Croatia's Digital Nomad Visa

Summary: Pack your bags, because Croatia's much-anticipated Digital Nomad Visa (aka Temporary Digital Nomad Stay) is now law and the application process is in place. This article provides step-by-step instructions about how to apply for the digital nomad visa. Are you eligible? How do you apply? What documents do you need? What are the costs? Can you bring your family?

Croatia's much-anticipated Digital Nomad Visa (aka Temporary Digital Nomad Stay) is here and the application process is finally in place. In this article we provide a step-by-step guide to applying for Croatia's Digital Nomad visa:

What is a Digital Nomad?
Eligibility for the Croatia's Digital Nomad Visa
How long does the Digital Nomad Visa allow me to stay in Croatia?
May my family come with me?
Health Insurance Requirement for Temporary Digital Nomad Stay
Documents Needed for Temporary Digital Nomad Stay Application
Can I Apply In Person for the Temporary Digital Nomad Stay?
Cost of Digital Nomad Temporary Stay
What do I do after I my Temporary Digital Nomad Stay Application is approved?
Reporting Your Place of Residence to the Local Police Station
Obtaining a Biometric Residence Permit
How Do I Pay the Administrative Fees for the Visa & Biometric Residence Permit?
COVID-19 Related Entry Requirements
How do I obtain a Personal Identification Number (OIB)?
Related Links

What is a Digital Nomad?

According to the Croatia's Ministry of Interior, "A DIGITAL NOMAD IS a third-country national who is employed or performs work through communication technology for a company or his own company that is not registered in the Republic of Croatia and does not perform work or provide services to employers in the Republic of Croatia."

Eligibility for the Croatia's Digital Nomad Visa

Temporary stay visas for digital nomads are granted for a period of up to 1 year and it cannot be extended. 6 months after your digital nomad visa expires, you may apply again for another digital nomad visa. In order to be eligible for Croatia's Digital Nomad Visa you must:

Work Remotely for Own Company or a Company Not Registered in Croatia and does not perform work or provide services to a Croatian employer

How long does the Digital Nomad Visa allow me to stay in Croatia?

Croatia's new Digital Nomad visa states that, "Temporary stay is granted for up to a year (possibly even less) and it cannot be extended. A new application for regulating a stay of digital nomads can be submitted 6 months after the expiry of the previously granted temporary stay of digital nomads."

May my family come with me?

According to the Ministry of Interior, "Close family members of a digital nomad who has been granted temporary stay in the Republic of Croatia may join him in the Republic of Croatia." See the Ministry's Temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification page for more information.

Health Insurance Requirement for Digital Nomad Temporary Stay

You must health insurance that covers medical care in the Republic of Croatia. If you are required to hold a visa to enter Croatia, you will need to complete the Ministry of Foreign Affair's Health Insurance Declaration Form as part of the application process. If you are not required to hold a visa to enter Croatia, the digital nomad visa application will ask for details of your health insurance.

If you are required to hold a visa to enter Croatia, you will find more information about applying for the short-term visa. In the Health Insurance Declaration Form for people required to hold a visa to enter Croatia, you are attesting to the fact that you have international medical insurance or travel health insurance (for short stays). Specifics:

Medical or travel medical insurance is valid for the Republic of Croatia
Medical or travel medical insurance is valid during the entire period that I will be in the Republic of Croatia
The cover is at least EUR 30.000
Cover includes repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical care and/or emergency treatment in a hospital
That you will carry proof of this medical or travel medical insurance with you, which can be presented to border control officers whenever you enter the Republic of Croatia.

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Documents Needed for Digital Nomad Temporary Stay Application

You may now apply online for Croatia's Digital Nomad program. The list of documents below are required and uploaded in of the online application. If you prefer to apply in person, you may download the Digital Nomad Visa Application (Form 1a) and take it with you to the embassy, consulate or administrative police station.

Apply for Croatia's Digital Nomad Program

Documents may be submitted in English or Croatian.

