Croatia’s collection of treaties

The Collection of Treaties of the Republic of Croatia refers to a list kept by the powers that be which details all of the bilateral treaties and international acts currently valid between Croatia and individual nations across the world. A significant number of multilateral treaties agreed with individual countries are also included in the Collection of Treaties, given their similarity to bilateral treaties in most cases.

Croatia is an eU Member State, and so EU law applies across the 27 member bloc

Given the fact that the Republic of Croatia has been an EU Member State since July 2013, all European Union countries fall under the treaties of the EU. This makes things far more simple if you’re a foreign national living in Croatia and you’re from another EU country. It’s also simplified if the situation is reversed, i.e, if you’re a Croatian national living elsewhere in the European Union.

While it’s still sometimes necessary to view the details of bilateral treaties your country has with Croatia even if both nations are EU Member States, it might be helpful for you to check out the EU’s official website.

What information is provided in the overview of treaties?

In the overview of each bilateral (or trilateral or multilateral, as the case may be) treaty Croatia has with another recognised nation, the following information is provided:

The official name of the bilateral treaty/agreement in question

The date of said treaty’s conclusion

Any information pertaining to its possible termination

The date of said treaty’s entry into force (legality)

The number of the Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia (Narodne Novine) in which the information on the treaty in question has been published, and the number of the same publication in the date of the treaty’s entry into force

How can I check on the bilateral treaties between my country and the Republic of Croatia?

You might be surprised to learn that doing this is fairly simple. Simply click here, select your country from the drop-down box provided, and click Search. A table of the information and the dates of the conclusion of each bilateral treaty is then shown.

The post How to Check Bilateral Treaties Between Croatia and Your Country appeared first on Total Croatia.

What is a Croatian e-Citizen?

A Croatian e-citizen is someone who utilises the portal e-citizens (e-gradjani) in order to complete various different tasks, and request all kinds of different documents. You can check the status of your health insurance coverage, request certain documents from the state such as proof of your residence, and so on.

How do I become one?

In order to become a Croatian e-citizen, you first need to be one of the following: a Croatian citizen, a foreign citizen with residence in Croatia, an EEA citizen with residence in Croatia, a digital nomad currently registered in Croatia, or an EU citizen using the service via a cross-border cooperation code. One important thing to note is that parents can use the service on behalf of their minor children, and individuals can also use it on behalf of a business they have registered in the Republic of Croatia. You’ll need to have credentials to be able to use the service, and no, I don’t mean that degree in art history you’ve never used.

What are the credentials I need?

In order to use the e-citizens platform, you’ll need to have one or more of the list of accepted credentials. This sounds daunting, but it isn’t. There are credentials are items you’ll typically use in your daily life to prove that you are who you claim to be, such as your passport, ID card or driving license. When it comes to becoming a Croatian e-citizen, you’ll need electronic ID, such as your bank login details (an internet banking token, in this case). There are different levels of security within the e-citizens platform which are called NIAS digital credentials. These different levels allow for access to different things. An extensive list of what sort of credentials will get you access to what, and who can use them, can be found here.

What if I don’t have any of the NIAS credentials listed?

If you don’t have any of those credentials, don’t worry! You can also head to FINA (the Financial Agency), and request a free government-issued digital mToken which will act as your credential. This is called an ePass, and more information can be found here.

How do I log in to the e-Citizens platform?

Logging in is your next step after determining what NIAS credentials you have, or after you’ve requested a free ePass from Fina. Click here to log into the platform, and then choose your chosen NIAS credential or enter your Fina-issued ePass details.

How do I activate my user inbox?

Once you’ve logged into the platform, you’ll want to utilise your user inbox. This message inbox allows you to receive official messages from the state and from state institutions. These messages range from information on the status of an application you have lodged with a state institution, to public service announcements and procedures you’re engaged in.

Your inbox, which allows you to have safe communication with the state, isn’t automatically activated simply by logging into the platform. Users must activate it by going to the Catalogue of Services option, then clicking “User Inbox Service” and accepting the terms and conditions (General Terms of Use) then shown.

There’s even an app for that

In the modern, often stressful world we’re currently living in, there’s an app for just about everything. The user inbox offered by the e-citizens service is also available to download as an app on both Android and iOS operating systems. Download mPretinac on Android here, and on iOS here.

The post How to Become a Croatian e-Citizen appeared first on Total Croatia.

First things first, what is the S1 form?

If you’re drawing a UK state pension or you have some other form of British exportable benefit, and you’re living in the Republic of Croatia, you’re most likely entitled to an S1 form, as GOV.UK explains. The S1 form entitles you to state healthcare paid for by the UK as opposed to the Croatian state. It’s important to note that not all technically exportable UK benefits entitle you to an S1 form. Here’s a handy list of those which are exportable.

Who is entitled to an S1 form?

