons of special benefit” provision, and the Council of Ministers approved 43 admissions. Approvals were distributed as follows: 12 in 2023, 13 in 2024, 15 in 2025 and three in the first half of 2026. The majority of beneficiaries come from the business and sport sectors – 19 in commerce, 17 in sport, three each in science and health, and one in culture.

The law allows naturalisation when an individual's status is deemed especially useful for the state. Applicants are not required to meet the usual adult‑age, three‑year residence, or prior renunciation criteria, but must provide a detailed recommendation from a competent authority such as a state ministry, an entity government, the Brčko District Government, the Foreign‑Trade Chamber, an entity economic chamber, the Olympic Committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina or a registered sports federation. The recommendation is a prerequisite, not a guarantee, and the applicant must also submit identity documents, proof of origin citizenship, residence registration, a clean criminal record and other evidence. The Ministry reviews the dossier and forwards it to the Council of Ministers, which makes the final decision.