May the 10th, 2023 - What with Schengen, the EU and beyond, questions have once again arisen about the different Croatian tourist visas the country issues. ETIAS, which isn't a visa but a travel authorisation, is also due to come in next year. Let's delve a bit deeper.

ETIAS

First and foremost, as I mentioned above, an ETIAS isn't a Croatian tourist visa, it's merely a travel authorisation and the plan is for it to become operational in 2024. ETIAS approval is not the same as having a residence permit in an EU country, it is intended for short stays of 90 days or less in any 180 days only.

Nationals of the following non-EU countries (over 60 nations) who do not require visas to enter the EU will be required to obtain an ETIAS for short-term stays in the EU. This doesn't include legal residents of Croatia (who can evidence their rights with a residence permit). They will not require an ETIAS. An ETIAS will cost seven euros and be valid for multiple entries into the EU for a period of three years, or until the travel document registered to it expires, if that's sooner. In some cases, it will be free.

30 European countries will require visa-exempt nationals to have an ETIAS to enter. You can find out much more detailed information on ETIAS plans here.

Who doesn't need a visa?

Citizens of European Union or European Economic Area countries do not require a visa to enter or stay in Croatia for a period of ninety days in any 180 days. 

Legal residents of Croatia, regardless of their nationality, do not require a visa to enter or stay in Croatia. Those who hold temporary residence permits are free to stay in the country for as long as their residence permit remains valid. Those who hold permanent Croatian residence can enter and remain in Croatia indefinitely and without any conditions.

It's worth noting that there are some third-country nationals (people who do not hold the citizenship of an EU/EEA country) who can enter Croatia without a visa.

Who does need a visa?

The list of countries whose citizens do require Croatian tourist visas is extensive, so instead of listing them all individually here, I'll provide a link to a government source (from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs). You can also do a quick check for yourself and your own citizenship/Croatian entry requirements using Wikipedia.

What types of Croatian tourist visas are issued?

Croatia issues multiple Croatian tourist visas, these are the A visa and the C visa (both of which are short-term stay Schengen visas), and the D visa, which is a Croatian national visa, issued for people on a long-term stay in the country. I'll break down the ins and outs below:

A visa 

The A visa (Croatian: Viza A/zrakoplovno tranzitna viza) is an air transit visa which facilitates either single or multiple passages through international transit areas of a Croatian airport. It remains valid from its date of issue for a period of no longer than six months (+ fifteen days).

C visa

The C visa (Croatian: Viza C/kratkotrajna viza) is a short-term stay Schengen visa issued to third-country nationals (individuals who do not hold the citizenship of an EEA member state and who require a visa) and facilitates their entry and stay in Croatia or in any other Schengen member state for a period not exceeding ninety days in any 180 day period.

What makes the C visa a little bit more interesting is the fact that it can be issued for either a single entry or for multiple entries into Croatia and for various purposes. Another interesting bit of information about the C visa is that despite the fact that it is classed as a short-term stay visa, it can remain valid for up to five years depending on your purpose of travel. These purposes are as follows:

Business

Personal stay

Transit

Tourist stay

Other types of stay

D visa

The D visa (Croatian: Viza D/dugotrajna viza), is a long-term national visa (nacionalna viza) which allows a third-country national to stay in Croatia for up to thirty days if they have already been granted temporary stay for the purposes referred to in the Croatian Law on Foreigners (zakon o strancima), or if they've already been issued with a stay and work permit, and if they are required to hold a short-stay visa in order to legally enter Croatia. Much more detailed information on the D visa can be found here.

How do I apply for a Croatian tourist visa?

Those who require visas to enter and stay in Croatia, or indeed to transit through it, must make their visa applications before entering the country.

In person

You can apply at a Croatian consulate or embassy in your country. A list of all Croatian embassies/consular posts abroad can be found here.

The rule of thumb is not to make your visa application any sooner than six months before your planned date of travel to Croatia, and no later than fifteen days before it. The general timeframe required for the authorities to give your visa application the green light (assuming all is as it should be) is fifteen days.

Online

You can apply for a Croatian tourist visa here, and find out all of the ins and outs pertaining to your particular nationality and reason for entering Croatia here. Both of these links are to official sources (the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Interior Ministry), they will also detail the documents you need to apply for a Croatian tourist visa, as well as any associated fees.