As stated above, if you’re drawing your UK state pension or you have some other kind of exportable benefit issued by the UK, you’re likely entitled to one. The emphasis is here is on the word likely. Don’t simply assume. You can check your eligibility by clicking here.

Even if you’re not drawing a UK state pension, you may still be entitled to an S1 form if you’re in Croatia temporarily, having been sent there by your employer as a posted worker. You can find out more about your national insurance as a temporary non-UK resident and posted worker here. In addition to using an S1 form (if you’re eligible as a posted or detached worker sent from the UK to an EEA country), you can also use your GHIC or your UK-issued EHIC, if the latter is still valid.

Frontier workers

Much like posted workers, you may be entitled to an S1 form if you’re temporarily in Croatia (in this case, working in one country but actually registered as living in another). HMRC has a helpline you can call for all your questions regarding this.

How do I get an S1 form?

In order to get your hands on this form which will see the UK cover your healthcare expenses in Croatia, you’ll need to contact the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services by phone. When in contact, you’ll need to ask them for an S1 application form. The contact details of this service are detailed below:

NHS Overseas Healthcare Services
Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 1999
Monday to Friday, 08:00 – 18:00
Saturday, 09:00 – 15:00

Once you’ve applied and been granted an S1 form, you’ll need to register it with the powers that be in Croatia (I know, I can hear how thrilled you are). Once that’s done through HZZO (the Croatian Health Insurance Fund), you and your UK dependants will be covered by it and entitled to healthcare on the same basis as Croatian nationals and permanent residents. You should make sure to find out precisely what Croatia considers to be a dependant in this case, as it may vary from what the UK deems one to be.

One important point to note is that once any of your registered dependants begin drawing their own UK state pensions, their health insurance through you will cease and they’ll need to apply for their own S1 form. The same process of them registering their S1 form with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund must then be undertaken. You need to keep the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services updated of any changes to your address or contact details.

Registering your S1 form at your local HZZO office

I mentioned registering your S1 form with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund above, so I’ll get into the details now. There are many different local Croatian Health Insurance Fund offices dotted all over the country, so you’ll need to locate the one closest to your registered address in Croatia. You can easily use Google Maps for this, but there’s also a handy list, so just click on your city or area (Zagreb, Osijek, Pazin, Dubrovnik, Split etc).

Now comes the waiting game, and if you’ve spent any time trying to get anything done administratively while living in Croatia, you’ll know that the waiting game is part of just about everything you’ll ever do involving paperwork here. It can take three months for your health insurance card to arrive. Thankfully, however, you’ll be given a letter there and then confirming your coverage, so if you need to seek medical treatment, the letter will suffice.

Caveats

Holding an S1 form means you and your dependants are entitled to state healthcare on the same basis as a Croatian citizen or permanent resident. It doesn’t mean it is free like it is in the UK. Much like in the UK, where certain things are not free, such as dental care, eye care and prescriptions, Croatian citizens and permanent residents need to pay small symbolic fees for certain things called co-payments.

The post Navigating Croatian Health Insurance – The UK’s S1 Form appeared first on Total Croatia.

First and foremost, much like in other countries, divorce in Croatia is initiated either through the filing of a joint petition for divorce by both marital partners (in the case of uncontested divorce), or via a lawsuit filed by one partner against the other. While this process is relatively straightforward when no children are involved, when underage kids are caught in the mess of your split, things can become a bit more complicated, as you might imagine.

Compulsory counselling in the case of underage kids

While remaining together for the sake of the children is certainly not always for the best, in Croatia, marital spouses who share underage children have to apply to the Croatian Social Welfare Institute to undergo compulsory counselling before they are given the green light to file a petition for divorce with the court.

While this is part of it, this type of counselling isn’t solely done with the purpose of keeping the family together for the sake of the children involved, as gov.hr explains. The purpose of compulsory counselling in this case is to familiarise both of the marital spouses with the option of first starting family or marital counselling should they so wish. This is aimed at highlighting legal and psycho-social consequences of divorcing, as well as the impact on child welfare. It’s also done so that the parties may develop a proper parenting plan.

Family mediation

If the marital spouses fail to come up with a proper parenting plan in the course of said compulsory counselling, then they’ll also have to attend what’s known as a family mediation session. The exception to this general rule is when allegations of domestic violence have been made. Family mediation is carried out by the Family Centre.

What is a parenting plan in the Croatian sense?

When getting a divorce in Croatia when underage children are in the picture, a parenting plan is classed as a written agreement in which both parents agree to share custody after their cohabitation ceases. A parenting plan includes:

The child’s place and address of residence

The amount of time the child is going to spend with each parent

The method of exchange of information regarding giving approval and consent when making decisions important for the child

The method of exchange of important information about the child

Child support payment amounts

The method in which future disputable issues are set to be resolved

Any and all other issues considered important for the child in specific situations and cases

Upon court approval, these plans become enforceable

This type of parenting plan becomes an enforceable document once it is approved and certified by the court. Shared custody can also be regulated by a court decision based on the agreement which the parents getting a divorce in Croatia reached in the course of the proceedings held before the court.

