Moving to Croatia

Croatia is a Central European and Mediterranean country, on the Adriatic Sea. It is a small country that has a very irregular shape. Its capital is Zagreb, which only has 800,000 inhabitants of the 4.4 million population; its official language is Croatian. It is a high-income country that is part of the UN, and a candidate for the EU. It has a diverse terrain, consisting of planes, lakes and rolling hills in the North/Northeast, densely wooded mountains in the center, and rocky, usually sunny coastlines.

Visas

Work Visa

In order to work in Croatia, you must have a work permit.

There are two different types of work permits in Croatia. The first is a business permit, which is for people who will be self-employed, own a business, or provide services to a Croatian company. Business permits are granted for a period of two years, in which you are entitled to live in Croatia for that period.

If you will work for a Croatian company, your employer is required to request your standard work permit. You will have to provide necessary documentation (see below).

You should contact your nearest embassy for an application. You must fill it out and submit it back to them, along with:

1. Passport
2. Two passport photos
3. Details of your prospective job, such as a copy of your work contract, which explains its length, description and location
4. Birth certificate
5. Criminal background check
6. Proof of accommodation
7. Proof of sufficient funds

Your employer obtains your work permit on your behalf, if you are working for a company. Once you land in Croatia, you are required to go to a police station within 24 hours and apply for an extended residency permit.

Student Visa

For many countries, if you intend to stay in Croatia for a period of 90 days without re-entry, no visa is necessary. If you plan to exceed that, you must obtain a student visa.

You must submit the following to a Croatian consulate or embassy:

1. Completed visa application form
2. Planned itinerary for your trip
3. Passport valid for at least seven months, with two blank stamp pages
4. 2 Passport photos
5. Letter of acceptance from an accredited educational institution
6. Proof of funds
7. Police clearance certificate
8. Proof of health insurance
9. Certified copy of birth certificate

Moving Pets

In order to import your pet to Croatia, you must obtain an EU Pets Passport. Your pet is required to be microchipped, and vaccinated against rabies. You must provide proof of this vaccination, as well as an International Health Certificate from an accredited veterinarian, at customs.

Other Information

Click here for information about entering Croatia.

Click here for general information on the Croatian language.

Click here for a map of Croatia.

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