Long-Term Residence and Permanent stay
LONG-TERM RESIDENCE
Long-term residence may be granted to third-country nationals who have been legally staying in the Republic of Croatia for an uninterrupted period of five years before submitting their application, which includes temporary stay, asylum or subsidiary protection.
It is considered that third-country nationals have stayed in the Republic of Croatia for an uninterrupted period of time if their several-time absence from the Republic of Croatia within a period of five years did not exceed 10 months, or if their one-time absence did not exceed 6 months.
Third-country nationals need to have a valid temporary stay status, asylum or subsidiary protection in the Republic of Croatia at the time of the decision on their long-term residence.
Long-term residence will not be granted to third-country nationals whose asylum or subsidiary protection has been revoked.
An application for long-term residence (Form 1a) is submitted at a competent police administration/police station according to the alien’s place of temporary residence. The decision with regard to the application is made by the Ministry of the Interior.
The time required for granting long-term residence does not include:
For third-country nationals who have been granted temporary stay for the purpose of university studies, only half of their temporary stay period for the purpose of university studies is included when calculating the time required for granting long-term residence.
For third-country nationals who have an asylee status or who have been granted subsidiary protection, only half of the time spent from the day of their application for international protection on the basis of which they were granted the said status until the day they were granted international protection, or the whole time if it is longer than 18 months, is included when calculating the time required for granting long-term residence.
Requirements for granting long-term residence:
Long-term residence will be granted to aliens who:
Testing of the knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script
Testing of the knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script is conducted by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zadar, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split and Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula.
The list of institutions that, in addition to the above-mentioned universities, can conduct an exam in knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script can be found here .
The exam is conducted in accordance with the Ordinance on passing the exam on the knowledge of the Croatian language and the Latin script in the procedure for the approval of long-term residence (Official Gazette, number: 100/2021).
The following categories do not have to pass the exam testing the knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script:
- preschool children,
- attendants of, or individuals who have completed their primary, secondary or higher education in the Republic of Croatia,
- individuals over the age of 65 unless they are employed.
Withdrawing long-term residence
Long-term residence of a third-country national shall be withdrawn if:
1. he has been forbidden to enter into the Republic of Croatia and stay in the Republic of Croatia, or if an alert has been issued in SIS for the purpose of forbidding his entry
2. he has resided outside the EEA for a period of 12 consecutive months
3. he has been absent from the Republic of Croatia for more than six years
4. this is required in order to protect public policy, national security or public health
5. he has obtained a long-term residence status in another EEA Member State
6. his asylum or subsidiary protection has been annulled
7. he has made a request for the withdrawal of his long-term residence.
PERMANENT STAY
An application for permanent stay (Form 1a) is submitted at a competent police administration/police station according to the alien’s place of temporary residence. The decision with regard to the application is made by the Ministry of the Interior.
Permanent stay may be granted to a third-country national who:
Permanent stay will be granted to third-country nationals if they have a valid travel document and if they are not considered threat for public policy, national security or public health.
An application for permanent stay (Form 1a) is submitted at a competent police administration/police station according to the alien’s place of temporary residence. The decision with regard to the application is made by the Ministry of the Interior.
It shall be considered that the third-country national referred to in items 1 to 4 of has stayed in the Republic of Croatia for an uninterrupted period if he was absent from the Republic of Croatia on multiple occasions of up to six months in total or of up to four months on a single occasion within the period of four or three years respectively.
Withdrawing permanent stay
Permanent stay of a third-country national shall be withdrawn if:
1. he has been forbidden to enter into the Republic of Croatia and stay in the Republic of Croatia, or if an alert has been issued in SIS for the purpose of forbidding his entry
2. he has moved out of the Republic of Croatia or has resided abroad for an uninterrupted period of more than one year
3. this is required in order to protect public policy, national security or public health
4. he has made a request for the withdrawal of his permanent stay.
Administrative fees
Aliens have to pay an administrative fee in the amount of 83,62 EUR when collecting the decision on granted permanent stay or long-term residence and the amount of 31,85 EUR for the issuance of a biometric residence permit in regular procedure, or 59,73 EUR in accelerated procedure. Both amounts can be paid with a payment slip to the state budget account, IBAN of which can be obtained at the competent police administration/police station.
An administrative fee in the amount of 13,94 EUR is to be paid for a certified copy of a permanent stay or long-term residence decision.
NOTE: The administrative fee for permanent stay in the amount of 83,62 EUR may also be paid via internet banking, to the state budget account, IBAN HR1210010051863000160, model HR64, reference number: 5002-713-OIB (personal identification number (OIB) of an alien who administrative fee is being paid for).