If a parenting plan can’t be agreed upon, the court decides on custody arrangements

If no agreement is reached by the parties getting a divorce in Croatia, the court decides on the custody arrangements itself. If the parents cannot come to this decision and the court is forced to do so, the opinions of either the child or children are taken into account, and the court appoints a special guardian for the child or children. This guardian will represent the child or children when in court, and they are free to request an expert opinion from a social welfare centre or a court expert witness should that be necessary.

The post How to Get Divorced in Croatia When You Have Children appeared first on Total Croatia.

Local Croatian-BiH border passes

First things first, we need to clear up what exactly the Republic of Croatia issues, and what the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina issues. If you live within five miles of the Croatian-BiH border on Croatian territory, then Bosnia and Herzegovina will be the body which issues you with local Croatian-BiH border passes. If you live within five kilometres of the border but in Bosnia and Herzegovina, then the Croatian authorities will be the body which issues you with the pass.

Why are local Croatian-BiH border passes issued at all?

If you have legitimate economic, personal (such as family and social) connections with border area between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, or perhaps you own property located there, then you can apply for this pass.

How you can apply for a pass

If you live within a five kilometre radius of the Croatian-BiH border, then you can make your application for a pass. In order to apply, you’ll need to come physically to an administrative police station or go to a Croatian consular post located on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Once approved, you’ll once again need to go in person to pick up your local border pass. This collection will take place at the location at which the initial application was made (either at an administrative police station or at a diplomatic mission/Croatian consular post in BiH).

These passes are issued solely upon the direct and written request of an applicant on the basis of Article 7 of the Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia on local border traffic.

What you’ll need to enclose alongside your application

Alongside your application form, you’ll also need to present the authorities with numerous documents.

Your valid travel document and a copy of it will be required (this will then be compared and confirmed to be a match by the officer)

You’ll need to prove that you live within five kilometres of the border

You’ll need to provide adequate proof of your need to cross the Croatian-BiH border frequently under the conditions of the local traffic regime for which local Croatian-BiH border passes are issued. Said proof must not be older than six months from the date of your application. This proof can be an employment contract, proof of your property ownership, proof you’re a land owner, the deeds to your house, etc).

Two photographs of yourself (30×35 mm).

How long does one pass remain valid?

The maximum period of time for which local Croatian-BiH border passes can be issued is five years, or earlier if the government issued identity document used to make the application for said pass expires sooner than that. As of the day the Republic of Croatia entered the European Union (July the 1st, 2013), local Croatian-BiH border passes have contained an RFID chip, which means they’re biometric and boast electronic data storage.

How much do they cost once approved?

Once approved for your pass, you’ll need to pay just under 30 euros to the authorities (MUP says 29.86 euros to be precise, at the time of writing).

The post How Local Croatian-BiH Border Passes Work appeared first on Total Croatia.

Why would someone want to terminate their Croatian citizenship?

That’s a good question, and the answer to that doesn’t merely lie in a very dramatic response to disliking HDZ and running off to Ireland. If you’ve been guaranteed the citizenship of another country in which you live or which would be of more use to you in your personal circumstances, and that country doesn’t allow dual citizenship in your situation, then you can terminate your citizenship by law here.

Croatia cannot make any individual stateless

According to the Interior Ministry (MUP), an application for the termination of citizenship can be submitted by Croatian citizens if, in addition to holding Croatian citizenship, they also hold foreign citizenship or a foreign country guarantees to grant them admission to their citizenship on the condition that they terminate Croatian citizenship.

As a fully fledged member of the EU, Croatia cannot make any individual who holds its citizenship stateless. This means that it cannot remove the citizenship of any person unless they already hold the nationality of another recognised nation. In the second case, it cannot do so unless they will be admitted to the register of citizens of another country upon losing their Croatian citizenship.

The application to terminate your citizenship must be made in person

Much like with everything else administrative in this country, you’ll need to start this process in person at the administrative police station at which your residence is registered. You can use a legal representative if you’re disabled or if some exceptional circumstances have arisen. You can also submit your application to terminate your citizenship at a diplomatic/consular post abroad.

Your Croatian nationality can be terminated if you completely fulfil the requirements laid out in the current law. We’ll get into those below.

The documents you’ll require

The proper application form (obtainable at MUP)

Your government issued ID or a certified copy of it

An extract from the register of births

Your CV

Proof of you holding foreign citizenship or proof that you’ll be admitted to the register of citizens (be granted citizenship) of another recognised country upon termination of your Croatian citizenship. This must also include a certified translation into the Croatian language.

