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The purpose of this section is to provide guidance to foreign nationals who will be working or seeking employment in the Republic of Croatia in respect of necessary permits and visas. It should be noted that this section does not aim to provide thorough and comprehensive legal requirements and conditions in regard to the necessity of obtaining particular types of permits but rather to present mere guidelines for obtaining them.
Types of Relevant Permits And Visas
Foreign nationals employed in Croatia or being assigned to work in Croatia for a certain period of time are required to obtain either a Work Permit or a Business Permit. The application for both types of permits should be made at the local office of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior. Once a work permit has been obtained, a foreign national should apply for a Temporary Residence Permit.
An application for a Business Permit can be made by individuals who are self-employed or are majority owners or performing tasks in the name and on behalf of the majority owner of an entity established in Croatia. A business permit is valid both as a work permit and a residence permit.
An application for a Work Permit must be made by all other foreign nationals seeking employment in Croatia.
An application for a Temporary Residence Permit is made after the work permit has been obtained.
A Travel Visa must be obtained by foreign nationals coming from countries for which the Croatian Government has prescribed a special visa regime and is required for the purpose of a business trip, tourist or personal visit.
The Croatian Government determines an annual quota for issuing Croatian work permits. However, work permits for certain types of employees are not subject to an annual quota.
For example, the quota regime does not apply for foreigners performing key activities within Croatian entities or for individuals internally transferred within related companies, as per the signed Marrakech Agreement.
Only in exceptional cases, prescribed by the Law on Foreigners is a work permit not required.
BUSINESS PERMIT
An application for a business permit is required to be submitted in person to the local office of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior. An application for a permit should be made on the same day as registering a residential address in Croatia.
Once approved, a business permit is stamped in the passport of the individual. A business permit represents both a work permit and a residence permit for the duration of its validity. A business permit is usually granted for a period of 1 year.
The individual should apply for a permit extension in Croatia at least one month prior to its expiry.
Where the individual applying for a business permit is required to obtain a visa in order to enter Croatia, please refer to the section Travel visa.
WORK PERMIT
An application for a work permit must be submitted by the Croatian company to the Croatian Ministry of the Interior. The individual’s physical presence is not required.
It takes 1-2 weeks from the date of application for the work permit to be granted. A work permit is usually granted for a period of 1 year. To extend a work permit, the Croatian company should apply for renewal at least 45 days prior to its expiry.
Subsequent step: For obtaining a residence permit – please refer to the appropriate title.
RESIDENCE PERMIT
The residence permit, also referred to as the Temporary Residence Permit is necessary for all individuals arriving in Croatia for the purpose of employment, except for those in possession of a valid Croatian business permit. An individual coming to work in Croatia cannot apply for a temporary residence permit for the purpose of employment if he/she entered the country as a tourist.
An application for a temporary residence permit for the purpose of employment should be submitted to the nearest Croatian Consulate abroad at least one month prior to the individual’s planned arrival in Croatia.
In the case where an individual has entered Croatia legally without a visa, a request for a temporary residence permit can be made upon his/her arrival in Croatia at the local office of the Ministry of the Interior. The individual’s physical presence is required. The permit is applied for on the same day as registering a residential address in Croatia.
The approved residence permit for the purpose of employment is stamped into the individual’s passport and is usually granted within 1 month from application. The approved residence permit for the purpose of employment is issued for the period of validity of the previously obtained work permit.
If obtained at a Croatian Consulate, a residence permit for the purpose of employment must be validated (stamped) upon entry into Croatia at the border crossing.
The individual should apply for a residence permit extension at least one month prior to its expiry.
Subsequent steps: For a residence permit for the purpose of employment obtained at a Croatian Consulate, registration of a residential address and registration of a residence permit with the Croatian Ministry of the Interior – please refer to the appropriate title.
Registration of a Residence Permit
Upon his/her arrival to Croatia, an individual’s residence permit obtained at the Croatian Consulate abroad should be registered at the local office of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior.
When registering the residential address (see: Registration of a Residential Address in Croatia), the individual and/or any accompanying family member must be present at the local office of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior.
A residence permit is registered by the local office of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior by stamping the residence permit sticker in the passport.
TRAVEL VISA
A foreign national is required to obtain a travel visa before entering the Republic of Croatia, in accordance with the visa system prescribed by the Croatian Government. A travel visa is issued for one, two or more visits to the Republic of Croatia for tourist, business, personal or other purposes.
