Schengen FAQ
On 8 December 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted a Decision on the full application of the provisions of the Schengen acquis in the Republic of Croatia, and as of 1 January 2023 the Republic of Croatia became a Schengen Member State.
This has led to certain changes in crossing the internal and external borders. More specifically, checks on persons have been lifted on internal land and sea borders, and the provisions of the Schengen acquis referred to in the Annex to Council Decision (EU) 2022/2451 are now applicable to Croatia in its relations with other Member States.
The obligation to carry out border checks depends primarily on whether a person is crossing the external border, or is arriving from / leaving for a third country or a Schengen area Member State.
Borders checks on the internal air borders will be lifted as of 26 March 2023.
Border checks and border surveillance will no longer be carried out on the internal border (state border of the Republic of Croatia with the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia with Hungary).
All EU citizens and all persons who are legally staying in the Schengen area will be free to cross the border, unless they have been issued with a residence permit with limited territorial validity (in which case they can exercise this right only in the territory for which their permit was issued).
National short-stay visas issued by Croatia before 1 January 2023 will remain valid until they expire and can be used to transit across the territories of other Member States.
This has led to certain changes in crossing the internal and external borders. More specifically, checks on persons have been lifted on internal land and sea borders, and the provisions of the Schengen acquis referred to in the Annex to Council Decision (EU) 2022/2451 are now applicable to Croatia in its relations with other Member States.
The obligation to carry out border checks depends primarily on whether a person is crossing the external border, or is arriving from / leaving for a third country or a Schengen area Member State.
Borders checks on the internal air borders will be lifted as of 26 March 2023.
Border checks and border surveillance will no longer be carried out on the internal border (state border of the Republic of Croatia with the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia with Hungary).
All EU citizens and all persons who are legally staying in the Schengen area will be free to cross the border, unless they have been issued with a residence permit with limited territorial validity (in which case they can exercise this right only in the territory for which their permit was issued).
National short-stay visas issued by Croatia before 1 January 2023 will remain valid until they expire and can be used to transit across the territories of other Member States.
1. Does Croatia’s entry into Schengen change anything for EU citizens?
Croatia’s entry into the Schengen area does not change anything for EU citizens or other persons crossing the external border. Border checks will still be carried out in line with the Schengen Borders Code and other relevant regulations of the European Parliament and of the Council.
All EU citizens, including Croatian citizens who live in the neighbouring third countries will have to meet the same conditions as before Croatia became part of the Schengen area.
All EU citizens, including Croatian citizens who live in the neighbouring third countries will have to meet the same conditions as before Croatia became part of the Schengen area.
2. What about the border with Slovenia and Hungary?
Border checks and border surveillance will no longer be carried out on the internal border (state border of the Republic of Croatia with the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia with Hungary) All EU citizens and all persons who are legally staying in the Schengen area will be free to cross the border, unless they have been issued with a residence permit with limited territorial validity (in which case they can exercise this right only in the territory for which their permit was issued).
3. How will the time spent in the Schengen area be calculated as of 1 January 2023?
Pursuant to Article 6 of the Schengen Borders Code, third-country nationals may stay in the Schengen area on short-term stay of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, if they meet all the conditions.
Persons who have stayed in the Schengen area for 90 days must leave. The length of previous stay is calculated in reference to a 180-day period preceding each day of stay (e.g. if you have spent 45 days in the Schengen area in the last 180 calendar days, you still have 45 days left to spend in any of the Schengen Member States).
Persons who have stayed in the Schengen area for 90 days must leave. The length of previous stay is calculated in reference to a 180-day period preceding each day of stay (e.g. if you have spent 45 days in the Schengen area in the last 180 calendar days, you still have 45 days left to spend in any of the Schengen Member States).
4. What about border crossing points with Bosnia and Herzegovina and passengers who have border passes specified for crossing places and for border crossing points for local traffic?
The Agreement on local border traffic between the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina still applies and the number of border crossing points with Bosnia and Herzegovina remains the same. If you have a border pass specified for crossing places and for border crossing points for local traffic, you can still cross the border at those locations. In other words, border residents can continue to cross the border as before.