You’ll need to provide the powers that be a statement as to why you’re seeking to terminate your Croatian citizenship

It costs a pretty penny to cut ties with Croatia

You need to pay to renounce your Croatian citizenship – just under 335 euros, to be more precise.

The post How to Terminate Your Croatian Citizenship appeared first on Total Croatia.

What does Croatia define as marriage?

In Croatia, marriage is considered to be what the rest of Europe and most of the world deems it – a legally sanctioned union between a man and a woman that is entered into with the consent of both parties before a registrar or a religious officiant. Any adult (a person over the age of 18) who has their legal capacity remaining in their own hands can enter into marriage. Those who are 16 and over (but under 18) can also get married as long as they have previous court permission to do so.

Naturally, there are exceptions. You can’t marry a blood relative, you can’t marry if you’ve been stripped of your legal capacity or if you’re not sound of mind, and you can’t marry in this fashion if you’re in a same sex life partnership sealed in accordance with special regulations.

Having a civil ceremony

Croatia is a generally fairly religious country (Catholicism) and cultural and traditional customs continue to play a more or less big role in most wedding ceremonies. That said, if you aren’t religious and you don’t fancy going through the (endless) motions of your typical Catholic-style wedding, you can opt for a more simple approach that has far less focus on the Big Man Upstairs and more on your union.

If you’ve decided to get married by a civil ceremony, before you and your partner visit the registrar, you should obtain the documents you’ll need, choose the date and place for the ceremony, decide on what you’re doing surname-wise, choose two witnesses, and declare your intention to marry to the registrar (in person).

Once you’ve been to the registrar physically and declared your intentions, you’ll be asked to set the date of the wedding ceremony. This date generally must be within 30 to 45 days after this declaration to the registrar is formally made. When there are justified reasons for this requirement not being fulfilled, the wedding date can be later, but it must no later than 90 days from the initial declaration.

What documents will I need?

Considering Croatia’s bizarre love for paperwork and red tape, there’s remarkably little bureaucracy involved in this part. You’ll need proof that you’re free to marry, an extract from the birth register and a court decision declaring that you have permission to marry (this doesn’t apply to you if you’re over 18, which I assume you are). Those documents mustn’t be more than three months (90 days) old when you hand them over.

You’ll also be required to present government issued ID and proof of your citizenship to the registrar. As a rule, these are an ID card or a passport.

Religious marriage ceremonies

If you’re religious and want to do it all with bells on, or go the whole nine yards as they say, you’ll likely want a religious marriage ceremony. This sort of ceremony is performed solely by an officiant of a religious community that has regulated their legal relationship with the nation of Croatia.

Before entering into religious marriage in the Republic of Croatia, you must obtain a certificate of meeting the requirements to marry from the registrar competent for the place the wedding ceremony is going to take place in. In order to be issued with this document, you’re required to present the same documents required for a civil ceremony.

Civil partnerships

If you want to enter into a civil partnership in Croatia, you absolutely can and it is another of the currently recognised Croatian marital unions. If you’re in a same sex relationship and you want to make things more official, this option is open to you and you must perform it in front of a registrar.

What does Croatia consider to be a civil partnership?

In Croatia, a civil partnership is considered to be the union of of two individuals of the same sex which is entered into before a registrar in order to form a family. In this country, civil partnerships are entered into in the presence of the persons intending to enter into a civil partnership, a registrar and two witnesses. A civil partnership is formed when the persons consent to entering into it in front of said individuals.

Just like any of the other legally recognised Croatian marital unions (or civil ones), certain requirements must be fulfilled before the ceremony can go ahead.

What documents will I need?

In order to enter into a civil partnership in Croatia, you’ll need to be over the age of 18 (both parties, obviously), you’ll need to be of the same sex as your partner, you’ll both have needed to provide explicit consent to the partnership, and you’ll need to have the civil partnership ceremony performed by a registrar. Anyone who is over the age of 18 can be a witness to a civil partnership ceremony as long as they have retained their legal capacity.

Much like with marriage, you cannot enter into a civil partnership in Croatia if you’re under 18, if you’re blood relatives (both lineal and collateral up until the fourth degree of kinship, to be precise), if you’re already in a civil partnership with another person, or if you’re legal capacity has been taken away or you’re not sound of mind.

If you hold Croatian citizenship, you’ll need to also present your ID. If you’re a foreign national, you’ll need to present your passport as proof of your citizenship, and extract from the birth register from the country of your birth, and proof you’re not married or in a civil partnership with someone else.

What about surnames?

There are multiple options available to those entering into a civil partnership in Croatia when it comes to the pesky surname issue. Both parties can either choose to continue as they have been until now and not bother to alter anything at all, they can use both of their surnames and pick a combination of the two (choosing which comes first and which comes second), or they can simply use one surname as their family surname.

