apiuEN

The aliens work is determined by the Aliens Act (OG 109/03). This act establishes the conditions of entry, movement, residence and work of aliens in the Republic of Croatia.

Aliens can work in Croatia on the basis of:

• Work permit
• Business permit

The main difference between the work and the business permits is that the latter solves the issue of the temporary residence in the Republic of Croatia. The list of exemptions, i.e. when it is not necessary to file for a work permit is to be found in Article 95 of the Aliens Act.

TYPES OF WORK PERMITS

Work permit

The Government of Croatia, in accordance with its migration policies and taking into consideration the market conditions, determines the number of work permits to be  issued during a calendar year.

Moreover, the Government establishes the number of work permits for each type of activity and their territorial allocation. When setting the number of work permits issued, it  does not include those issued for aliens and their family members working permanently on the basis of reciprocity; for aliens and their family members whose status is regulated by the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Croatia; for aliens working on key positions in companies and reperesentative offices of foreign companies; for aliens transferred in the framework of the transfer of personnel within companies; for teachers and professors working in schools for the national minorities; on the basis of international agreements; for professional athletes; for aliens’ spouses and children of aliens with the permanent residence in Croatia.

Upon the request of a physical or legal person employing the alien, the work permit is issued by the competent body according to the seat of the employer and in the 15 days starting from the day the request was filed. Together with the request for the issuing of the work permit, the employer must enclose:

• Personal details about the alien,
• Data about the working position, type and condition of work,
• Proof of the company’s, representative office’s or trade’s registration in Croatia,
• Proof of meeting of all taxes and contributions, and
• Explanation of the justification of the alien’s employement.

If the competent body (police station or police administration) approves with a decision of issuing of the work permit for a period not exceeding 2 years, the employer must before the  begginig of work, and within the 15 days from the issuing of the permit, contract with the alien a written work contract and send it to the competent body within 8 days. The employer can request the competent body its extension 45 days before the termination of the work permit.

Business permit

The business permit is issued to a foreigner having a registered trade or free-lance activity, running businesses in the public company or in a legal person in which he is the majority stakeholder, or to an alien performing services on behalf of a foreign employer, and fullfills all the necessary conditions for the temporary residence.

The business permit is issued by the competent body in the place of residence of the alien within 30 days from the day of filing the request. The alien must not commence his activity before the business permit has been issued. Exceptionally, the request for issuing the business permit can be requested in the diplomatic mission or consular office. The business permit is issued for 2 years at the most and upon request it can be prolonged and the request must be filed 30 days before its expiration.

Together with the request for the issuing of the business permit the alien must enclose:

• proof of registration of the company, trade or similar activity, free-lance activity or contract with a physical or legal person working in Croatia for rendering the services;
• 2 photos,
• photocopy of a valid passport,
• proof of secured means of support, place of stay and health insurance, and
• proof of the justification of residence (for ex. marriage certificate, work permit, etc.).
  

TYPES OF VISAS

TRAVEL VISA

It is issued for one, two or more entries onto the territory of the Republic of Croatia and for the purpose of tourist, business, personal or other type of travel. The travel visa is issued with the expiration date of one year. The continuos stay, i.e the overall duration of the alien holding a travel visa in Croatia must not exceed 90 days, over a six months period, starting from the day of entry.

TRANSIT VISA

It is issued for one, two or exceptionally more transits across the territory of the Republic of Croatia with the expiration date of six months. On the basis of a transit visa the alien can, upon each transit, reside in Croatia up to five days. This type of visa can be issued to an alien proving to have access to the country towards which he is travelling.

AIRPORT-TRANSIT VISA

Generally, an alien not leaving the international transit area or the aircraft during the stop-over in a Croatian airport does not need a visa. Exceptionally, the Government of Croatia can establish that certain foreign nationals or passengers on certain routes must have the airport-transit visas. It is issued for one or more transits through the international transit area of the airport in which, upon each transit, the passenger can remain up to 24 hours.

GROUP VISA

It is issued in the joint travelling document to a group from 5 to 50 people (in the event of organised tourist groups visiting Croatia on the basis of international agreements, the visa can be issued to a larger group as well) for one entry or transit across the territory of Croatia. With a group visa for one entry the saty in Croatia is allowed for up to 30 days.

DIPLOMATIC VISA

It is issued to holders of diplomatic passports.

OFFICIAL VISA

It is issued to holders of official passports.