An extensive list of travel documents issued by the governments of third countries and which are accepted by Croatian border officers can be found here, and the Croatian tourist visa application forms themselves are offered in the following languages: 

Croatian

Ukrainian

Turkish

Arabic

English

Russian

Spanish

Portuguese

French

Chinese

German

Albanian

At the Croatian border in exceptional and justified circumstances

I want to preface this by saying please don't ever do this unless it is for absolutely justified reasons that you can easily prove. It just isn't worth the hassle and the border officer can simply refuse you entry if you don't have a decent reason (such as serious unforeseen, urgent circumstances) and all of the required documentation.

If you obtain a Croatian tourist visa this way, you are severely restricted in what it serves for. It will facilitate only transit or one single entry of up to fifteen days at most.

You can find a list of all of the required documentation here, as well as which Croatian borders offer this possibility as an entry option (it's very important to note that not all of them do).

How do I calculate my time spent in the Schengen zone?

If you require a Schengen visa in order to enter and spend ninety days in any 180 days in Croatia or the rest of the Schengen zone, you'll need to make sure you're accurately calculating your days. A handy calculator can be accessed by clicking here.

For more on moving to, living in and travelling to and from Croatia, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section. An article tackling anything from a specific administrative issue to tips on renting a car or bringing your pet into the country is published every Wednesday as part of our How to Croatia series.

May the 3rd, 2023 - There are some rather obscure institutions in Croatia, and when you begin living any form of real life here, you'll run into several of them. One institution that is worth familiarising yourself with is FINA, or the Financial Agency.

A brief history of FINA

FINA has been around for around half a century, but has only had its current name since 2002. Formerly known as the Payment Transactions Institute, or the Social Bookkeeping Service, it was the only entity in all of the former Yugoslavia which was able to authorise and execute domestic transactions. It has played a key role in many reforms, from the pension reform to the payment reform, and it has regional centre in the cities of Osijek, Zagreb, Rijeka and Split. There are also many other smaller branches dotted all over the country, and an interactive map of them can be found here.

What actually is it?

Are these offices banks? Tax office branches? Kind of, but no. FINA is Croatia's leading financial and electronic service provider. It deals with business information, cash operations, payment transactions, education, e-business services of various kinds, financial mediation, payment transactions and so on. It has quite the portfolio. It even offers safety deposit boxes.

It isn't a bank (although it might look like a small one at first glance), but it does have close cooperation with the Croatian National Bank (CNB/HNB) and other banks operating in Croatia. It describes itself as a public company which operates according to the stringent rules which regulate the activities of the free market, and it is also a government partner. 

According to its website, FINA has ''a longstanding tradition in business, its strength being mirrored in the successful implementation of large scale projects in the public sector, the implementation of legislation, computerisation and the enhancement of public services, and sharing knowledge and expertise of employees in the finance, electronic, cash and other services, aswell as responding to the needs of all client categories.''

In order words, FINA will be a repeated theme in your life if you own a company, or intend to open one. 

FINA also has agreements with numerous different utility providers in Croatia, and these are: 

HEP OPSKRBA d.o.o.

HEP TOPLINARSTVO d.o.o.

PEOVICA d.o.o.

VODOOPSKRBA I ODVODNJA CRES LOŠINJ d.o.o.

KOMUNALNE USLUGE CRES LOŠINJ d.o.o.

DUNDOVO d.o.o.

HEP ELEKTRA d.o.o.

Digital certificates FINA issues and deals with

FINA issues numerous different digital certificates, and these are:

A qualified electronic time stamp

CA certificates

Fina's PKI system

Conformation and legislation documents and certificates

Certificate revocation lists (CRLs)

A tool with which you can search certificates

FINA's register of digital certificates

More information about each of these certificates can be accessed via FINA savings. You can also find out about how to obtain any of the aforementioned documents/certificates here.

E-business, e-invoice and e-payment services

Being the driver of digitalisation in business in Croatia, FINA naturally deals with e-business, which allows users to issue e-invoices and deal in e-payments. The e-business service enables the entry, signing, sending and timestamping of e-invoices, e-invoice receipt certificates, change of e-invoice status, the archiving and search of e-invoices, the use of templates, the graphic personalisation of e-invoices (such as company logos and so on), and their matching to payment orders. FINA's e-nvoice service is connected with the Internet banking services provided by all Croatian banks which hold a valid business cooperation contract with FINA, and which enables the automated preparation of electronic payment orders for all kinds of purchased goods and services.