Consensual union

A consensual union is one of the recognised Croatian marital unions which is less formal. In this case, a man and a woman (who are both unmarried) are free to enter into one if they have been living together for a period of at least three years. That period can be shortened if they intend to marry or if they have a child together.

This type of union carries the same personal and financial implications as a marriage does in Croatia. That also means that the legal provisions on the rights and obligations of marital spouses, the rights and obligations of parents and children, maintenance obligations and obligations from property relations and other relations also apply to it accordingly.

For the specifics when there is a child or children involved, including maintenance, parenting plans and divorce, click here.

Informal civil partnership

Unlike the type of civil partnership I’ve already described above, this is an option for same sex couples who do not want to engage in the official side of things, but do wish to form a union to create a family unit. The relationship must have existed for at least three years beforehand and all of the other requirements for a formal civil partnership (if that were being pursued) have been met from the beginning.

What does it involve?

An informal civil partnership has personal and financial implications to which the provisions of the Civil Partnership Act apply accordingly in the area of personal rights, relations related to children and the property rights of both civil partners.
 
In the area of inheritance, taxes and pensions, the social welfare system, mandatory health insurance and healthcare, employment rights and obligations, access to public and market services and the public legal position, informal civil partnerships produce the same effects as those recognised for consensual unions in special regulations governing these areas.
 

The post A Guide to Croatian Marital Unions appeared first on Total Croatia.

Short answer – yes. Long(er) answer – the case of a third country national who has already been approved and holds the status of a permanent resident in another EEA country (not Croatia) is treated slightly differently to that of a third country national who doesn’t have permanent residence in another EEA country.

Croatian law is a fascinating thing. There is a rule created for just about every possible conceivable circumstance, no matter how specific. There are also ten clerks who can’t interpret it, but that’s some humour best left for another time. This one is fairly simple.

If you’re a third country national who has been granted permanent residence in another EEA country, you can apply for short-term stay under the following rules, and by providing the same documents as listed below, meaning that you can stay in Croatia until the expiry of the visa or the residence card issued to you by the EEA country which has approved your permanent residence in that country, and for a maximum period of three months from the date of your initial entry into Croatia.

Here’s what you’ll need when applying for temporary Croatian residence:

Your birth certificate.

A copy of your birth certificate.

A valid passport.

The permanent residence card issued to you by another EEA country

A scanned copy (it’s wise to make several copies), of the photographic ID of the page with your details in your passport and the permanent residence card issued to you by another EEA country

A colour 35x45mm photograph (passport style, not passport size – MUP will either take your photo there and then or direct you to a nearby place to have it done to the correct measure).

Proof of health insurance

Proof of funds to sustain yourself for the foreseen length of stay in Croatia (this can be proven with a printed statement from the bank showing and attesting to the amount in the account).

Proof of the justification of the reason behind your request for temporary residency.

Proof of having housing (this can be proven in several ways, either with a notarized rental contract, proof of home ownership, or having your landlord or whoever you’re staying with come with you in person).

In some cases, a police clearance certificate from the applicant’s home country is required, however, this is not always asked for, so make sure to ask if you need this beforehand!

The documents submitted with the correct form you must fill in from MUP must be either originals, or certified copies. These foreign documents are usually required to be translated (with a certified translation) into the Croatian language. The documents must not be older than six months.

Just as with the normal procedure, if you intend to stay longer than three months (before the expiration of the visa or residence permit from another EEA country) you can apply for a temporary residence permit at your local police station in Croatia, or in the Croatian consulate of the EEA country which approved your permanent residence there.

Caveats

If you’re successful, you’ll be given a biometric residence permit proving your Croatian temporary residence.

As a third country national who has been granted temporary Croatian residence, members of your family can also be granted temporary Croatian residence for the purpose of family reunification, if that family member also holds a valid residence permit in another EEA country, or if they’ve been resident in a shared household with you, as a third country national, in the EEA country in which you hold permanent residence.

Family members in this case are spouses and partners, underage biological children and underage adopted children.

Unlike in the case for EEA citizens, for third-country nationals (and yes, that includes those who hold permanent residence in another EEA country), it can take a while before you hear of the outcome of the Ministry of the Interior’s decision when it comes to the application you’ve submitted, and you might need to follow up to see how things stand. Don’t worry if you don’t hear much, but do make sure to follow up. Ask questions if you’re unsure, no matter the attitude of the person answering, and seek a second opinion should you feel the need to do so. 

You can email MUP in Zagreb at any time, responses might not be quick, but you’ll get one eventually in any case: pitanja@mup.hr.

Keep up with our How to Croatia, Moving to Croatia and Living in Croatia articles by following our dedicated lifestyle section.

The post Got an EEA PR Card? Here’s How to Get Temporary Croatian Residence appeared first on Total Croatia.

