Crossing Borders in the Balkans: Our Bosnia and Herzegovina Adventure
Staying Within Schengen Rules
I’m breathing a sigh of relief now. I must back up a bit though to explain. This year’s trip is a long one, and we are enjoying every minute of it. Our challenge is staying within the rules of the Schengen visa agreement.
That agreement states that non-Schengen passport holders may stay visa-free in Schengen countries for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. Penalties for overstaying vary, but let’s just say we don’t want to go there.
We counted our days already spent and our loosely planned itinerary, and realized we needed to leave the Schengen area for a while. No problem… just spend more time in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, and less time riding up to the Baltic countries. We would make it work.
Attempt One: Denied at the Border
Our plan was to depart Dubrovnik and cross the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina. We arrived at the crossing and were stamped out of Croatia, but we were not allowed entry into BIH because we needed to purchase liability insurance (our insurance wasn’t valid there). And of course, there wasn’t an insurance kiosk at the border.
Note: this was the first time we’d ever needed insurance at a border crossing and a kiosk wasn’t available. So, back into Croatia we went.
The BIH border guard advised us to try two more crossing points.
Attempt Two: The Mountain Pass
Off we went toward crossing #2… 45 minutes of riding up a mountain pass that looked more like a golf cart path than a road. How could this crossing possibly have an insurance kiosk? It looked like tractors and handcarts used it more than cars.
At the Croatian exit, Brad asked about insurance at the BIH point. The guard said he didn’t know — but the road was closed in 10 miles due to construction. Another dead end.
Attempt Three: Coloring Outside the Lines
We headed to crossing #3. The Croatian guard stamped us out, we rode on… and kept riding. No checkpoint. No BIH border control. No entry stamp. Just a small town and suddenly — we were in Bosnia.
No insurance. No registration. No official documents. We were illegal aliens in Bosnia and Herzegovina!
Brad joked about “coloring outside the lines.” I don’t usually like to, but Albert Einstein once said, “You have to color outside the lines once in a while if you want to make your life a masterpiece.” Apparently, I was working on that masterpiece.
Meanwhile, I was Googling consequences: fines, bribes, jail time, police registration rules we didn’t know existed, lodging receipts that had to be paper (not online). The list of what we could be penalized for was endless.
And did I mention it was raining, and every possible route carried a warning: “This route may be affected by severe fire”?
Leaving Bosnia — The Heart-Pounding Exit
I was anticipating the moment we left BIH, and today was that day. We had euros stashed in different spots just in case. If asked for fines or “fees,” we would hand over a little at a time, pretending it was all we had.
We pulled up to passport control. My heart was pounding. Brad handed over the passports. The officer flipped through, looked at the registration, grabbed his stamp, and — bam. Just like that, we were free to leave.
No questions. No fines. No bribes.
Entering Serbia
A hundred yards later, we reached the Serbian guard. He stamped us in, but again, no kiosk for insurance and no English spoken. So here I am: free from the threat of prison in BIH, but technically subject to fines and arrest in Serbia until we can sort out insurance.
Certainly, my life is looking more like a masterpiece.
FAQs About Balkan Border Crossings
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Yes, many international insurance policies don’t cover BIH. You’ll need to buy a local liability insurance policy at the border.
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You risk fines, bribes, or even legal trouble. Always make sure your passport is stamped.
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Very strict. Non-Schengen travelers must leave after 90 days in any 180-day period, or face penalties.
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They can be unpredictable — long waits, unexpected paperwork, or no kiosks for insurance. Planning ahead helps.
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Yes, but expect challenges: winding roads, mixed traffic, and varied enforcement of rules. Flexibility and patience are essential.
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