5. Are there any fees to enter the Schengen area?
Third-country nationals who are not required to have a visa do not pay any fees to enter the Schengen area. However, after the entry into force of the Regulation establishing a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), they will have to obtain an ETIAS travel authorisation for entry and short-term stay prior to their arrival in any EU or Schengen associated Member State. Their travel authorisation will have to be valid for the entire duration of their short-term stay in the Member States.
When applying for the travel authorisation, a €7 fee must be paid for each application form (applicants below the age of 18 or above the age 70 are exempt from paying the fee). The fee must be paid before submitting the application.
If approved, the authorisation will be valid for 3 years (or until the end of the validity of the travel document, if shorter). This means that the €7 fee will not be charged at each crossing.
When applying for the travel authorisation, a €7 fee must be paid for each application form (applicants below the age of 18 or above the age 70 are exempt from paying the fee). The fee must be paid before submitting the application.
If approved, the authorisation will be valid for 3 years (or until the end of the validity of the travel document, if shorter). This means that the €7 fee will not be charged at each crossing.
6. What is ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System)?
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System is an electronic EU system for visa-exempt visitors travelling to the European Union or the Schengen area, other than Ireland which is part of the Common Travel Area. ETIAS is expected to be operational in November 2023. The exact date will be published after it is confirmed by the European Commission.
7. What about checks on persons on the internal air borders?
Borders checks on the internal air borders will be lifted as of 26 March 2023. This means that border checks on persons in air traffic from 1 January 2023 to 25 March 2023 will remain in place in line with the Schengen rules.
8. Can those who are currently in Croatia on a tourist visa travel to other Schengen Member States after 1 January 2023?
If you have a Croatian visa issued before 1 January 2023, you cannot travel to other Schengen Member States. You can continue to stay in Croatia until your visa expires.
9. What about persons who entered Croatia several days before their Schengen visa expired with the intention of staying in Croatia for several months. Do they have to leave Croatia now that it is part of the Schengen area or are there exceptions for those who are already in the country, but their Schengen visa has expired?
They can stay in Croatia for as long as their visa is valid. However, they must make sure that their stay in the Schengen area after 1 January 2023 does not exceed 90 days within a 180-day period.
10. I live in Bulgaria. I have a Bulgarian long-term resident’s EU residence permit. I want to travel to Croatia. I can stay there for 90 days but, in the meantime, Croatia will become part of the Schengen area. Will there be a problem when I exit the country 2 or 3 months after my entry?
No, but you cannot use your residence permit to travel to other Schengen Member States after 1 January 2023.
11. I want to take my weapon, for which I have a licence, to another EU Member State. What is the procedure now that there are no more borders?
If you have registered a weapon in the Republic of Croatia and you want to take it to another EU Member State in which you reside, you have to obtain a licence in that state which will authorise you to do so.
Once you obtain this licence, you will unregister your weapon at the competent police administration or police station in the Republic of Croatia and you will obtain an authorisation to carry your weapon out of the Republic of Croatia.
Once you obtain this licence, you will unregister your weapon at the competent police administration or police station in the Republic of Croatia and you will obtain an authorisation to carry your weapon out of the Republic of Croatia.
12. Bringing hunting weapons into the Republic of Croatia and hunting near the state border
The border regime on the external borders of the European Union and the requirements for bringing hunting weapons into the Republic of Croatia have not changed since the Republic of Croatia became a Schengen Member State on 1 January 2023. Border checks on weapons brought into the Republic of Croatia are prescribed by the Act on Acquisition and Possession of Weapons by Citizens (Official Gazette 94/18, 42/20 and 114/22). Third-country nationals, including citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, can bring hunting weapons into the Republic of Croatia under the same conditions as before 1 January 2023.
Any hunting (whether in a group or alone) near the state border still needs to be notified in writing to the competent police station in line with Article 31, paragraph 3 of the State Border Control Act, which reads as follows: “Individual or group hunting 300 m within the border line shall be announced in writing to the competent police station no less than 24 hours prior to the beginning of the hunt.”
Hunting near the state border is also regulated by Article 6 of the Ordinance on the conditions and rules of hunting:
Holders of European Firearms Passes arriving in the Republic of Croatia for the purpose of hunting, sports competitions or historical reenactments may bring into the Republic of Croatia weapons entered into their European Firearms Pass provided that, pursuant to the Act on Acquisition and Possession of Weapons by Citizens, it is allowed to acquire and possess such weapons and provided that they have a letter of invitation or other proof showing the reason for their arrival related to hunting, target shooting, archery or historical reenactments.