Copy of Passport. Passport must be valid for 3 months past the expiry date of the desired digital nomad visa.
Proof of Health Insurance (see below)
Proof of Purpose. Employment contract or other documentation proving that you will be working remotely for a foreign employer or your own business. One of following:
- Statement from employer or third-country national proving person is working remotely
- Employment contract or service contract with foreign employer
- Copy of corporate registration documents if you own a company and proof that you will be performing tasks through that company during your stay
Proof of means of financial subsistence during your stay in Croatia. The Ministry of Interior explains, "You can submit a bank statement or proof of regular income. Pursuant to the Regulation on the manner of calculating and the amount of means of subsistence for third-country nationals in the Republic of Croatia (Official Gazette no. 14/21), which entered into force on 13 February 2021, third-country nationals who are regulating their temporary stay as digital nomads are required to have the amount corresponding to at least 2.5 average monthly net salaries paid for the previous year, in accordance with the official data published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. This amount is increased by 10% of the average monthly net salary for each additional family member or life partner or informal life partner. Currently, the amount required on a monthly basis is a minimum of HRK 16,142.50. More precisely, if you intend to stay in the Republic of Croatia for 12 months, you need to prove that you have a minimum of HRK 193,710.00 available."
Certificate confirming that applicant has no criminal convictions issued by the authorities of the passport holder's own country or the country where you have been residing in immediately before arriving in Croatia if you were in that country for more than one year.
Address of residence in Croatia where you will be living during your stay. If you are applying for the first time and do not have a residence in Croatia yet, the Ministry states, "If this is the first time you are applying and you do not have an address in the Republic of Croatia, you can provide a temporary address as the address of your intended stay (hostel/hotel if you have a reservation/confirmed reservation of accommodation)."

Can I Apply In Person for the Digital Nomad Temporary Stay?

It's important to understand if you need a visa for entering Croatia. Refer to the Ministry of Interior's: Do I need a visa? section for details.

Digital Nomad Visa applicants who do NOT need a visa for entering Croatia may submit the application online at one of the following:

An embassy or consulate of the Republic of Croatia
OR At the foreigner desk at their local administrative police station (note: not all police stations are administrative stations). To find the administrative station nearest to your place of residence or work, administrative police stations in Croatia. The Ministry states, "you can contact the competent police administration/police station for further information on submitting your application in compliance with the epidemiological measures in force due to the COVID-19 epidemic."

Digital Nomad Visa applicants who DO need a visa for entering Croatia may submit the application online or at one of the following:

An embassy or consulate of the Republic of Croatia

Cost of Digital Nomad Temporary Stay

If you are submitting your application at an embassy or consulate, the following costs are paid when applying:

HRK 420.00 for granting temporary stay
Digital Nomad Visa applicants who DO need a visa: HRK 460.00 for the visa (if you submit your visa application through the VFS visa center, you will be charged an additional fee for the service)
HRK 310.00 for the biometric residence card (more info)

If you are submitting your application at police administration/police station, the following costs are paid when applying:

Digital Nomad Visa applicants who DO need a visa: HRK 460.00 for the visa (if you submit your visa application through the VFS visa center, you will be charged an additional fee for the service)
HRK 70.00 for administrative fees for the issuance of the biometric residence permit and HRK 240.00 for the biometric residence card. (more info)

See How Do I Pay the Administrative Fees for the Visa & Biometric Residence Permit? below for details on payment.

What do I do after I my Temporary Digital Nomad Stay Application is approved?

Once you are notified that your temporary digital nomad stay was granted, you must:

Approved applicants for the Digital Nomad visa who do NOT need a visa for entering Croatia should register your temporary residence address at the competent police administration/police station within 30 days of the issue of the Digital Nomad Visa.

Approved applicants for the Digital Nomad visa who DO need a visa for entering Croatia need to contact the embassy or consulate again to obtain a visa or apply online. Refer to our article, Croatia Visa & Residency: How Do I Apply for a Visa for Croatia?. Additionally, you are required to register your temporary residence address at the competent police administration/police station within 30 days of the issue of the Digital Nomad Visa.

Reporting Your Place of Residence to the Local Police Station

The Croatian Embassy in Sweden states, "A foreign national is obliged to report to the relevant Police station the exact place of residence no later than three days after arrival to Croatia. The validity of a Temporary Residence Permit shall cease if a foreign national fails to report the place of residence at a Police station within 30 days from the date of issue of the Temporary Residence Permit, or is absent from Croatia for over 30 days."

Obtaining a Biometric Residence Permit

The biometric residence permit is the residence permit that is issued to people who have been granted a Temporary Digital Nomad Stay. Once your Temporary Digital Nomad Stay, you will be able to apply for the biometric residence permit at your local police administration station (See list of police administration stations in Croatia). You will be given a receipt by the authorized police officer confirming that you have submitted your application. Once it is issued, you will collect it at the police station.

