There are different types of stay permits for third–country nationals, depending on the length and the purpose of their stay in Croatia. If they plan to stay up to 90 days in Croatia, they are obliged to report their accommodation, but if they plan to stay longer than 90 days they are obliged only to register their address and to apply for the approval of a temporary stay at the competent police directorate or a police station.
Upon the approval of temporary stay foreigners will also get a PIN number or personal identification number (Osobni identifikacijski broj, OIB), needed for all dealings with any kind of officialdom, such as paying taxes and household bills, opening and accessing a bank account, or registering a vehicle. No special application is necessary and if a foreigner already received the OIB number from the Tax Department of the Ministry of Finance. It is advisable to submit a copy of the OIB confirmation while submitting the temporary stay application (to avoid duplications). For more information on OIB please visit the Croatian personal identification number (PIN) section.
Third-country nationals intending to study in Croatia (regular students, PhD students, students coming in the framework of student mobility or for traineeships) need to apply for approval of temporary stay for the purpose of studying. International students are not allowed to attend classes at university until they have procured a residence permit. Temporary stay permit for the purpose of studies is valid for up to one year, i.e. until the end of the academic year.
International students coming from third countries can submit a temporary stay permit application in one of two ways:
- An application for a temporary stay permit for the purpose of studies can be submitted to a Croatian diplomatic mission or consular office. If a third-country student is not subject to the visa requirement, the application for a temporary stay permit can be submitted to a police directorate or police station in Croatia.
- On the other hand, third-country students who need a visa for entry into Croatia, but are coming for the purpose of studies at a higher educational institution as regular students (Bachelor, Master or PhD level) can submit the application for a temporary stay permit for the purpose of studies in Croatia at a police directorate or police station.
- Application form 1a
- Proof of admittance to a higher education institution in Croatia – (in Croatian); it can also be presented by the host institution
- One colour photograph (35 x 45mm)
- Proof of means of support
- Proof of health insurance
- Original and copy of a valid travel document.
A scholarship or proof of having access to finances/savings in the amount of at least 25% of the average monthly net paid salary in the last year. The proof of receiving a scholarship is issued by the legal entity granting the scholarship while the proof of finances is issued by a bank in the form of a bank statement.
Proof of health insurance (bilingual document) comes from a home country that has a bilateral agreement on social insurance with Croatia. The form should be presented at the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje, HZZO), which will issue a health insurance document valid in Croatia (bolesnički list). Proof of health insurance for nationals of countries witch which Croatia has concluded a social insurance contract is considered to be: a European health insurance card recognized by the Croatia Health Insurance Fund (HZZO), a HZZO patient's certificate, a foreign health insurance certificate, or other proof provided by social insurance contract.
Nationals of countries which do not have the aforementioned agreement with Croatia have to report to the Croatian Health Insurance Fund to establish their right to health insurance under Croatian health insurance regulations. The obligation to submit a proof of health insurance when applying for a temporary stay permit does not apply to trainees and volunteers who come to Croatia within Youth in Action mobility programme and its successor programmes.
The administrative fee for granting the permit for a temporary stay is 46,45;EUR. The administrative fee for the production of a biometric residence card is 31,85 EUR and 9,29;EUR in duty stamps. International students receiving a grant from the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports are exempt from paying an administrative fee in the amount of 46,45;EUR for granting their temporary stay in Croatia. Biometric residence card will be issued within approximately three weeks from the submission of required documents and needs to be returned to the police directorate or police station upon expiration of stay in Croatia. Documents required for the issuance of a biometric residence card are: passport, one colour photograph (30 x 35 mm) and confirmation of address registration.
Students submitting an application to a diplomatic mission or consular post of Croatia in their home country should start compiling documents at least 4 months prior to arrival to Croatia and submit them 3 months before arrival (please note that consular offices and police administration offices will not accept applications for a temporary stay submitted earlier than 3 months before the arrival). The procedure can take one month or longer.
All original documents must be officially translated into Croatian, and an “apostille” of all original documents and certified translations may be required. It is suggested to check with the Croatian diplomatic mission or consular post whether the need for an “apostille“ exists. On the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is possible to find more information on ‘’apostille’’.
