Bosnia and herzegovina Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in bosnia and herzegovina, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
Select Country Guide
Import Requirements and Documentation
Last published date:

All goods imported into the customs territory of BiH are subject to customs procedures contained in the Customs Policy Law, which applies uniformly throughout the customs territory of BiH.  USDA provides additional agriculture-related information at the following two websites: Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards and Exporter Guide.

Imports must be accompanied by a customs declaration, completed in one of the three official languages of BiH (Bosnian, Serbian, or Croatian), and submitted by the person named on the waybill or an authorized representative.  The declaration must be accompanied by any relevant documents (invoice, shipping documents, and quality control certificates).  The customs office may inspect the goods and take samples to determine that the goods correspond to the information on the customs declaration.

Once the customs office determines the amount of customs duty, the importer is required to obtain a guarantee covering the customs duty with the customs authority (a division within the Indirect Taxation Authority) in the form of a cash deposit or bank guarantee.  The goods cannot be placed in circulation until customs duties have been paid or the payment has been guaranteed.

Bill of Lading

May be direct or to order.  Mail and parcel shipments require postal documentation in place of bills of lading.  Packages containing merchandise for which the senders are to receive payment must enclose the original invoice in the package (marked “Original Invoice”) and the wrapper of the package must be marked to indicate that the original invoice is enclosed.  Senders are recommended to post a signed copy of the invoice giving notice to the addressees that the packages are enroute.  Air cargo shipments require airway bills with the number of copies issued based on requirements of the importer and the airline.

Certificate of Origin

Certificates of origin should be issued in a minimum of two copies (the certifying organization will require an additional notarized file copy) made out by a reliable authority or agency duly authorized for that purpose by the country of issuance.  Certificates of origin are not required for imports for long-term production ventures with foreign partners, for the purchase of capital goods for investment projects abroad, for the return of goods to BiH, or for imports without payment of equivalent value.

Commercial Invoice

There is no prescribed format.  Invoices should be issued in a minimum of two copies; additional copies may be requested.  They must contain the usual particulars, including a full description of goods, marks and numbers, gross and net weights, number of packages, country of origin, plus any information that must be furnished to conform to contract.

Insurance Certificate

Normal commercial practices.  Follow the importer’s and/or the insurance company’s instructions/advice.

Packing List

Not mandatory, but its use will facilitate clearance of goods.

Pre-shipment Inspection

May be requested by the importer.

Pro-Forma Invoice

May be requested by the importer.

U.S. Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED)

Required if the value is more than $2,500 ($500 for shipments through the U.S. postal system).  SEDs are required for all shipments requiring an export license.  For specific information on import requirements and documentation for food and agricultural products, please see the Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards and Exporter Guide.

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility