EEA nationals and their family members may work and provide services in the Republic of Croatia without a stay and work permit, or a work registration certificate.
The provisions of the Act on EEA Nationals and their Family Members that apply to EEA nationals also apply to the nationals of the Swiss Confederation.
Pursuant to the Act on the Amendments to the Act on EEA Nationals and their Family Members (Official Gazette no: 53/20), EEA nationals and members of their family who have been issued with a certificate of registering temporary stay and a residence card are exempt from applying for the issuance of a certificate of registering temporary stay (registration certificate) and a residence card during the COVID-19 pandemic for up to 30 days after the pandemic is declared to be over. The said registration certificate and residence card issued to an EEA national and a member of his family is considered to be valid until the expiry of the 30-day deadline from the day on which the pandemic is declared to be over. After this deadline expires, EEA nationals and their family members will be obligated to submit an application for the issuance of a new registration certificate and a new residence card without delay.
More information on registering and applying for temporary and permanent stay can be requested from the competent police administrations and police stations (contact information:
https://policija.gov.hr/policijske-uprave/104).
1. SHORT-TERM, TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT STAY OF EEA NATIONALS
SHORT-TERM STAY
EEA nationals can stay in the Republic of Croatia for up to three months from the date of their entry into the Republic of Croatia if they hold a valid travel document or a valid ID, as long as they do not represent an unreasonable burden on the social welfare system.
EEA nationals are not obligated to register their short-term stay at a police administration or police station.
TEMPORARY STAY
EEA nationals who intend to stay in the Republic of Croatia for more than 3 months are obligated to register their temporary stay (
Form 1b) at the competent police administration/station according to their place of stay, no later than 8 days following the expiration of their 3-month stay.
When registering their stay, they have to provide a copy of a valid ID or travel document (which will be certified by an authorised officer after comparing it with the original), documents depending on the purpose of their stay, and proof of accommodation (see item 3 for more information).
A certificate confirming that an EEA national has registered his temporary stay is printed out of the information system
free of charge.
A biometric residence card is issued
upon the request of the EEA national for a fee of
13,27 EUR with a validity period of 5 years.
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTERING TEMPORARY STAY OF EEA NATIONALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF WORK
EEA nationals will be issued with a registration certificate if they have a valid ID or travel document and if they provide proof that they are:
- employed (a contract of employment or a certificate of employment issued by their employer), or
- self-employed (e.g. excerpt from the crafts and trades register or extract from the register of companies in case of a majority owner of a company), or
- a posted worker (A1 certificate). Exceptionally, workers posted from Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Denmark, or the Swiss Confederation can submit salary receipts instead of an A1 certificate.
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTERING TEMPORARY STAY FOR EEA NATIONALS FOR THE PURPOSE OF UNIVERSITY STUDIES OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING
EEA nationals will be issued with a registration certificate if they have a valid ID or travel document and if they submit:
- proof that they are receiving vocational training or are enrolled at a higher education institution in the Republic of Croatia, have arrived as part of the student exchange or youth mobility program, or have arrived for professional practice through an authorised organisation and on the basis of international or inter-university agreements,
- a statement on having sufficient funds to support themselves and their family members so that they would not become a burden on the social welfare system during their stay in the Republic of Croatia, and
- health insurance.
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTERING TEMPORARY STAY FOR EEA NATIONALS FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EEA nationals will be issued with a registration certificate if they have a valid ID or travel document and:
- sufficient funds to support themselves and their family members so that they would not become a burden on the social welfare system during their stay in the Republic of Croatia (extract or a retirement statement, bank statement, tax ruling, etc.) and
- health insurance.
FAMILY MEMBERS OF EEA NATIONALS
The following persons are considered to be family members of EEA nationals:
1. spouse
2. common-law partner, if the relationship lasts three years or less provided that the stability of the durable relationship can be established on the basis of some other circumstances
3. lineal descendant by blood of the EEA national or his spouse, common-law partner, or life or informal life partner, up to 21 years of age
4. adoptee of the EEA national or his spouse, common-law partner, or life or informal life partner, up to 21 years of age
5. the person referred to in items 3 and 4 over the age of 21 who the EEA national or his spouse or his common-law partner, or life or an informal life partner is obligated to support and is actually supporting,
6. lineal ancestor by blood who has to be supported and is actually supported by the EEA national or his spouse or common-law partner, or life or informal life partner.
Exceptionally, other family members of the EEA national or his spouse or common law partner, or life or informal life partner may be considered family members if, in the country of origin, they are:
1. a dependent family member
2. a household member, or
3. dependent on his personal care due to a serious health condition.
NOTE: Provisions that apply to temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification also apply accordingly to temporary stay for the purpose of life partnership for life or informal life partners.
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTERING TEMPORARY STAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF FAMILY REUNIFICATION FOR A FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS AN EEA NATIONAL
Family members of an EEA national who are EEA nationals themselves and who intend to stay in the country for more than three months have to register their temporary stay at a police administration/station according to their place of stay no later than eight days from the expiry of their three-month stay (
Form 1b) and provide a copy of a valid ID or travel document, as well as:
- proof that they are a family member of an EEA national:
1. for proving marriage - extract from the register of marriages, not older than 6 months
2. for proving the existence of a common-law partnership – extract from the birth register not older than six months, or a single status certificate if the marriage status is not evident from the extract from the birth register, or an extract from the register of common-law partnerships if there is one in the country where there was the common-law partnership, and also an extract from the birth register for a child if a common child was born into the common-law partnership
3. for proving a parent-child relationship – extract from the birth register or a decision of the competent authority on the adoption of the child
4. for proving the relationship with a family member who is a dependent family member, a household member, or who is dependent on the EEA national due to a serious health condition, the following documents are required:
– extract from the birth register or a decision of the competent authority on the adoption of the child
– proof that the family member needs to be taken care of materially or for health reasons by the EEA national with whom the reunification is requested (medical documents, proof of dependency or guardianship, etc.).
The following circumstances indicate a common-law partnership where no child has been born into it: a statement from common-law partners on their life together, proof of cohabitation prior to submitting the application, witness statements on the existence and duration of the common-law partnership and other proof of the existence and duration of the common-law partnership.
FAMILY MEMBERS OF CROATIAN CITIZENS
Family members of a Croatian citizen who are EEA nationals themselves, may register their temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification as described above.
Along with the above mentioned documents, family members of a Croatian citizen who are EEA nationals themselves also have to submit proof that the respective Croatian citizen:
- is employed or self-employed, or
- is enrolled in a higher education institution or a vocational training programme, has health insurance, and they have to provide a statement proving that he has sufficient means of subsistence, or
- has sufficient means of subsistence and health insurance.
Note: Family members of Croatian citizens who are EEA nationals themselves do not have to enclose extracts from the birth register or birth certificates, marriage certificates or extracts from the register of marriages. These will be obtained from the registry office
ex officio (if the birth or the marriage has been entered into the registers of the Republic of Croatia).
PERMANENT STAY OF EEA NATIONALS
EEA nationals are entitled to permanent stay after five continuous years of legally staying in the Republic of Croatia.
In exceptional cases, EEA nationals are entitled to permanent stay even if they have been legally staying for less than five continuous years. Exceptions are laid down in Article 28 of the Act on EEA Nationals and their Family Members.
EEA nationals submit the form for registering their permanent stay (
Form 3b) at a police administration/station according to their place of stay together with a copy of a valid ID or travel document.
An EEA national will be issued with a residence card for a fee of
13,27 EUR, with a period of validity of ten years.
2. SHORT-TERM, TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT STAY OF FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT EEA NATIONALS
SHORT-TERM STAY
Non-EEA family members of EEA nationals who are accompanying or joining the EEA national can stay in the Republic of Croatia for up to three months form the date of entry into the Republic of Croatia without registering their short-term stay at a police administration/station if they have a valid travel document, and under the condition that they do not become an unreasonable burden on the social welfare system.
Family members who are not EEA nationals and
who are not accompanying or joining the EEA national, are obligated to register their address of accommodation in line with the legislation governing the entry and stay of third-country nationals.
TEMPORARY STAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF FAMILY REUNIFICATION
Non-EEA family members of an EEA national who intend to stay in the Republic of Croatia for more than three months have to apply for a residence card of a family member of a Union citizen (
Form 2b) at a police administration/station according to their place of stay no later than eight days from the expiry of their three-month stay. They will immediately be issued with a certificate of application and they can use their residence card to prove their right to temporary stay.