Foreigners with the status of regular pupils or students in Croatia, provided they find a job through the mediation of authorised student agencies, may work without a stay and work permit or a work registration certificate.
Useful information for international students can be found on the Study in Croatia portal.
Members of the nuclear family who wish to reunite with a third-country researcher who has already been granted a temporary or permanent stay in Croatia, need to apply for an approval of temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification.
It is recommended that family members register their address in Croatia together with the application for the approval of a temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification.
Members of the nuclear family are:
- Spouses,
- Persons living in a common-law marriage in accordance with Croatian legislation (a relationship between an unmarried woman and unmarried man which lasts at least three years or less, if a child has been born during the period of cohabitation),
- Minor children of both married couples and common-law partners, their minor adopted children as well as minor children of each of the partner/spouse, who have not formed families of their own,
- Parents or adoptive parents of underage children.
- Application form 1a (Filled out in Croatian)
- One colour photograph (30 x 35 mm)
- Proof of means of support*
- Proof of health insurance**
- Original and copy of a valid travel document
- Supporting documents are to be included optionally, depending on what the applicant seeks to prove:
- For proving a marriage – a marriage certificate (not older than six months) or certified statement from both spouses on the existence of the marriage (if the marriage certificate is older than six months)
- For proving a common law marriage: birth certificate not older than six months, or a certificate of free marital status if marriage certificate does not show common-law marriage or an extract from the register of common-law marriages if it is kept in the country where the common-law marriage existed; a statement by the common law spouses on the existence and duration of the common-law marriage; if a joint child was born in a common-law marriage, a birth certificate for the child and common-law spouses not older than six months shall be attached, or a certificate of free marital status, if the marital status is not visible from the birth certificate.
- For proving a child-parent relationship – a birth certificate (not older than six months) or a decision of a competent authority on child adoption
- For proving other kinships and serious personal or humanitarian grounds for family reunification - all relevant documents from which any kinships and serious personal or humanitarian reasons can incontestably be entailed.
A certified copy of the last three received salaries, a tax ruling, pension excerpt, employment agreement, or written confirmation on the employment agreement or a corresponding proof showing the amount of salary (if a third-country citizen works less than 3 months), evidence of scholarship, etc. The minimum amount of funds that a third-country national must have per month corresponds to at least 50% of the average monthly net paid salary in the previous year. For a two-member family, the amount of funds is increased by 15%, and for each further family member or life or informal life partner, the amount is increased by an additional 10% of the average monthly net paid salary in the previous year. The minimum amount of funds that a third-country national needs to have on a monthly basis for his/her own needs is 2,000 HRK.
In case a bilateral agreement on social security exists, the country of origin’s local health insurance authority must issue a document as a basis for which third-country nationals will be entitled to medical protection while in Croatia. For citizens of countries with which Croatia has an agreement on social insurance in place, the proof of health insurance is considered to be:
- A European Health Insurance Card, accepted by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO),
- A patient’s certificate issued by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund,
- A regular certificate of a foreign health insurance agency or
- Any other proof provided under the agreement on social insurance.
If third-country nationals have been issued a certificate of a foreign health insurance agency or any other proof provided under the agreement on social insurance with a validity period shorter than the planned duration of their stay, upon the expiration of the validity of the certificate in question, they are obliged to present a new one or contact the competent office of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje – HZZO), in order to establish their rights to health insurance for the remaining time of their valid stay.
If third-country citizens cannot obtain any of the above-mentioned proof when applying for the first temporary stay permit, or they are citizens of countries with which Croatia has not concluded an agreement on social insurance, or the agreement does not regulate health care, they are obliged to submit a travel insurance certificate. Moreover, upon their arrival in Croatia and upon having been granted a temporary stay permit, they are obliged to procure a health insurance policy from the Croatian Health Insurance Fund as described.