Third country nationals are nationals who hold the citizenships of countries which do not belong to the European Economic Area (EEA) and British nationals who did not exercise their right to free movement when the UK was an EU member state. These people have three types of stay in Croatia available to them. If you’re serious about moving to Croatia permanently you must typically go through each, they are as follows: short-term stay, temporary residence, and permanent residence.

Short-term stay

Short-term stay is the right to remain in Croatia for up to 90 days in a 180 day period, regardless of whether you required a visa to enter or not. This can really only be shortened by the specifics of your visa, if you needed one, so make sure to read what it says, then read it again, and again. Typically, however, it is 90 days in any 180 days.

Temporary residence

A request for temporary residence for a third country national who does require a visa to enter Croatia should be submitted in a diplomatic mission, more specifically a Croatian consulate in their country of origin, and, I’ll repeat, not in the Republic of Croatia, as is the legal procedure for EEA citizens and third country nationals who do not require a visa.

In some circumstances, such as if you’re the life partner or the family member of a Croatian citizen, you might be permitted to submit your application for residency within Croatian territory, but do not risk it, if you’re a third country national who needs a visa, you run the risk of being refused and told to do so from your own country, before returning again. Save yourself some cash and don’t leave this up to fate, it isn’t worth it. Do it from home after being granted your visa to enter.

If, however, you manage to be given the green light to apply from within Croatia, make sure you do so at the soonest possible opportunity, and no later than eight days before the end of your permitted 90 days of stay. Failure to do so can result in a fine.

You can apply for your first residence permit within several circumstances. They are: family reunification, life partnership or marriage, work, education, for research purposes, humanitarian reasons, or other purposes.

If you apply under ”work”, your permit will be a stay and work permit.

Choose which one you choose to go for carefully as this will govern the reasons behind the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) granting you a permit. If you’re found to have strayed from the reason(s) provided, you might end up in some hot water or even risk having the permit terminated.

While permit termination is indeed a worst-case scenario and getting a fine is a more likely ”punishment”, my advice would be to apply for ”other purposes” to give you more freedom while living in Croatia.

When an application is successful, then it’s successful, and your worries are over for a year before renewing it, but upon being informed of your success, make sure to ask just what purposes it has been granted for, just to be sure.

Caveats

Please be aware that many third country nationals have been surprised to be told that they can only apply under ”other purposes” for their first year of residence in Croatia. After that, you should expect to be asked to provide a concrete reason, such as family reunification, life partnership or marriage, work, education, humanitarian reasons (and be able to prove that your reason is true), to be granted a second year. This is not always the case, but it does happen very often.

What do you need to provide to be approved as a third country national?

Your birth certificate

A copy of your birth certificate

A valid passport 

A scanned copy (its wise to make several copies), of the photographic ID of the page with your details in your passport

A colour 35x45mm photograph (passport style, not passport size – MUP will either take your photo there and then or direct you to a nearby place to have it done to the correct measure)

Proof of health insurance (ask specifically as to how this can be showcased at the consulate if you apply from outside of Croatia)

Proof of funds to sustain yourself for the foreseen length of stay in Croatia (this can be proven with a printed statement from the bank showing and attesting to the amount in the account)

Proof of the justification of the reason behind your request for temporary residency

Proof of having housing (this can be proven in several ways, either with a notarised rental contract, proof of home ownership, or having your landlord or whoever you’re staying with come with you in person)

Proof of having paid consular tax if your application has been made in your country of origin, which, as stated several times, it should be

In some cases, a police clearance certificate from the applicant’s home country is required, however, this is not always asked for, so make sure to ask if you need this beforehand!

The documents submitted with the correct form you must fill in from MUP must be either originals, or certified copies. These foreign documents are usually required to be translated (with a certified translation) into the Croatian language. The documents must not be older than six months (aside from the obvious documents which will be older than six months, such as your original passport and original birth certificate).

The conditions for approval of your residence permit

As a third-country national moving to Croatia, you will be granted temporary residence if you can prove the purpose of your request for temporary residence, if you own a valid travel document/passport, the correct health insurance, and in the case that there are no restrictions on your entrance or stay in Croatia, and that you don’t pose a threat to public health or to national security.

In some cases, applicants are told that they do not need to prove that they have health insurance or the means to sustain themselves for the length of their stay if they are the family members of a Croatian national. Don’t rely on this, depending on who you speak to, this requirement alters. Make sure you have the means and are ready to prove you have both should you be asked to do so.

The first temporary residence permit for a third country national moving to Croatia is typically issued with a validity of up to one year, this isn’t always the case and in some situations it can be for longer, but usually it is one year and you should therefore expect it to be. The travel documents of third-country nationals requesting temporary residence must be valid for at least three months longer than the period covered by the temporary residence permit.

The permit is provided first in the form of a white sheet of paper (registration certificate) which acts as your temporary ID, and then, about three or four weeks later, in the form of a biometric residence card which also acts as photographic ID.