A biometric residence permit is issued for a 13,27 EUR fee with a validity period of five years.
Family members will be issued with a residence card if they have a valid travel document and if they:
- prove that they are a family member of an EEA national:
1. for proving marriage - extract from the register of marriages, not older than 6 months
2. for proving the existence of a common-law partnership – extract from the birth register not older than six months, or a single status certificate if the marriage status is not evident from the extract from the birth register, or an extract from the register of common-law partnerships if there is one in the country where there was the common-law partnership, and also an extract from the birth register for a child if a common child was born into the common-law partnership
3. for proving a parent-child relationship – extract from the birth register or a decision of the competent authority on the adoption of the child
4. for proving the relationship with a family member who is a dependent family member, a household member, or who is dependent on the EEA national due to a serious health condition, the following documents are required:
– extract from the birth register or a decision of the competent authority on the adoption of the child
– proof that the family member needs to be taken care of materially or for health reasons by the EEA national with whom the reunification is requested (medical documents, proof of dependency or guardianship, etc.).
The following
circumstances indicate a common-law partnership where no child has been born into it: a statement from common-law partners on their life together, proof of cohabitation prior to submitting the application, witness statements on the existence and duration of the common-law partnership, and other proof of the existence and duration of the common-law partnership.
- do not pose a threat to public policy or national security
- have not been imposed an entry and stay ban in the Republic of Croatia.
PERMANENT STAY
Family members who are not EEA nationals and who have been legally staying in the Republic of Croatia with an EEA national for a continuous period of at least five years are entitled to permanent stay.
An application for permanent stay (
Form 3b) can be submitted at a police administration/station according to the place of stay, prior to the expiry of a valid residence card for a family member of an EEA national.
Family members staying in the Republic of Croatia with an EEA national who has been granted the right of permanent stay pursuant to Article 33 of the Act on EEA Nationals and their Family Members will also be entitled to permanent stay, regardless of the duration of their stay in the Republic of Croatia.
A family member who is not an EEA national and who has the right to permanent stay will be issued with a residence card within six months from the date of submitting the application, for a fee of 13,27 EUR and a period of validity of ten years.
3. REGISTERING/CANCELLING TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT RESIDENCE
EEA nationals and their family members who have been granted temporary stay are obligated to register their temporary residence or change of temporary residence within 15 days from the day of their arrival in the place and at the address of temporary residence if they intend to stay in that place for more than three months.
EEA nationals and their family members who have been granted permanent stay are obligated to register their permanent residence and change of permanent residence within 15 days from the day of their settlement at the place and at the address of permanent residence.
EEA nationals and their family members who have been granted permanent stay are obligated to register their temporary residence in the place where they intend to stay for more than three months, within 15 days from the date of arrival in the place and at the address of temporary stay. Temporary residence can be registered for up to one year (if they intend to stay for more than one year, the are obligated to extend their temporary residence registration within 15 days from the expiry of that time limit. In any case, temporary residence cannot exceed two years). Exceptionally, if they are receiving education or performing tasks of non-permanent character, or if they are accommodated in various institutions, religious communities and other legal entities, with foster families and other natural persons, their temporary residence may last as long as their education, employment or accommodation in institutions, other legal entities and with natural persons. Relevant documents must be provided thereof.
Registration/cancellation of temporary or permanent residence, or registration of change in address of accommodation is submitted on
Form 6b together with a copy of an identity document, and a title deed, a purchase contract, or a lease contract certified by a notary or the ministry responsible for finance. If the lease contract has not been certified accordingly, the owner of the real estate must give his consent by signing Form 6b at the police administration/station.
If the person registering temporary or permanent residence is a family member of the owner of the real estate, he must submit a title deed or a purchase contract and the owner’s consent for registering temporary or permanent residence certified by a notary. If the consent has not been certified by a notary, the owner of the real estate must give his consent by signing Form 6b at a police administration/station.
When EEA nationals and their family members change their temporary residence or permanent residence, the police administration/station will register
ex officio the cancellation of the previous temporary residence or permanent residence.
