Can foreigners buy property in Bosnia? Reciprocity and exceptions

This guide is for diaspora families in which not everyone holds Bosnia and Herzegovina citizenship, and for foreign citizens considering a purchase in BiH. The answer depends on the buyer's citizenship, on the part of the country where the property is, and on the type of land.

This is legally sensitive ground. The guide explains the general rules. For a specific purchase, always discuss your case with a notary or lawyer.

The short answer

• BiH citizens, including those living abroad and dual citizens, buy like any other citizen. The special rules for foreigners do not apply to them.
• Foreign citizens can generally buy a flat or a house, but subject to reciprocity: their own country must allow BiH citizens to buy property there.
• Agricultural land is a separate category and, at least in FBiH, is closed to foreign buyers.

BiH citizens living abroad

If you hold BiH citizenship, you are not a "foreign person" under the laws on real rights, wherever you live and whether or not you hold another citizenship. You buy on the same terms as a buyer from Sarajevo or Banja Luka.

In practice you need a valid BiH document (identity card or passport), as this is how you prove citizenship to the notary and at the embassy when certifying a power of attorney. How buying from a distance works step by step is set out in Buying property in Bosnia from abroad.

Foreign citizens: the principle of reciprocity

Reciprocity means that a foreign citizen may acquire property in BiH if a BiH citizen may, on similar terms, acquire property in that person's country. Each part of the country regulates this in its own law.

Federation of BiH

The FBiH Law on Real Rights (Zakon o stvarnim pravima, Official Gazette of FBiH 66/13 and 100/13), Article 15, provides that:

• foreign persons acquire ownership of property subject to reciprocity, except by inheritance, unless a law or international treaty provides otherwise,
• reciprocity is presumed to exist,
• the list of countries with which there is no reciprocity is published by the Federal Ministry of Justice, after an opinion from the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs, each year by 31 January at the latest.

So in FBiH a purchase is possible in principle, unless the buyer's country is on that list.

An important exception is in paragraph 3 of the same article: people without BiH citizenship are not considered foreign persons if they were born in BiH or are descendants of people born in BiH. This matters for diaspora children who hold only German, Austrian or Swiss citizenship. Check in advance how this is proven to the notary and the land registry.

Republika Srpska

The RS Law on Real Rights (Official Gazette of RS 124/08 as amended, up to 107/19), Article 15, provides that foreign persons acquire ownership of property in RS subject to reciprocity, unless a law or international treaty provides otherwise.

The text of the law we reviewed contains no exception for people born in BiH and their descendants like the one in FBiH, and no rule on who establishes reciprocity.

Brčko District

The Brčko District Law on Ownership and Other Real Rights (consolidated text, Official Gazette of BD 8/24), Article 2, provides that acquisition of ownership by natural and legal persons resident or seated outside BiH may be restricted by law or made subject to reciprocity. The test is residence, not citizenship.

Restricted areas

In both FBiH and RS the law allows certain areas to be declared, for reasons of interest and security, as areas where foreigners may not own property (Article 16 of each law).

Germany, Austria, Switzerland

According to a consolidated list published by a law firm on the basis of Federal Ministry of Justice acts (position as of May 2026):

• Germany: reciprocity exists.
• Austria: reciprocity exists, but BiH citizens in Austria need approval from the competent provincial authority, which may affect the conditions.
• Switzerland: listed as a country without reciprocity, because foreigners there generally cannot buy property freely.

This is not an official act. Before buying, check the current list with the Federal Ministry of Justice or a notary.

For Swiss citizens with roots in BiH, the descendants exception in FBiH may be decisive.

Agricultural land

The FBiH Law on Agricultural Land (Official Gazette of FBiH 52/09), Article 7, provides that foreign natural and legal persons cannot own agricultural land unless an international treaty provides otherwise. Under the same law, foreigners cannot acquire it by a legal transaction but can inherit it.

For RS we found no reliable source on this point.

A plot recorded in the cadastre as a field or meadow may be agricultural land even if the zoning plan allows building. That is why checking the land's recorded use and zoning matters. More in Land registry extract in Bosnia.

Buying through a company registered in BiH

A company incorporated and registered in BiH is a domestic legal person, even when its owners are foreign. The FBiH Law on Foreign Investment (Article 5) and the RS Law on Foreign Investment (Article 7) provide that a company owned by a foreign investor has the same rights and obligations as a domestically owned company. The RS law (Article 8) adds that a foreign investor acquires ownership of real property in line with the rules on real rights.

This can be a solution for commercial property, but a company brings set-up, accounting and tax costs, and the property belongs to the company, not to you personally. Speak to a lawyer and a tax adviser first.

Common mistakes

• Assuming children are automatically "local" buyers because their parents are from BiH, without checking the evidence required.
• Relying on unofficial reciprocity lists without checking with the ministry or a notary.
• Buying a plot without checking whether it is recorded as agricultural land.
• Registering property in RS to a child or spouse with only foreign citizenship without checking the rules there.
• Setting up a company just to buy a flat, without working out the costs.

Frequently asked questions

I hold both BiH and German citizenship. Does reciprocity apply to me?

No. As a BiH citizen you buy like any other citizen.

My wife holds only German citizenship. Can she be a co-owner?

In FBiH, in principle yes, because according to the available information reciprocity with Germany exists and is in any case presumed. In RS and Brčko District, check the rules with the notary before signing.

Our children were born in Germany and only have German passports. Are they foreigners?

In FBiH the law says that descendants of people born in BiH are not considered foreign persons. The notary will tell you which documents prove this.

Can a foreigner inherit property in BiH?

In FBiH reciprocity is not required for inheritance. For RS and for special cases, ask a notary or lawyer.

Who confirms reciprocity?

In FBiH the Federal Ministry of Justice publishes the list of countries without reciprocity, and for all others it is presumed. For RS and Brčko District, ask the competent authorities about the procedure.

How DMI helps

Before we list a property, DMI checks its ownership and paperwork, including the type of land. If someone without BiH citizenship is buying, we recommend confirming the rules with a notary before the preliminary contract, and we can show you the property on a live video tour.