Do you need a visa?

On 1 January 2023, Croatia became a Member State of the Schengen area and it now fully applies the provisions of the Schengen acquis, in line with the Decision adopted by the Council (EU) on 8 December 2022.
 
Find out whether you are required to hold a visa to enter the Schengen area by checking the visa requirements overview on the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
 
Short-stay visa
 
A Schengen visa (visas A and C), i.e. short-stay visa, is an authorisation issued by a Member State for the following purposes:
 
a) planned stay in the territory of Member States that does not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period, or
b) transit through the international transit area of any Member State airport.
 
You can apply for a short-stay visa no earlier than six months before the start of your planned visit, and no later than 15 calendar days before the start of your planned visit.
 
A third-country national entered into the travel document of a third-country national who is applying for a visa needs to submit a visa application on a separate form.
 
Persons applying for a uniform single or double entry visa need to prove that they have adequate and valid travel medical insurance covering any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death during their stay in the territory of the Member States.
 
Persons applying for a single or double entry visa need to prove that they have adequate and valid travel medical insurance covering the period of their first intended visit.
 
Applicants have to sign a statement set out in the visa application form, declaring that they are aware of the need to be in possession of travel medical insurance for subsequent stays.
 
The insurance must be valid throughout the territory of the Member States and cover the entire period of their intended stay or transit.
 
The form for the issuance of a short-stay visa and the form of the letter of guarantee by a natural or legal person can be downloaded from the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia.
 
Exceptionally, a short-stay visa may be issued by a police station competent for the control of border crossings if the foreign national was not able to apply in advance at a diplomatic mission or consular post of the Republic of Croatia and if he has enclosed, where necessary, documents proving the existence of unforeseeable and pressing reasons for entry into the Republic of Croatia.
 
The period of validity of a short-stay visa and/or the duration of stay granted on the basis of that visa may be extended if the competent authority of a Member State considers that the applicant has provided proof of a force majeure or humanitarian reasons that are preventing him from leaving the territory of the Member States prior to the expiry of his visa or duration of stay granted on the basis of that visa. Such an extension is granted free of charge.
 
The period of validity of a short-stay visa and/or the duration of stay granted on the basis of that visa may be extended if the holder provides evidence of serious personal reasons that justify the extension of the period of validity or the duration of stay. Such an extension is subject to a 30 EUR administrative fee.
 
Short-stay visas are extended by the competent authority of the Member State on whose territory the third-country national is located when applying for extension.
 
Short-stay visas are extended in the form of a visa sticker.
 
The person applying for extension must:
 
  • fill out the visa application form and sign it by hand
  • provide a valid travel document in line with Article 12 of the EU Visa Code
  • provide documents that prove the existence of the above mentioned reasons for extension
  • provide proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the additional period of stay
  • provide proof of travel medical insurance for the additional period of stay.

 
The time spent in the Republic of Croatia is added to the time spent in other Schengen Member States.
 

Third-country nationals, regardless of whether or not they are required to hold a visa, may stay in the Schengen area on short-term stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
 
Note: Even when the visa is extended, a third-country national CANNOT stay for more than 90 days in a 180-day period.
 
FEES: A 30 EUR fee will be charged for applications for extension of the period of validity of the issued visa and/or the duration of stay granted on the basis of that visa due to serious personal reasons. The visa extension fee can be paid via Internet banking, to the state budget account, IBAN HR1210010051863000160, model HR64, reference number: 5002-713-410.
 
This fee will not be charged for applications for extension of the period of validity of the issued visa and/or the duration of stay granted on the basis of that visa, for force majeure or humanitarian reasons.
 
An application for the extension of the period of validity of a short-stay visa and/or the duration of stay needs to be submitted at a police administration/station prior to the expiration of the period of validity of the short-stay visa and/or the duration of stay granted on the basis of that visa. Before extending the short-stay visa, the police administration or police station is obligated to request prior approval from the Ministry.
 
A third-country national may stay in the territory of the Republic of Croatia until the decision on the extension of the short-stay visa is reached. The visa is extended in the form of a visa sticker.
 
A decision on the refusal to extend the period of validity of the visa and/or the duration of stay, its cancellation, or revocation, will be delivered to the third-country national on a prescribed form together with the reasons for it issuance. The third-country national is entitled to appeal against the decision within 15 days from the day of its delivery, through the competent diplomatic mission or consular post of the Republic of Croatia. A visa may also be revoked at the request of the foreign national to whom it was issued. In such a case, an appeal is NOT ADMISSIBLE. The ministry responsible for foreign affairs decides on the appeal.
 
Long-term visa D
 
A long-term visa is a national visa that allows a third-country national to stay in the territory of the Republic of Croatia for up to 30 days if he has been granted temporary stay for the purposes referred to in the Aliens Act, or if he has been issued with a stay and work permit, and if he is required to hold a short-stay visa to enter the Republic of Croatia.
 
More information on applying for long-term visa D is available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

 

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