In the four temporary reception centers for migrants in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as many as there are in total, 2,038 migrants are currently staying, while a very small number are accommodated in the Immigration Center, Srna news agency was told by the Service for Affairs with Foreigners of BiH.
There are 876 illegal migrants residing in Sarajevo Canton, while around 1,121 migrants are residing in Una-Sana Canton.
The structure of singles, aged between 18 and 35, is represented to the greatest extent, according to the Service for Affairs with Foreigners.
In the first two months of this year, a total of 3,550 illegal migrants were detected on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is 35 percent more than in the same period last year.
Of these 3,550, 2,907 were registered or expressed their intention to apply for asylum.
From this service, they state that, in the meantime, a large number of illegal migrants have voluntarily left Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the course of 2023, 34,409 migrants were detected, and from the beginning of the migrant crisis in 2018 until today, more than 150,000 persons in illegal status were detected in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The largest concentration of migrants is in the Una-Sana canton, where two Temporary Reception Centers are located, given that the said canton is on their route to their final destination.
The Service for Affairs with Foreigners notes that it is known that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a transit area for migrants on their way to EU countries.
As for the registration of migrants, the procedure is such that when they arrive at one of the temporary reception centers, the Service for Affairs with Foreigners registers those persons, taking biometric data and filling out a questionnaire.
Based on this, a certificate of stated intention for asylum is issued to these persons.
The certificate is valid for 14 days and within the validity period of the certificate, persons must submit an application for asylum.