Aliens who have not been assigned an OIB will have to enter the following reference number: 5002-713-the number of their valid travel document/identity card.
(IMPORTANT: maximum a ten-digit number, and if the number starts with zeros (0), they are omitted. Letter symbols, slashes, full stops, commas, etc. are also NOT to be written).
For example, if a travel document/identity card number of a foreign national is AZ004586, then the reference number reads: 5002-713-4586 (without letter symbols and zeros, and with maximum ten digits).
The fee for the production of a biometric residence permit in the amount of 31,85 EUR (59,73 EUR in accelerated procedure) may also be paid via internet banking, to the state budget account, IBAN HR1210010051863000160, model HR65, reference number: 7005-485-OIB (personal identification number (OIB) of an alien who the fee is being paid for).
Aliens who have not been assigned an OIB will have to enter the following reference number: 7005-485-RKP-file number.
Long-term residence may be granted to third-country nationals who have been legally staying in the Republic of Croatia for an uninterrupted period of five years before submitting their application, which includes temporary stay, asylum or subsidiary protection.
It is considered that third-country nationals have stayed in the Republic of Croatia for an uninterrupted period of time if their several-time absence from the Republic of Croatia within a period of five years did not exceed 10 months, or if their one-time absence did not exceed 6 months.
Third-country nationals need to have a valid temporary stay status, asylum or subsidiary protection in the Republic of Croatia at the time of the decision on their long-term residence.
Long-term residence will not be granted to third-country nationals whose asylum or subsidiary protection has been revoked.
An application for long-term residence (Form 1a) is submitted at a competent police administration/police station according to the alien’s place of temporary residence. The decision with regard to the application is made by the Ministry of the Interior.
The time required for granting long-term residence does not include:
- stay on the basis of an issued stay and work permit for seasonal workers
- stay on the basis of an issued stay and work permit for service providers
- temporary stay granted to posted workers
- stay on the basis of an issued stay and work permit for volunteers
- stay on the basis of an issued stay and work permit for trainees
- stay on the basis of an issued stay and work permit for intra-corporate transferees and their family members
- stay on the basis of an issued stay and work permit for other essential personnel, as defined by the Protocol of Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation, as well as their family members
- stay on the basis of an issued stay and work permit for frontier workers
- stay granted for other purposes
- stay granted for the purpose of secondary school education
- the time spent serving a prison sentence.
For third-country nationals who have been granted temporary stay for the purpose of university studies, only half of their temporary stay period for the purpose of university studies is included when calculating the time required for granting long-term residence.
For third-country nationals who have an asylee status or who have been granted subsidiary protection, only half of the time spent from the day of their application for international protection on the basis of which they were granted the said status until the day they were granted international protection, or the whole time if it is longer than 18 months, is included when calculating the time required for granting long-term residence.
Requirements for granting long-term residence:
Long-term residence will be granted to aliens who:
- have a valid travel document,
- have funds to support themselves,
- have health insurance,
- have the knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script,
- are not considered threat for public policy, national security or public health.
Testing of the knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script
Testing of the knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script is conducted by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zadar, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split and Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula.
The list of institutions that, in addition to the above-mentioned universities, can conduct an exam in knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script can be found here .
The exam is conducted in accordance with the Ordinance on passing the exam on the knowledge of the Croatian language and the Latin script in the procedure for the approval of long-term residence (Official Gazette, number: 100/2021).
The following categories do not have to pass the exam testing the knowledge of the Croatian language and Latin script:
- preschool children,
- attendants of, or individuals who have completed their primary, secondary or higher education in the Republic of Croatia,
- individuals over the age of 65 unless they are employed.
Withdrawing long-term residence
Long-term residence of a third-country national shall be withdrawn if:
1. he has been forbidden to enter into the Republic of Croatia and stay in the Republic of Croatia, or if an alert has been issued in SIS for the purpose of forbidding his entry
2. he has resided outside the EEA for a period of 12 consecutive months
3. he has been absent from the Republic of Croatia for more than six years
4. this is required in order to protect public policy, national security or public health
5. he has obtained a long-term residence status in another EEA Member State
6. his asylum or subsidiary protection has been annulled
7. he has made a request for the withdrawal of his long-term residence.
PERMANENT STAY
An application for permanent stay (Form 1a) is submitted at a competent police administration/police station according to the alien’s place of temporary residence. The decision with regard to the application is made by the Ministry of the Interior.