Holders of European Firearms Passes may carry and transport across the territory of the Republic of Croatia weapons entered into their European Firearms Pass provided that they have previously obtained an authorisation to carry and transport weapons which was issued by the competent authorities of the Republic of Croatia and of all EEA Member States or the Swiss Confederation across whose territory they intend to carry and transport weapons, and provided that those authorisations are entered in their European Firearms Pass which they must show whenever requested to do so by the competent authorities of Member States.
Exceptionally, prior authorisation to carry and transport weapons across the territory of the Republic of Croatia and all EEA Member States or the Swiss Confederation across whose territory the holders intend to carry and transport their weapons is not required if the weapon they are carrying and transporting is entered into their European Firearms Pass and if they have a letter of invitation or other proof showing the reason for their arrival in the destination EEA Member State or the Swiss Confederation related to hunting, target shooting, archery or historical reenactments, and if the European Firearms Pass does not contain a note that journey to a particular EEA Member State or the Swiss Confederation through whose territory the holder intends to travel is prohibited or a note that journey to a particular EEA Member State or the Swiss Confederation through whose territory the holder intends to travel is subject to authorisation.
As regards poaching, even though the Republic of Croatia became part of the Schengen area, the border is not entirely without surveillance. The border police will continue to implement compensatory measures with the aim of combating all criminal and misdemeanour offences related to cross-border crime.
They have now gained more mobility and they will continue to combat poaching in cooperation with hunting associations.
Any hunting (whether in a group or alone) near the state border still needs to be notified in writing to the competent police station in line with Article 31, paragraph 3 of the State Border Control Act, which reads as follows: “Individual or group hunting 300 m within the border line shall be announced in writing to the competent police station no less than 24 hours prior to the beginning of the hunt.”
Hunting near the state border is also regulated by Article 6 of the Ordinance on the conditions and rules of hunting:
- Paragraph 1 “Any hunting 300 m within the border line shall be announced in writing to the competent police station no less than 24 hours prior to the beginning of the hunt.”
- Paragraph 2 “Game hunting referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article must not be done in such a way as to violate the state border.”
- Paragraph 3 “If wounded game crosses the state border, the owner of hunting rights shall inform thereof the owner of hunting rights in the neighbouring state to which the wounded game fled.”
Holders of European Firearms Passes arriving in the Republic of Croatia for the purpose of hunting, sports competitions or historical reenactments may bring into the Republic of Croatia weapons entered into their European Firearms Pass provided that, pursuant to the Act on Acquisition and Possession of Weapons by Citizens, it is allowed to acquire and possess such weapons and provided that they have a letter of invitation or other proof showing the reason for their arrival related to hunting, target shooting, archery or historical reenactments.
Holders of European Firearms Passes may carry and transport across the territory of the Republic of Croatia weapons entered into their European Firearms Pass provided that they have previously obtained an authorisation to carry and transport weapons which was issued by the competent authorities of the Republic of Croatia and of all EEA Member States or the Swiss Confederation across whose territory they intend to carry and transport weapons, and provided that those authorisations are entered in their European Firearms Pass which they must show whenever requested to do so by the competent authorities of Member States.
Exceptionally, prior authorisation to carry and transport weapons across the territory of the Republic of Croatia and all EEA Member States or the Swiss Confederation across whose territory the holders intend to carry and transport their weapons is not required if the weapon they are carrying and transporting is entered into their European Firearms Pass and if they have a letter of invitation or other proof showing the reason for their arrival in the destination EEA Member State or the Swiss Confederation related to hunting, target shooting, archery or historical reenactments, and if the European Firearms Pass does not contain a note that journey to a particular EEA Member State or the Swiss Confederation through whose territory the holder intends to travel is prohibited or a note that journey to a particular EEA Member State or the Swiss Confederation through whose territory the holder intends to travel is subject to authorisation.
As regards poaching, even though the Republic of Croatia became part of the Schengen area, the border is not entirely without surveillance. The border police will continue to implement compensatory measures with the aim of combating all criminal and misdemeanour offences related to cross-border crime.
They have now gained more mobility and they will continue to combat poaching in cooperation with hunting associations.