Living the GOOD LIFE for the REST OF YOUR LIFE!
CROATIAN
VISAS
British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and U.S. Citizens:
DO need a passport
DO NOT need a visa to stay in Croatia for up
to 90 days
Citizens of EU countries do not need a passport or a visa. All they need is their national photo ID card.
Your passport must be valid for three months PAST the 90 days you are allowed to stay, even if you are not staying for the entire term.
All visitors are required to register with the local police within 24 hours of arrival. If you are staying at a hotel, they will take care of this procedure for you. If you are renting a private residence, be sure you inquire as to the location of the police station so that you can register. Failure to register is a misdemeanor and you can be fined.
If you want to stay in Croatia for MORE than 90 days, then you must have a Residency Permit.
Residency Permits:
U.S. and Canadian citizens planning to stay in Croatia longer than 90 days within a six-month period, must apply to the Ministry of Interior for a temporary residence permit.
Your FIRST Temporary Stay Permit, MUST be applied for at the Croatian Embassy or a Consulate in the US. Go to:
http://www.mup.hr/main.aspx?id-1266
for further clarification. (click the language indicator at the top right once you enter the site.)
In the U.S., Residency Permits are issued by the following: Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Washington, D.C.; Consulate General in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
If you need a visa, you can present an application in person or by mail. You must submit: If applying by mail, an additional $15 US for postage and handling is also due. Checks must be made payable to the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia.
One thing the Croatian government will ask is why you wish to stay in their country for a prolonged period. Acceptable answers are: investment, business, family, employment, study, real estate rental or purchase. Even having a yacht moored in a Croatian marina qualifies for being considered for a residency permit.
Just know that an extensive background check will be made and that you will need your passport, two photos, a birth certificate with an apostille (notarized translation), health insurance, lease or purchase agreement, proof of adequate funding and a criminal history report that can be obtained from the FBI.
Detailed information on requesting FBI records can be found at http://www.fbi.gov/.
A temporary residence permit is valid for one year and can be easily renewed. You will not be able to get permanent residency status in Croatia until you’ve held a temporary residence permit for five years.
Again, foreign nationals have to apply for permanent residence with the MUP. Apart from five years of temporary residence, the only other ways you can gain permanent residency are through marriage to a Croatian citizen for at least three years, humanitarian reasons, or at the discretion of the Croatian government.
If you are a U.S. citizen and are already in Croatia, you can apply for temporary residency given the following conditions: humanitarian reasons; reunification of family members; participation in a government-approved science or education program.
You MUST apply in person at your local MUP office in Croatia and present extensive paperwork. See the above link for the paperwork needed.