An application for a travel visa should be submitted to the nearest Croatian consulate abroad, at least one month prior to the planned arrival into Croatia.
If the individual is not required to obtain a visa to enter Croatia, he/she may apply for a business permit or a residence permit on arrival in Croatia, at the local office of the Ministry of the Interior.
A travel visa may be issued for a maximum period of one year. A continuous stay or an overall duration of repeated entries should not exceed 90 days, during a 6-month period starting from the day of entry. Also, the same limitations apply if the foreign citizen is not required to obtain a visa before entering the Republic of Croatia.
A travel visa must be validated (stamped) on entry to Croatia at the border crossing.
Important: travel visa cannot be used as a work permit.
Subsequent step: For registration of a residential address in Croatia and application for a business permit or a residence permit – please refer to the appropriate title.
REGISTRATION OF A RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS IN CROATIA
Within 24 hours of arriving, each individual has to register his/her residential address in Croatia. If the individual is staying in a hotel, the hotel will perform the registration or if the individual will be renting premises, then he/she should register the private residential address once the premises have been rented. Those renting accommodation in Croatia should personally register the residential address with the local office of the Ministry of the Interior.
ACCOMPANYING FAMILY MEMBERS (SPOUSE/PARTNER, CHILDREN)
A residence permit, also referred to as a “Temporary Residence Permit” is required for all family members arriving in Croatia for the purpose of accompanying individuals who are in possession of a Croatian business permit or a work permit.
An application for a temporary residence permit for the purpose of an accompanying family member should be submitted at least one month prior to the individual’s planned arrival in Croatia, at the nearest Croatian consulate abroad. An application should be made simultaneously with the application of an individual coming to work in Croatia (“Main permit holder”).
If the family member is not required to obtain a visa to enter Croatia, a request for a temporary residence permit can be made on his/her arrival in Croatia, at the local office of the Ministry of the Interior. The individual’s physical presence is required. The permit is applied for on the same day when registering a residential address in Croatia.
A temporary residence permit for the purpose of an accompanying family member is stamped into an individual’s passport and is usually granted within 1 month from application. It is issued for the period of validity of the main permit holder’s residence permit.
To extend the permit, an application for renewal should be made with the local office of the Ministry of the Interior at least 1 month prior to the residence permit expiry date.
If obtained at a Croatian Consulate, the residence permit for the purpose of accompanying family members must be validated (stamped) on entry into Croatia at the border crossing.
Subsequent steps: For a residence permit for the purpose of an accompanying family member obtained at a Croatian Consulate, registration of a residential address and registration of the residence permit with the Croatian Ministry of the Interior – please refer to the appropriate titles.
REGISTRATION WITH THE CROATIAN HEALTH INSURANCE FUND
Foreign nationals coming to Croatia who are required to obtain temporary residence or business permits are also required to have health coverage in Croatia. This requirement is imposed on all individuals applying for Croatian permits, meaning the main permit holder and the accompanying family members.
After an application for a temporary residence or business permit is made with the Croatian Ministry of the Interior, a foreign national is required to register with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund. The registration is performed at the Croatian Health Insurance Fund according to the individual’s place of residence in Croatia and does not require the individual’s physical presence. The certificate of registration obtained on registration must be submitted to the Ministry of the Interior in order for the temporary residence permit or business permit to be approved.
Foreign nationals coming from countries with which Croatia has signed a Social Security Convention and who are covered by their home country’s social security system should obtain the certificate prescribed by the Convention. Foreign nationals who submit the prescribed certificate are exempted from contributions for health insurance in Croatia.
Foreign nationals coming from countries with which Croatia has not signed a Social Security Convention and those who cannot provide the required certificate from the foreign social security authorities are required to obtain basic health insurance with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund.
Notes:
– All application/registration forms are available at Croatian consulates and local offices of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior;
– All documents issued in foreign languages should be officially translated into the Croatian language by a Croatian court interpreter;
– For all submitted copies of documents, the originals should be presented to the Authorities.
DISCLAIMER
The information above is intended to provide general guidance only. Since laws are constantly changing, before acting on it, please confirm the accuracy of the data with your local advisors or Croatian consulates/ministries. Please note that each application is dealt with on an individual basis. The Authorities have the right to request additional documents.
While great care and consideration have been given to the preparation of this brochure, no liability is accepted for any statement, error or omission.
