Personal Status, Civil and Human Rights

Citizenship

The Law Office provides legal support in proceedings concerning:

• acquisition and termination of citizenship;
• determination of citizenship status;
• registration of citizenship in official records;
• issuance of citizenship certificates;
• citizenship of children born abroad;
• dual citizenship and the application of international agreements;
• correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
• appeals against decisions of the competent authorities.

Before initiating proceedings, the place and date of birth, citizenship of the parents, place of residence, previous entries in official records, and other facts relevant to the application of the applicable legislation are established and reviewed.

Residence, Temporary Residence and Identity Documents

Legal assistance includes matters relating to the registration, deregistration, and determination of permanent or temporary residence, as well as proceedings concerning the issuance and cancellation of identity documents.

The Law Office provides support particularly where:

• the competent authority refuses registration of permanent or temporary residence;
• there is a dispute concerning the person’s actual place of residence;
• permanent residence is deregistered or cancelled ex officio;
• information contained in different official records is inconsistent;
• discrepancies in official records prevent the issuance of identity documents or the exercise of other rights.

Personal Name and Civil Status Registers

Our services include proceedings concerning changes of personal name, as well as the registration, subsequent registration, supplementation, and correction of information in registers of births, marriages, and deaths.

Legal support may be required in cases involving:

• incorrectly recorded first name, surname, date, or place of birth;
• discrepancies between domestic and foreign documents;
• absence of the appropriate entry in a civil status register;
• subsequent registration of birth, marriage, or death;
• change of first name or surname;
• registration of civil status events occurring abroad;
• recognition and enforcement of foreign decisions affecting personal status.

Where a document has been issued abroad, legal support also includes determining the requirements for its use before domestic authorities, including certification, legalisation, translation, and recognition of a foreign decision where required.

Obtaining Documents and Harmonising Official Records

Inaccurate or incomplete information in one official register may prevent an individual from exercising rights before another authority. The Law Office assists in obtaining domestic and foreign documents, identifying the competent authority, and harmonising information contained in civil status, citizenship, residence, and other official records.

Such assistance is particularly relevant for citizens living abroad, heirs of deceased persons, and individuals whose personal information is recorded differently in two or more countries.

Protection of Civil and Human Rights

The Law Office provides legal assistance where a decision, action, or omission of a public authority interferes with rights protected by law, the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Legal protection may concern:

• the right to a fair hearing and a decision within a reasonable time;
• the right to an effective remedy;
• equality before the law and protection against discrimination;
• protection of private and family life;
• protection of property;
• access to public services and the exercise of rights recognised by law;
• actions of public authorities that have no legal basis or are disproportionate to the legitimate aim pursued.

In each case, the competent authority and the legal remedies that must first be exhausted are identified. Depending on the circumstances, legal protection may include an objection, appeal, administrative dispute, civil proceedings, an application to the Institution of Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or an appeal to the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina once the prescribed requirements have been met.

Protection Against Discrimination

Legal assistance includes an assessment of whether an individual has been placed in a less favourable position on the basis of a personal characteristic or another ground protected by law.

The Law Office provides support through:

• analysis of the conduct in question and the available evidence;
• addressing the institution or legal entity responsible for the conduct;
• filing appeals and complaints with the competent authorities;
• submitting complaints to the Institution of Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• initiating appropriate court proceedings;
• claims seeking cessation of discriminatory conduct and compensation for damages where the statutory requirements are met.

When to Contact Us

Legal assistance may be required where:

• the competent authority refuses an application without clear or adequate reasoning;
• the authority fails to issue a decision within the statutory time limit;
• official records contain inaccurate or mutually inconsistent information;
• it is not possible to obtain a document required for the exercise of another right;
• a domestic authority refuses to accept a document or decision issued abroad;
• a decision of a public authority disproportionately restricts a particular right;
• there are grounds to suspect discrimination or unequal treatment;
• an appeal, administrative dispute, or another form of legal protection is required.

Each case begins with an assessment of the individual’s legal status, a review of official records, and an analysis of the decisions already issued. On that basis, the most effective course of action is determined for correcting official records, exercising the relevant right, or obtaining protection against unlawful conduct.