The Foreigners Act (OG 133/20, 114/22 and 151/22) prescribes the conditions for entry, movement, residence and work of third-country nationals in the Republic of Croatia.
Third country nationals may reside in the Republic of Croatia on:
- short-term stay (up to 90 days in any 180-day period on the territory of all Schengen States)
- temporary stay (up to one year, depending on the purpose of stay: e.g., family reunification, secondary education, higher education, research, humanitarian reasons, life partnership, work, work of a posted worker, stay based on the EU Blue Card, stay as a third-country national with an approved long-term residence in another EEA Member State, for other purposes, stay of digital nomads)
- long-term residence (unlimited)
- permanent residence (unlimited period of time).
The conditions for the approval of temporary, long-term residence and permanent residence of citizens of third countries are prescribed by the provisions of the Foreigners Act and the corresponding by-laws
Third-country nationals may work in the Republic of Croatia on the basis of a work permit and temporary residence permit, work registration certificate and without a temporary residence or work permit or work registration certificate (categories of third-country nationals prescribed by Article 89 of the Foreigners Act).
Temporary Residence and Work Permit
SCHENGEN VISA
The Republic of Croatia, as a Member State of the European Union (hereinafter: the EU) and the Schengen area, applies the EU’s common visa policy. On the basis of a short-term stay Schengen visa, a third-country national may not work on Croatian territory except in cases where work registration certificates have been issued in accordance with Articles 139 – 142 of the Foreigners Act.
Short-stay visa (Visa C)
A short-stay visa is an authorisation for an intended stay on the territory of the Member States not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period.
It is issued for one, two or more entries for the purpose of transit, tourism, business or private visits, culture, sports, official visits, health reasons, education, etc. The validity period of a visa depends on the circumstances of travelling and cannot exceed five years. The allowed number of days of stay in the Schengen area can be calculated using an online calculator.
The visa application is submitted at the embassy/consulate of the Schengen Member State that is the main travel destination.
If the main travel destination is Croatia, the application is submitted at the competent Croatian embassy/consulate or VFS Global visa centre.
If there is no Croatian embassy/consulate in the applicant’s country, nor a visa center, the application may be submitted at the nearest Croatian embassy/consulate in another country or at the embassy/consulate of another Member State with which the Republic of Croatia has concluded a visa-recognition agreement.
Visa application is submitted in person.
An application for a Schengen short-stay visa is submitted no earlier than six months before the start of the intended journey and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before the start of the intended journey.
Seafarers performing their duties may apply for a visa no earlier than nine months before the start of the intended journey.
Third-country nationals who need a visa for Croatia can also fill in the visa application form via the website at the link crovisa.mvep.hr. After filling in the online application, it is necessary to print it out and submit it with other prescribed documentation to the competent Croatian embassy/consulate or visa centre.
Airport transit visa (visa A)
An airport transit visa is an authorisation for transit through the international transit areas of the Member States’ airports. Nationals of third countries listed in Annex IV of the Visa Code are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa A).
Relevant links
o Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
o Foreigners Act (Official Gazette no. 133/20, 114/22 and 151/22)
o REGULATION (EU) 2018/1806 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 November 2018 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (Official Journal of the EU L 303/39)
