September 10, 2020 - First the announcement, then the hard work - an update on progress of Croatia's digital nomad visa initiative.
An inspiring day in Zagreb today, as TCN took part in the 2nd Poduzetnicki Mindset (Entrepreneurial Mindset) conference, which took virtually and was broadcast from Kaptol Cinema in Zagreb.
I was joined by Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong, as we interviewed each other on our foreign entrepreneurial journeys during our combined 30+ years of living in Croatia. It was a chance to interview Jan on the progress of the Croatian digital nomad visa initiative, which seems to be moving forward smoothly, if his latest LinkedIn updates are anything to go by.
Today I took part in a hands-on operational meeting - led by State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior - Terezija Gras & head of border control - Zoran Ničeno.
The meeting also included representatives from the Ministries of Interior, Finance, Labor & Croatian health insurance institute.
Step by step, brick by brick - Croatia is paving the road to start welcoming digital nomads.
Yes, I agree - this task is only done when it is done, but to all the sceptics out there I just want to say that personally I only see great progress.
Above all, I see a strong will and desire from all ministries involved to make this happen.
Next up is an in-depth session with Ministry of Finance, after which we will re-group again with all other ministries. During that meeting we will then solely talk about solutions.
The question will not be "can Croatia do this?" but "how can Croatia do this?"
Are you believing in Croatia's digital nomad visa as much as I do?
To all digital nomads out there - feel free to start day-dreaming about your Mediterranean home office.
Follow me on #LinkedIn. New updates following soon!
#livingthecroatiandream #croatia #digitalnomads #entrepreneurship #wfh
What if we can turn Croatia into a year-round tourism destination - where digital nomads can spark long-term sustainable tourism in Croatia...
Minister Nikolina Brnjac is having a lot on her plate these days. As the responsible minister of 20% of Croatia's GDP - which has been hit hard as a result of Covid-19 - she is a big supporter of the digital nomad visa!
While we are working on the complete legal framework to start welcoming digital nomads with some other ministries - the Ministry of Tourism will start dedicating resources on how to promote Croatia's digital nomad visa abroad.
At the same time, we shall have a close look at what exactly we as a country need to provide to give digital nomads that stay in Croatia an unforgettable Mediterranean experience.
Thank you so much Minister Nikolina Brnjac for receiving me and for sharing with me your enthusiasm about our initiative to start welcoming digital nomads to Croatia.
Croatia - full of life...and hopefully soon - full of digital nomads
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#LivingTheCroatianDream #Entrepreneurship #Croatia #WFH #DigitalNomads
During our chat at the Entrepreneurial Mindset conference today, I asked Jan if he could give us a fuller update on progress with the visa. Meetings with high-level officials from no less than 5 ministries, in addition to the Prime Minister endorsement, is certainly encouraging. Rather than stealing Jan's thunder, you can hear his progress update in the conference video below. Our 25-minute session starts at 4:04:00.
