ZAGREB, 23 Oct 2021 - As of Saturday, 23 October Croatians can travel to the United States for business or tourism purposes without visas, after obtaining approval via the online Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, the US Embassy in Zagreb said.

In a statement to the media, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy, Mark Fleming, expressed satisfaction that Croatians now have the opportunity to travel to the USA without visas.

Croatia has entered the Visa Waiver Programme, a comprehensive security partnership between the United States and participating countries that enable travel to the USA for business or tourism purposes in the duration of up to 90 days, with national security being protected in the process.

''To America without Visa, Croatia is in the Visa Waiver Program: Find out more: esta.cbp.dhs.gov'' (U.S. Embassy in Zagreb)

This was a long process but it was worthwhile and we congratulate the Croatian government on successfully meeting the strict conditions of entry into the Visa Waiver Programme, Fleming said, expressing satisfaction that this would deepen the ties between the United State and Croatia.

For a country to enter the VWP, it must meet criteria regarding the fight against terrorism, law enforcement, immigration, document security, and border management, and the percentage of rejected visa applications must be below 3%, which Croatia met only recently.

Application via ESTA is possible any time before travel but the US Homeland Security Department recommends that travelers apply as soon as possible, and 72 hours before travel at the latest, the US Embassy says.

Čestitke Hrvatskoj ?? on officially joining the #VisaWaiverProgram! Croatians traveling to the #USA ?? for business or tourism can now apply for ESTA approval at https://t.co/UmnueGuKRb

FAQ: https://t.co/qIsVYyPoAP pic.twitter.com/S4G8108KqR

— U.S. Embassy Zagreb (@USEmbZagreb) October 23, 2021

Passengers from VWP countries and Croatians qualify as of today, do not have to present a specific travel itinerary before applying via ESTA.

Application via ESTA is generally valid for two years.

Passengers with valid B1/B2 visas should continue using their visas when traveling to the USA, the embassy notes.

 For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

September 26, 2020 - A 20-year-old diplomatic and business stumbling block has finally been resolved - Croatians don't need a visa for the USA from 2021

With a considerable amount of the country's diaspora living in English-speaking countries, the issue of visa requirement to enter the USA has been of significant interest to Croatians for years. Discussions have been ongoing since the late 1990s, complicated by the fact Croatian passports can be issued in a different country altogether - Bosnia and Herzegovina. But now, the wait is finally over - Croatians don't need a visa for the USA from 2021.

As detailed in Total Croatia News on 7th September, the final hurdle for the removal of visa requirements was the issuing of 2000 further visas before the end of this month. Sources inside the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have revealed this criterion has now been met and thus the annual level of rejected applications will be less than 3%. This was the bar set by the USA to the Croatian state.

Meeting this figure was complicated by the decrease in travel due to the ongoing pandemic. Therefore, with full disclosure to their American counterparts, sections of the Croatian government set about orchestrating the required number of applications. They enlisted the help of the Croatian business community and members within it who were sure to submit successful applications.

Next Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will arrive in Croatia. Final details for the abolition of visas will be discussed between his accompanying team and that of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman and Minister of Defense Mario Banožić, who will meet him in Dubrovnik. The official announcement that Croatians don't need a visa for the USA from 2021 could potentially come as soon as the end of the US Secretary of State's visit.

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After the European Parliament voted for the imposition of visas for American citizens to five EU countries, including Croatia, whose citizens require visas to the enter the United States, TCN contacted the US Embassy in Zagreb for a statement. Here is the response we received in full, released on March 6, 2017. (Please note that the initial version of this article stated that this was an official statement, which was not accurate - it was a direct response to our enquiry).