STAY AND WORK OF FOREIGNERS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
The conditions for approving the entry, stay and work of foreign nationals are prescribed by the provisions of the Aliens Act (Official Gazette Nos. 133/20, 114/22, 151/22, 40/25), the Act on EEA Nationals and Their Family Members (Official Gazette Nos. 66/19, 53/20, 144/20, 114/22) and related by-laws.
THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS
Short-term stay
Third country nationals are entitled to a short-term stay in the Republic of Croatia lasting up to 90 days in any 180-day period (90 days at a stretch or intermittently).
During a short-term stay, a third-country national must have registered accommodation.
The accommodation must be registered by the legal or natural person who provides it to the third-country national, within one day of the arrival of the third-country national, through E-visitor or a notification to the local police department/station in an appropriate form (available at https://mup.gov.hr/).
If the registration cannot be made by the accommodation provider, it shall be made by the third-country national within two days from his/her entering the Republic of Croatia or from the change of accommodation.
Temporary stay
A third-country national who is not required to have a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia may apply with a diplomatic mission/consular post of the Republic of Croatia or a local police department or station for an approval of a temporary stay.
A third-country national who is required to have a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia shall apply with a diplomatic mission/consular post of the Republic of Croatia for an approval of temporary stay. Exceptionally, the application may also be submitted at a local police department or station if the applicant:
The Aliens Act stipulates that temporary stay may be granted to a third-country national for the following purposes:
Temporary stay shall be granted to a third-country national who meets the requirements for issuing the approval of temporary stay, provided he/she:
The period of validity of the foreign travel document must exceed the period of the requested temporary stay by three months.
Specific categories of third-country nationals are exempted from submitting proof of
An application for the approval of temporary stay accepted at a diplomatic mission/consular post shall be forwarded to the local police administration or station in charge that will decide on the application.
Work of third-country nationals
A third-country national may work in the Republic of Croatia, and an employer may employ or use his/her work on the basis of:
Information on the conditions for working for third-country nationals in the Republic of Croatia is available at https://mup.gov.hr/
Long-term stay
Long-term stay may be granted to a third-country national who, until the date of submission of the application in the Republic of Croatia, has been granted temporary stay, asylum or subsidiary protection for a continuous period of five years.
A third-country national shall be considered as having continuously stayed in the Republic of Croatia even if within a period of five years he/she was absent from the Republic of Croatia up to ten months intermittently, or up to six months at a stretch.
A third-country national shall submit the application for the approval of a long-term stay with the local police department or station by the place of stay, and it shall be decided by the Ministry of the Interior.
A long-term stay shall be approved for a third-country national who, until the date of submission of the application, has been granted temporary stay, asylum or subsidiary protection, provided that he/she meets the following requirements:
1. has a valid foreign travel document
2. has means to support himself/herself
3. has health insurance
4. speaks the Croatian language and uses the Latin script
5. does not pose a threat to public order or national security
Permanent residence
Permanent residence may be granted to a third-country national who:
1. is a family member or a life partner of a Croatian national, who - prior to the date of submitting his application - has been granted temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification or life partnership with the Croatian national or autonomous stay for an uninterrupted period of four years
2. immediately prior to submitting the application, has been granted temporary stay for three consecutive years for the purpose of immigration and return of Croatian emigrants, with confirmation from the ministry responsible for demography and immigration
3. immediately prior to submission of his application, has been granted three years of uninterrupted temporary stay, and has had a refugee status for at least ten years, which is proven with a certificate of a state administration authority responsible for housing care
4. is a minor who has been granted temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification for an uninterrupted period of three years immediately prior to applying for permanent residence - has been granted temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification, and one of his parents has Croatian citizenship, has had granted permanent stay or long-term stay
5. immediately prior to submitting the application, has had five years of continuous temporary stay in the Republic of Croatia, of which at least three years were for the purpose of studying at a higher education institution, at undergraduate, graduate or postgraduate level, submits proof of having acquired a higher education qualification in the Republic of Croatia and is employed in the Republic of Croatia
6. was resident in the Republic of Croatia as of 8 October 1991 and is a beneficiary of a return or reconstruction or housing care programme, which is proven by a certificate issued by the state administration authority responsible for housing care if it is established that he has returned with the intention of residing permanently in the Republic of Croatia, provided that he encloses proof of no criminal record issued by his home country or the country in which he resided for more than a year immediately prior to arriving in the Republic of Croatia
7. a minor living in the Republic of Croatia:
- whose one parent, at the time of the child's birth, had Croatian citizenship, had been granted permanent residence or long-term stay, with the consent of the other parent,
- whose one parent, at the time of child's birth, had Croatian citizenship, had been granted permanent residence or long-term stay in the Republic of Croatia, and the other parent is unknown, dead, is proclaimed dead, deprived of parental care or completely or partially deprived of legal capacity in relation to parental care
8. was born in the Republic of Croatia and has been living in the territory of the Republic of Croatia since his/her birth, but for justified reasons he/she could not have any impact on, has not regulated his/her residence status
9. has lived and continues to live in the Republic of Croatia for most of his life, and has had temporary stay granted for humanitarian reasons for at least five years.