An application for a first-time temporary stay permit for the purpose of family reunification can be submitted to a police directorate or police station or to a diplomatic mission or consular post of Croatia. In the case of a researcher’s family, even if they as third-country citizens are subject to the visa requirement, the application for a first-time temporary stay permit for the purpose of family reunification can also be submitted to a police directorate or police station in Croatia. When applying for the first time for a temporary stay permit at the police directorate or police station in Croatia, all family members have to be present, including minor children and babies. In the case of an application for temporary stay for minor children, both parents need to sign the application form.
A temporary stay permit for the purpose of family reunification can be issued for a period of up to one year or until the expiration of the temporary stay permit of the third-country citizen with whom reunification is sought.
The administrative fee for granting the permit for a temporary stay is 46,45;EUR. The administrative fee for the production of a biometric residence card is 31,85;EUR and 9,29;EUR in duty stamps. Biometric residence card will be issued within approximately three weeks from the submission of required documents and needs to be returned to the police directorate or police station upon expiration of stay in Croatia. Documents required for the issuance of a biometric residence card are: passport, one colour photograph (30 x 35 mm), and confirmation of address registration.
All original documents must be officially translated into Croatian, and an “apostille” of all original documents and certified translations may be required. It is suggested to check with the Croatian diplomatic mission or consular office whether the need for an “apostille“ exists. On the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is possible to find more information on ‘’apostille’’.
Temporary stay of a third-country national shall cease:
- When the circumstances for the approval of temporary stay cease to exist;
- If entry and stay have been prohibited;
- If the foreigner fails to register temporary residence within 30 days after the approval of temporary stay;
- If the foreigner moves out of the Republic of Croatia or resides abroad for a period over 30 consecutive days;
- If the foreigner resides in the Republic of Croatia contrary to the purpose of the temporary residence permit.
Exceptionally, temporary stay of third-country researchers and students shall not be terminated if they reside in another EEA country based on short-term and long-term mobility.
Prior to the termination of temporary stay and departure from Croatia, third-country citizens and hosting research organizations (in the case of third-country researchers) are obliged to notify the respective police directorate or police station about the termination and return the biometrical residence card. Exceptionally temporary stay of a foreigner, who stays out of Croatia for a period of up to 90 days for justified reasons, shall not cease if he, prior to departure from Croatia notifies the relevant Police Administration or Police Station thereof. If emergency circumstances arise after departure from Croatia, a foreigner shall be obliged to, within 30 days from the occurrence of such circumstances, notify the Diplomatic Mission or Consular Office of Croatia thereof.
Long-term residence may be granted to a third-country national who, until the date of application in Croatia, has been granted temporary residence, asylum, or subsidiary protection for a continuous period of five years. The stay of foreigners in Croatia is considered continuous, without any interruptions, if their several-time absence from Croatia within a period of five years has not lasted longer than 10 months, that is, if their one-time absence from Croatia within a period of five years has not lasted longer than 6 months. A request for long-term residence must be submitted at the competent police directorate or police station according to the place of registered residence/stay. In the case of third-country nationals who have been granted long-term residence for the purpose of university studies, only half of the granted temporary stay period for the purpose of university studies shall be included in the time required for granting long-term residence.
The time required for the approval of a long-term residence does not include:
- Residence on the basis of a residence and work permit issued to season workers
- Residence on the basis of a residence and work permit issued to service providers
- Temporary residence granted for posted workers
- Residence on the basis of a residence and work permit issued to volunteers
- Residence on the basis of a residence and work permit issued to trainees
- Residence on the basis of a residence and work permit issued to persons transferred within the company, as well as to members of their families
- Residence on the basis of a residence and work permit issued to other much-needed persons as defined by the Protocol of Accession of Croatia to the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Tarde Organization, as well as to members of their families
- Residence on the basis of a residence and work permit issued to border workers
- Residence granted for other purposes
- Residence approved for the purpose of secondary education
- Time spent serving in a prison sentence
Long-term residence shall be granted only to third-country citizens who have knowledge of the Croatian language and the Latin script as well as of the Croatian culture and the organisations of the Croatian society. The knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script may be tested by institutions of higher education that are responsible for Croatian language study programmes based on the permission of the ministry responsible for higher education, in line with their general legal act.