Permanent stay may be granted to a third-country national who:
- is a family member or a life partner of a Croatian citizen who, prior to the day of submission of his application, has had granted temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification or life partnership for an uninterrupted period of four years
- is a member of the Croatian people with foreign citizenship or who is stateless and proves his status with a certificate issued by the state administration authority for Croats abroad if it is established that he has returned with the intention of residing permanently in the Republic of Croatia, provided that he has had granted temporary stay for an uninterrupted period of three years prior to the day of submission of his application
- by the date of submission of his application, has had at least three years of uninterrupted temporary stay, and refugee status for at least 10 years, which is proven by a certificate issued by the state administration authority competent for housing care
- is a minor child who has had granted temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification for an uninterrupted period of three years prior to the day of submission of his application, and one of the parents has had granted permanent stay or long-term residence
- had permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia on 8 October 1991, and who is a beneficiary of a return, reconstruction or housing care programme, which is proven by a certificate issued by the state administration authority competent for housing care if it is established that he has returned with the intention of residing permanently in the Republic of Croatia, provided that he encloses proof of no criminal record issued by his home country or a country in which he resided for more than a year immediately prior to arriving in the Republic of Croatia, or to
- underage children who live in the Republic of Croatia:
- whose one parent had a permanent stay or long-term residence status at the moment of the child’s birth (with the consent of the other parent),
- whose one parent had a permanent stay or long-term residence status in the Republic of Croatia at the moment of the child’s birth, and the other parent is unknown, dead, pronounced dead, deprived of parental rights or fully or partially deprived of legal capacity with regard to parental care,
- third-country nationals who were born in the Republic of Croatia and have been living here since their birth, but who have not regulated their residence status for justified reasons that they could not have any impact on (which is proved by an extract from birth register, proof that they have attended preschool or school, proof of employment, proof of being beneficiaries of health care services or social rights and any other proof showing that the said person has been living in the Republic of Croatia).
Permanent stay will be granted to third-country nationals if they have a valid travel document and if they are not considered threat for public policy, national security or public health.
An application for permanent stay (Form 1a) is submitted at a competent police administration/police station according to the alien’s place of temporary residence. The decision with regard to the application is made by the Ministry of the Interior.
It shall be considered that the third-country national referred to in items 1 to 4 of has stayed in the Republic of Croatia for an uninterrupted period if he was absent from the Republic of Croatia on multiple occasions of up to six months in total or of up to four months on a single occasion within the period of four or three years respectively.
Withdrawing permanent stay
Permanent stay of a third-country national shall be withdrawn if:
1. he has been forbidden to enter into the Republic of Croatia and stay in the Republic of Croatia, or if an alert has been issued in SIS for the purpose of forbidding his entry
2. he has moved out of the Republic of Croatia or has resided abroad for an uninterrupted period of more than one year
3. this is required in order to protect public policy, national security or public health
4. he has made a request for the withdrawal of his permanent stay.
Administrative fees
Aliens have to pay an administrative fee in the amount of 83,62 EUR when collecting the decision on granted permanent stay or long-term residence and the amount of 31,85 EUR for the issuance of a biometric residence permit in regular procedure, or 59,73 EUR in accelerated procedure. Both amounts can be paid with a payment slip to the state budget account, IBAN of which can be obtained at the competent police administration/police station.
An administrative fee in the amount of 13,94 EUR is to be paid for a certified copy of a permanent stay or long-term residence decision.
NOTE: The administrative fee for permanent stay in the amount of 83,62 EUR may also be paid via internet banking, to the state budget account, IBAN HR1210010051863000160, model HR64, reference number: 5002-713-OIB (personal identification number (OIB) of an alien who administrative fee is being paid for).
Aliens who have not been assigned an OIB will have to enter the following reference number: 5002-713-the number of their valid travel document/identity card.
(IMPORTANT: maximum a ten-digit number, and if the number starts with zeros (0), they are omitted. Letter symbols, slashes, full stops, commas, etc. are also NOT to be written).
For example, if a travel document/identity card number of a foreign national is AZ004586, then the reference number reads: 5002-713-4586 (without letter symbols and zeros, and with maximum ten digits).
The fee for the production of a biometric residence permit in the amount of 31,85 EUR (59,73 EUR in accelerated procedure) may also be paid via internet banking, to the state budget account, IBAN HR1210010051863000160, model HR65, reference number: 7005-485-OIB (personal identification number (OIB) of an alien who the fee is being paid for).
Aliens who have not been assigned an OIB will have to enter the following reference number: 7005-485-RKP-file number.