If you’re applying at a diplomatic mission/Croatian consulate abroad, make sure to ask how the following procedure works. If you have made your application as a third country national within the Republic of Croatia you will be given a slip of paper attesting to the fact that your request has been granted while the card is made. Do not lose this piece of paper!

As previously stated, MUP will either take your photo at the station or direct you to a place in which to have it taken.

If you have managed to apply from within the country, you will be required to come and pick up your biometric permit in person. This is likely the same when having applied at a consulate abroad. Again, ask about the consulate procedure where you are. If you have been allowed to apply from within the country, you will be allowed to stay in Croatia legally until a decision on approval is reached.

Caveats

Once you’re granted your residence permit, you must carry it on your person at all times when in Croatia, you can be stopped and asked to show it by the police, just as any national can. If you fail to produce it, you can be hit with a 100 kuna fine.

If you change your address, make sure to inform the police. If you move to a different city or jurisdiction, make sure to inform the police in your new city and be ready, if asked to do so, to provide proof of the move. Don’t be taken aback or surprised if the police decide to turn up at your door at random to ”make sure you really do live there”, this doesn’t happen to everyone, but it can and does occur.

If you do move to another area of the country, the rule is that you must inform the police in your new area as soon as possible (typically within 15 days). This rule is very loose. When you go to the police in your new area to register your change of address, you will need to have a new ID card made and pay the administration fee (79.50 kuna), and have a new photo taken. This is not a new application and is just a formality.

Third country nationals with temporary residence must not leave Croatia for periods longer than thirty days in continuation unless they have a good reason and are given permission by MUP to do so. This is something that should be discussed with MUP or at your consulate of initial application as you’re likely to not be told anything about this unless you ask yourself. If you can read Croatian, you can read more about that here.

Permanent residence for third-country nationals

You can renew your temporary residence permit year on year at the police station should you have been granted a one year permit. As is typical, you must do so several days before the expiry of your current permit, make sure to ask how many days before expiry you need to do so. This is typically 60 days before expiration of the current permit. Failure to adhere to this can result in a fine.

To repeat what I have already written a few paragraphs ago, third country nationals can expect to need to provide a concrete reason (and concrete proof of that reason) for a second year of residence and may find that ”other purposes” won’t be accepted again.

After five years of continuous, legal residence in the Republic of Croatia, you have the right to apply for permanent residence. Permanent residence comes in the form of a similar biometric permit but with a validity period of ten years, which is then simply renewed like a passport would be every decade, without any further questions or requirements from the authorities.

What will permanent residence mean?

Permanent residence provides almost all of the rights a Croatian citizen enjoys and when granted, you are no longer subject to any conditions as long as you do not leave Croatia for more than two consecutive years, or for more than five consecutive years if you’re a British national who held legal residence before Brexit (December the 31st, 2020).

You can access the state’s social security system, you can work and carry out services freely, in any manner citizens do without needing any type of special permit or permission for foreigners, and you can leave the country as often as you’d like to.

In some circumstances, you may be allowed to apply for permanent residence before completing five years of temporary residence, I’ll provide more detail about that a little later.

The application for a permanent residence permit should be filed with the police responsible for your place of residence as a third country national, and the application is decided upon by the Ministry of the Interior. As a third country national, you’re not bound by EU law and therefore your fundamental right to permanent residence is not the same as it is for a person from the EEA, and at the time of the decision on the application, the third-country national must have a valid temporary residence permit.

While not always the case, as Croatian law states that a foreigner can stay in Croatia while awaiting a residence decision from the authorities, it could mean that you’ll need to apply for another temporary residence permit while you await the outcome of your request for permanent residence.

Permanent residence will very likely be granted to third-country nationals who have been legally resident for a period of five years (holding temporary residence, asylum or subsidiary protection) up to the date of their application. Continued residence means that in these five years Croatia, the third country national has not been absent from the country for more than ten months over that five year period.

In addition to permanent residence after five years of continuous stay, permanent residence can be granted in four other special cases according to Sredisnji drzavni portal:

A third-country national who has been granted temporary residence for a period of three years and who has held refugee status for no less than ten years, as evidenced by a certificate issued by the competent state body for refugees.

A third-country national who resided in the Republic of Croatia on the 8th of October 1991 and who is a beneficiary of the programme of return, as evidenced by an appropriate certificate attesting to that fact.

A child living in the Republic of Croatia: whose parents held a permanent residence permit at the time of the child’s birth, or with one parent who, at the time of the child’s birth, was granted permanent residence (with the consent of the other parent).

A child with a parent who has been granted permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia at the time of childbirth, with the other parent having been unknown, who died, or has been declared deceased.