APPLICATION FORM FOR THE ISSUING OF VISAS

Nationals of the following countries, having valid travelling documents, do not need a visa for entering the republic of Croatia and residing up to 90 days, or for the transition across the territory of the Republic of Croatia:

Principality of Andorra, Republic of Argentina, Australia, Republic of Austria, Kingdom of Belgium, Republic of Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federal Republic of Brasil, Brunei Darussalam, Republic of Bulgaria, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Republic of Chile, Kingdom of Denmark, Republic of Estonia, Republic of Finland, Franch Republic, Republic of Gvatemala, Hellenic Republic, Republic of Honduras, Ireland, Republic of Iceland, Stae of Israel, Japan, Canada, Republic of Corea, Republic of Costarica, Republic of Latvia, Principality of Lichtenstein, Republic of Lithuania, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Republic of Hungary, Republic of Macedonia, Malesia, Republic of Malta, United States of Mexico, Principality of Monaco, Republic of Nicaragua, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kingdom of Norway, New Zealand, Federal Republic of Germany, Republic of Panama, Republic of Paraguay, Republic of Poland, republic of Portugal, Romania, Republic of El Salvador, Republic of San Marino, Republic of Singapur, United States of America, Republic of Slovakia, Republic of Slovenia, Kingdom of Spain, Kingdom of Sweden, Swiss Confederation, Republic of Italy, Republic of Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Eastern Republic of Uruguay, State of the City of Vatican, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The nonrequest of visas also includes the holders of valid passports issued in the Special Administration area of Hong Kong and the Special Administration area of Macao of the People’s Republic of China.

It is important to mention that a continuous stay, i.e. the overall duration of uninterrupted residence of aliens holding a travel visa in Croatia, must not exceed 90 days over a period of 6 months, starting from the day of entry.

To find more about the process of visa issuing and the related expenses, click here .

ALIENS RESIDENCE

The aliens residence is classified by the legislator as: residence up to 90 days, temporary or permanent.

The permit for the temporary residence must be sought by an alien intending to spend a longer period of time in Croatia, or for other reasons not listed in the issued visa, when for his entry into Croatia he does not need a visa but intends to reside in Croatia more than 90 days for work, study, schooling, family joining or other valid reasons determined by law or international agreement, or when he resides in Croatia more than 30 days performing activities set out in Article 95 of the Aliens Act.

The permit for the first temporary residence is issued for up to one year after which it can be prolonged for up to two years and is issued into the passport which must last at least three months more than the permit’s expiration date. The alien can be granted the temporary residence when he fullfills the following conditions:

• has means of support,
• has a place of residence,
• has health insurance,
• there are no impediments as per Article 45 hereof, and
• has submitted all the evidence of the legitimacy of temporary residence.

Together with the request, the following must be enclosed:

• 2 photos,
• photocopy of a valid passport,
• proof of the secured means of support, of a place of residence and health insurance, and
• proof of the legitimacy of residence (for ex. marriage certificate, work permit).

We must stress that together with the request for the first temporary residence permit, the party has to submit a proof of no criminal record from the state whose citizenship he holds or where he permanently resides. The certificate must not be older than 6 months. The aliens temporarily residing must inform the competent police department/station their adress and the change of address in three days after entering Croatia or changing the adress.

Permanent residence in Croatia will be granted to an alien who at the time of filing the request has had five consecutive years of temporary residence, or is three years married to a Croatian citizen or alien having the permanent residence in Croatia, and in the meantime he had the temporary residence.

Together with the request for the permanent residence permit the party has to enclose:

• 2 photos,
• photocopy of the valid passport,
• birth certificate (not older than six months),
• proof of the secured means of support, of a place of residence and health insurance,
• certificate of residence,
• marriage certificate (not older than six months), and
• proof of Croatian citizenship, that is of the approved residence of the spouse.

ALIENS RESIDENCE AND DOMICILE

Form for the registration and cancellation of aliens residence and domicile

According to the legal definition the domicile is a place where the alien spends up to 90 days on a temporary basis, while the residence is a place where the alien holding a permanent residence has established his abode with the intent of living there.

It is important to underline that the alien temporarily residing in Croatia must report his domicile and the change of address to the competent authority in a three days time after entering Croatia, i.e. form the day of changing the adress. The alien must report the cancellation of residence and domicile before leaving. When an alien enters Croatia and goes to a hotel or other type of accommodation, the hotel must report his residence 12 hours after his checking-in into the hotel. When he resides in a private type of accommodation (friends, realtives), he must report his residence 24 hours upon entering Croatia which can be done through the tourist association office in the location he is in.