Which source is correct regarding a visa exemption, the Embassy or IATA? (Case)

Question

According to IATA, a citizen of X country can travel to Bosnia using a Cyprus Visa (multiple entry). However, following a visit to Bosnia's Embassy, the officer responded the following: You have to obtain a Schengen visa to enter Bosnia.

Then, I informed her that once I used the Cyprus visa to visit Croatia. She replied saying: So your Cyprus visa is valid for Schengen because Croatia does not have border controls with EU. As such, you can use your Cyprus visa to enter Bosnia.

I am not confident in her answer. What do you advise me in this regard? I wish to travel to Bosnia using this visa instead of applying for a new visa just for 4 days’ visit!

Answer 1

Here is an official Bosnian government source, from the Ministry of Security. In reading it, keep in mind that Cyprus is, as you note in a comment, an EU country. I have added emphasis to the text to call attention to the places where it mentions "EU country":

Visa-free regime for the Multiple Entry Schengen Visas or Residence Permits in the Schengen or EU Member States

Nationals of the countries having a visa-free regime with BiH may enter BiH with their passports without obligation to obtain a visa for entry, exit, transit and stay on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina provided they hold a valid multiple entry Schengen visa or a visa of a [sic] EU country or an appropriate residence permit in a Schengen or EU country.

These provisions apply only if a holder of a Schengen visa/EU country visa or of appropriate residence permit in the Schengen area or EU country, arrives to Bosnia and Herzegovina from:

• the Schengen area;

• a Member State of the European Union;

• a country having signed a readmission agreement with BiH, which has entered into force.

In this case, a total stay in BiH cannot exceed 90 days within the 180-day period, starting from the date of first entry, provided that one uninterrupted stay in BiH cannot be longer than 15 days and within a period of validity of the visa or residence permit issued by a Schengen or EU country.

Answer 2

Bosnia, Croatia and Cyprus are not Schengen Countries

• dual or multiple entry Schengen C-Visa can be used to enter these three countries

• the national visas or residence permits of European Union Countries can be used to enter Bosnia

• IATA claim: true since Cyprus is a European Union Country

• Bosnia's Embassy claim 1: correct, you can use a dual or multiple Schengen Visa to enter Bosnia
• Bosnia's Embassy claim 2 and 3: the meaning of the statement is not clear to me, but Croatia does allow entry with a Cyprus national visa

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For visits to Cyprus and Bosnia

• a multiple entry Schengen Visa should be applied for
  • a dual entry may not be sufficient
• could find no statement that a Cyprus national visa is valid for other Schengen Countries