A third country national who was born and has, since birth, been living on the territory of the Republic of Croatia, but for justifiable reasons over which they had no influence, they had no type of regulated stay (as evidenced by a birth certificate, proof of attendance of preschool or an educational institution, proof of employment, evidence of the use of healthcare services, evidence of the use of social care).

Conditions for the approval of permanent residence for third country nationals

The conditions for the approval of permanent residence are the possession of a valid passport, means of subsistence and health insurance, knowledge of the Croatian language and the Latin script (proven via an exam taken in an educational facility which MUP accepts, ask for further information), and that the third-country national is not a threat to public order, national security, or to public health.

The Croatian language and Latin script language exam can be conducted by higher education institutions, secondary schools and adult education institutions that run Croatian language programs approved by the competent ministry. The cost of the exam is borne by you as the third country national yourself.

The Croatian language and Latin script exam doesn’t have to be taken by children of preschool age, persons older than 65 if they’re not employed, and persons who have completed their elementary, secondary or higher education in Croatia.

Permanent residence will not be granted to anyone who has been denied asylum or subsidiary protection.

The situation is slightly different if you’re a third country national who already holds permanent residence in another EEA member state, and I’ll delve into that in another article.

For more of our How to Croatia content exploring moving to Croatia, living in Croatia and administrative formalities, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section.

The post Moving to Croatia – Obtaining Residence Permits for Third Country Nationals appeared first on Total Croatia.

A (very) quick history

There are 940 primary schools, 390 secondary schools, and 90 public and 32 private education institutions across Croatia, with international students choosing this country more and more frequently. The very first university in Croatia, the University of Zadar, was founded way back in 1396, while the largest university in the country is the University of Zagreb, founded in 1669.

How it works

Education in Croatia begins with kindergarten (pre-school if you’re British), and then the beginning of the compulsory eight years of primary school education starts at the age of six or seven depending on when the child’s birthday falls. After finishing their primary education, kids can continue learning based on the grades they earned in four-year non-compulsory secondary schools that are divided into gymnasiums, vocational (industrial, trade, and technical) and art (art, dance, and music) schools.

Enrollment in higher education institutions in Croatia has been determined by grades obtained during high school exit exams since back in 2010, with the study programmes being aligned with the Bologna Process since 2005. Croatian higher education institutions are divided up into colleges, faculties, academies of art and polytechnics and they offer both university and professional studies. While students (or should I say their parents) need to pay for their supplies, public primary and secondary schools, as well as institutions of higher education, are free. Scholarships are also regularly given out by the state in the case of higher education institutions.

I’m a foreigner and my kids don’t understand the language, is a Croatian international school up my alley?

Many foreigners who move to Croatia have very valid concerns about their children who don’t speak the language. There are multiple Croatian international schools which cater to all age groups with their various programmes, some of which are internationally (as the name suggests) recognised. There is also usually extra help on offer for foreign children attending Croatian public schools to get their language skills up to par. 

To start off with, it’s important to state that Croatia has both public and private schools on offer, and that in public schools, lessons are taught solely in Croatian. International schools teach in English, Spanish, German, French and numerous other languages. This might be a much better choice if you have children who need to continue their education in their native languages, with Croatian also being drip fed in.

If you’re planning on moving to a more rural area and you have school-age children, you will have a tough time on your hands. Zagreb and Split, Croatia largest and second largest cities, have several international schools respectively. Most of the schools and kindergartens listed below also have some lessons or at least some instructions given in Croatian as well as the primary language used in teaching.

Croatian international schools and kindergartens – Zagreb

Zagreb is home to many internationally recognised and respected international schools and kindergartens, and being the capital, it is home to the highest number of them in the country.

The Mala kuća International Kindergarten (Little House)

Obzori Kindergarten (Horizons)

The Learning Tree International Kindergarten

Dječji vrtić zvjezdica (The Little Star Kindergarten)

The British International School of Zagreb

The American International School of Zagreb

The Bright Horizons British International School of Zagreb 

Ecole Française Internationale de Zagreb

The Matija Gubec International School

Deutsche Internationale Schule Zagreb

The International Baccalaureate at MIOC

Croatian international schools and kindergartens – Split

Split, Dalmatia’s largest city and the country’s second largest city, also has a few international schools and kindergartens to boast of, although there are considerably less to speak of than in Zagreb.

Harfa International School

Split International School

Fun2Learn

Bravo!

All in all, public education in Croatia does very well considering the level of funding it gets, and when it comes to private and international schools, the reviews speak for themselves. They are the best choice for expat families, with the only downside being that they are very much located in the two largest cities. ESL schools, however, are spread across the country, from all the way down south in Dubrovnik to up in Koprivnica.

For more tips and tricks related to moving to and living in Croatia, from information on driving and jumping on a ferry to renting a property to finding a job, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section. A special How to Croatia article focused on a specific topic is published every Wednesday.

The post A Brief Intro to Croatian International Schools and Kindergartens appeared first on Total Croatia.