You apply for it at the

You will need:

30x 35 mm photo
Valid travel document or other identification
HRK 240 Residence Permit Production Fee (Payment Info)
HRK 70 Residence Issuance Fee (Payment Info)

How Do I Pay the Administrative Fees Biometric Residence Permit?

If you're application is submitted at the police administration station, you will need to pay HRK 350 for the temporary stay visa and HRK 240 for the production of the biometric residence permit. An additional HRK 70 fee is required for the issuance of the biometric residence permit.

There are two ways to pay:

At the post office/FINA/bank: Pay both amounts (HRK 35 for temporary stay and HRK 240 for biometric residence permit) separately at the post office/FINA/bank and with a "payment slip." Payments are made to the state budget account using the IBAN code obtained at the police administration station. An additional HRK 70 has to be paid for the issuance (as opposed to the production of) the biometric residence permit using the IBAN code of the state budget account or in revenue stamps. "This amount can be paid with a payment slip obtained at a police administration/police station, as those payment slips contain serial control numbers," wrote the Ministry of Interior.
Via Internet Banking: Pay both amounts plus the additional 70 HRK to the State Budget Account: IBAN HR1210010051863000160, model HR64 with one of these reference numbers:
- Temporary Digital Nomad Stay HRK 350 Fee Reference Number: 5002-713-[Your OIB Number] (if you have been issued an OIB/Personal Identification Number) or 5002-713-[Number of Your Valid Travel Document/Identity Card] (if you have NOT been issued an OIB/Personal Identification Number) IMPORTANT: max 10 digit number total, and if the number starts with zeros, they are omitted. Letter symbols, slashes, full stops, commas, etc. also omitted. For example, if Your Valid Travel Document/Identity Card number is TP12345, then the reference number reads: 5002-713-1234.
- Biometric Residence Permit Production Fee HRK 240 Fee Reference Number: 7005-485-[Your OIB Number] (if you have been issued an OIB/Personal Identification Number) or 7005-485-RKP-file number (if you have NOT been issued an OIB/Personal Identification Number).
- Biometric Residence Permit Production Fee Issuance/Administrative Fee HRK 70 Reference Number: 5002-713-[Your OIB Number] (if you have been issued an OIB/Personal Identification Number) or 5002-713-[Number of Your Valid Travel Document/Identity Card] (if you have NOT been issued an OIB/Personal Identification Number) IMPORTANT: max 10 digit number total, and if the number starts with zeros, they are omitted. Letter symbols, slashes, full stops, commas, etc. also omitted. For example, if Your Valid Travel Document/Identity Card number is TP12345, then the reference number reads: 5002-713-1234.

COVID-19 Related Entry Requirements

Croatia's Official COVID-19 Government website provides up-to-date information about the current spread of Coronavirus in Croatia, hospitalization numbers and regional breakdowns.

All travelers (regardless of citizenship) who meet the entry conditions are advised to fill an arrival form at Enter Croatia in advance to facilitate their entry at the border.

Is a negative COVID-19 test required for entry? Yes

With limited exceptions, travelers must present a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 that is not older than 48 hours (counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point) or have the PCR test done immediately upon arrival to Croatia and remain in self-isolation until they receive a negative test result. A local test cost ranges from $130 to $300 or more, depending upon the location, and the result can be expected between 24-48 hours. A test can be arranged at the following locations: COVID-19 Testing Locations in Croatia. After receiving a negative test locally, travelers will need to contact a local epidemiologist to clear them from self-isolation. Please direct questions regarding this requirement to the Croatian Ministry of Interior via the contact form at the bottom of the web page.

Are health screening procedures in place at airports and other ports of entry? Yes

The cost of the test is approximately 700HRK or around $110 payable in advance. The results are usually received between 24 48 hours.

For the most up-to-date COVID-19 related entry requirements and restrictions and COVID-19 testing requirements, this English page on The Ministry of Interior's site provides that information and a form to contact the Ministry if you have questions.

How do I obtain a Personal Identification Number (OIB)

OIB is Croatia's Personal Identification number. This number is much like the American Social Security Number or NIN number in the UK. Normally, you would need to apply for an OIB number at the local offices of the tax administration. You would either get the OIB at that visit, or, the Tax Administration would contact you and tell you a exact day/time to come ot the local office to obtain your OIB.

Currently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you will need to scan the documents below and e-mail them to this e-mail address: [email protected]. The OIB Office will respond (within 8 days) and tell you when to come get your Personal Identification Number.