A third-state national shall apply for the approval of permanent residence with the local police administration or police station according to the alien's place of residence, and the request shall be decided upon by the Ministry of the Interior.
NATIONALS OF EEA MEMBER STATES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS
The Law on EEA Member States Nationals and Their Family Members prescribes the requirements for the entry, movement, stay and work of EEA Member States nationals and their family members.
These provisions also apply to the nationals of the Swiss Confederation.
Short-term stay
A national of an EEA Member State is entitled to stay in the Republic of Croatia for up to three months from the date of entering the Republic of Croatia, if he/she possesses a valid travel document or ID card, as long as he/she is not unreasonable burden to the social welfare system.
A national of an EEA Member State is not required to register a short-term stay with the local police department or station.
A family member who is not a national of an EEA Member State, and who is accompanying or joining a national of an EEA Member State, is entitled to stay in the territory of the Republic of Croatia for up to three months from the date of entering the Republic of Croatia, if he/she has a valid travel document, as long as he/she is not unreasonable burden to the social welfare system and is not required to register a short-term stay to the local police department or station.
A family member who is not a national of an EEA Member State and who is not accompanying or joining a national of an EEA Member State, is required to register his/or her accommodation address in accordance with the provisions of the Foreigners Act.
Temporary stay
A national of an EEA Member State or his family member who has a nationality of the EEA Member State who intends to stay in the Republic of Croatia for more than three months shall, no later than eight days after the expiry of his/her stay, register temporary stay with the local police department or station by place of stay.
A family member who is not a national of an EEA Member State shall, no later than eight days after the expiry of the three months of his/her stay (short-term stay), apply with the local police department or station by place of stay, for a residence card that proves his/her entitlement to a temporary stay.
Permanent residence
A citizen of an EEA Member State is entitled to permanent residence after five years of continuous legal stay in the Republic of Croatia. The Law prescribes specific exceptions, that is, categories of persons who can exercise the right to permanent residence even if they have legally stayed in the Republic of Croatia for a shorter period of time.
An application for a residence card confirming the entitlement to permanent residence shall be submitted by a national of an EEA Member State with the local police department or station.
A family member who is not a national of an EEA Member State, and who has continuously legally stayed in the Republic of Croatia with a national of an EEA Member State for at least five years, shall be entitled to permanent residence. The Law prescribes certain exceptions, that is, categories of persons, family members who are not nationals of EEA Member States, who can exercise the right to permanent residence even if they have legally stayed in the Republic of Croatia for a shorter period of time.
The police department or station shall, at the request of a family member who is not a national of an EEA Member State and who is entitled to permanent residence, issue him/her a residence card.
For full information regarding the status of EEA Member States nationals and their family members visit www.mup.hr.
Work of EEA Member States nationals and their family members
A national of an EEA Member State and a member of his/her family may work in the Republic of Croatia without a residence and work permit or without a work registration certificate.