Preschool children, attendants, or persons who finished primary, secondary or higher education in Croatia as well as persons above the age of 65 if they are not employed, shall not have to pass the knowledge test of the Croatian language and Latin script. Third-country citizens will have to prove their knowledge of the Croatian culture and the organisation by filling in a questionnaire in the course of the procedure needed for granting a long-term residence. Third-country citizens, who, by independently filling in the questionnaire, have proven their knowledge of the Croatian culture and the organisation of the Croatian society, shall not be obliged to take the knowledge test of the Croatian language and Latin script.
Long-term residence shall be granted to third-country citizens who:
- Have a valid foreign travel document
- Have the means of subsistence
- Have health insurance
- Have knowledge of the Croatian language and the Latin script as well as of the Croatian culture and the organisation of the Croatian society
- Do not represent a danger to public order, national security, or public health.
The administrative fee for granting long-term residence is 83,62 EUR. The administrative fee for the production of a biometric residence card is 31,85 EUR and 9,29 EUR in duty stamps. Documents required for the issuance of a biometric residence card are: passport, one colour photograph (30 x 35 mm), and confirmation of address registration. Biometric residence card will be issued within approximately three weeks from the submission of required documents.
Long-term residence of a third-country national shall cease if:
- His entry and stay have been prohibited in Croatia or he has issued a warning in SIS for the purpose of the entry ban
- He resided outside the territory of the EEA without interruptions for a period over 12 months
- He resided outside the territory of the Republic of Croatia without interruptions for a period longer than 6 years
- It is required by the reasons of protecting public order, national security or public health
- He has acquired long-term residence status in another EEA Member State
- Asylum or subsidiary protection was cancelled to a foreigner concerned
- He requests such termination.
Permanent stay is a legal stay granted to certain categories of third-country nationals residing in the Republic of Croatia for less than five years.
Thus, permanent residence may be granted to a third-country national who is:
- Is a family member or life partner of a Croatian citizen who, until the day of applying, has been granted a temporary stay for a continuous period of four years for the purpose of family reunification or life partnership
- Is a member of the Croatian nation with foreign citizenship or statelessness, who proves his status by a certificate from the state administration body responsible for relations with Croatian nationals outside Croatia and who has been found to have returned with the intention of living permanently in Croatia, and until the date of application, has been granted a temporary stay for a continuous period of three years
- Until the day of submitting the application, had been granted temporary residence for a continuous period of three years, and he/she was a refugee for at least ten years, which is proven by a certificate from the state administration body responsible for housing
- Is a minor child who, until the day of applying for permanent residence, has been granted a temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification for a continuous period of three years, and one of the parents has been granted a permanent stay or long-term residence
- Resided in Croatia on October 8th 1991 and is a beneficiary of a return, reconstruction, or a housing programme, as evidenced by a certificate from the state administration body responsible for housing and who has found to have returned with the intention of living permanently in Croatia, with the obligation to submit the absence of criminal record to the home country or the country in which he/she stayed for more than a year just before arriving in Croatia.
- A minor child living in Croatia:
- whose one parent, a the time of the child's birth, has been granted permanent or long-term residence with the consent of the other parent
- whose one parent, at the time of the child's birth, has been granted permanent residence or long-term residence in Croatia, and the other parent is unknown, died, declared dead, deprived of parental care or completely or partially deprived of legal capacity in relation to parental care
- Was born in Croatia and has lived in the territory of Croatia since birth, but due to justified reasons he/she could not influence, did not have a regulated residence.
Stay of third-country nationals, who can be granted a permanent stay in Croatia, is considered continuous, without any interruptions, if their several-time absence from Croatia within a period of three or four years has not lasted longer than 6 months, that is, if their one-time absence from Croatia within three or four years has not lasted longer than 4 months.
Permanent stay of a third-country citizen shall cease:
- If his/her entry and stay have been prohibited in Croatia or he has been issued a warning in SIS for the purpose of the entry ban
- If he/she requests such termination
- If he/she has emigrated from Croatia or resided abroad for more than a year
- If this is required for reasons of protection or public order, national security or public health
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