FINA uses a tool called PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) for its e-business system, which, via its cross-border e-procudrement system, includes the issuing of e-invoices and making e-payments. You can find much more information about PEPPOL and how it works with invoicing Croatian state beneficiaries by clicking here.

What FINA does for the Croatian Government

As mentioned previously, FINA is a very close and important partner of the government, and as such it carries out numerous services and deals with various products for the state. This is where the ''Is FINA a tax office?'' question comes into play. In short, no it isn't, but it does have a lot to do with the supervision of compulsory contribution, surtax and tax payments. It's also where the ''Is FINA a bank?'' question might be asked, and again, no, it isn't, but it is heavily involved with all significant national treasury activities.

In short, FINA is involved with the following government agencies, providing various products and services:

HITRO and HITRONet (Croatian Government communication network)

REGOS (Registry of Insured Individuals)

RegZap (Public Sector Employees Registry)

The National Treasury System

e-File (Ministry of Justice)

The Blue Diesel Consumption Supervisory System

The Funds Enforcement System

The Registry of Court and Notary Services

You can find out about what each of these systems do, which state entity they're affiliated with, and how FINA provides services for them by clicking here.

For more on moving to, living in and travelling to and from Croatia, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section. Keep an eye out for our How to Croatia articles which tackle a different aspect of doing things here and which are published every Wednesday.

April the 19th, 2023 - In this edition of How to Croatia, I'm going to take you through what you need to do when it comes to applying for and (hopefully) being granted Croatian international protection. This status afford the holder certain rights, so let's delve deeper.

First of all, what is Croatian international protection?

Croatian national protection doesn't really differ all that much from international protection offered by the vast majority of European countries. It is designed to safeguard the rights of refugees and other such groups and individuals who are fleeing war, persecution or unrest. It gives the holder the right to remain in a country without the threat of deportation/repatriation, and seek and be given asylum on the basis of non-refoulement. 

What are the specifics of Croatian international protection?

In the Republic of Croatia, an individual seeking international protection is considered an applicant as soon as they express their clear intention to apply for said status officially. They are considered an applicant until a decision is formally reached by the competent ministry on their application. The ministry which makes these decisions is the same one which deals with all immigration, residence and citizenship affairs - the Ministry of the Interior (MUP). MUP deals with Croatian international protection applications on the basis of what are known as first instance proceedings, after which an administrative dispute can be brought against the ministry's decision in court should the applicant want to appeal a negative response.

What's the difference between seeking international asylum in Croatia and simply entering the country illegally?

While some would argue that there are little to no differences, there are. A person arriving in Croatia illegally who then states their intention to apply for international protection will not face any sort of punishment by the Croatian authorities. However, this is only the case when the said individual has arrived in the country directly from the area they're fleeing from because there is a genuine risk to their wellbeing or life should they be forced to return to their country of origin. They also need to have justified reasoning for their illegal entry, and should that be accepted, they then must apply for Croatian international protection as soon as possible after having arrived. 

It is important to note that the individual in question's suffering, persecution or threat to their wellbeing or life must fall within what the Geneva Convention considers said situations to be.

How is an application for Croatian international protection lodged with the authorities?

Upon arriving at the Croatian border, an individual seeking Croatian international protection can make their intentions known to the border police. It can also be lodged at the following locations:

At any administrative police station

At any police station which may or not may otherwise deal with administrative issues

at an Asylum Seeker's Reception Centre

What rights are afforded to those who are granted Croatian international protection?

Upon expressing their intention to apply for international protection, an applicant is permitted to stay in the country until a decision is officially reached by MUP. After the application is completed, the applicant will be given a special card which will serve as proof of their status in the country. 

The procedure for international protection will see the applicant and their family members (if applicable) housed in an Asylum Seeker's Centre. Their family members are also entitled to remain in Croatia if the individual who applies for international protection is granted that status. During their stay in the aforementioned centre, their needs will be provided for, this includes: food, drink, hygiene products, toiletries, healthcare, financial aid (in some cases, see caveats below for more information), Croatian language classes and more. This even extends to sport and other activities.

What are those who are granted Croatian international protection entitled to?

Those who are successful in being granted international protection in Croatia have certain rules that they must follow in order to be afforded the rights this status provides them with, so I'll go through them first. If a person is granted asylum, they must respect Croatian law and the Croatian Constitution, undergo a medical examination, agree to have their identity checked and confirmed, they must fully cooperate with what the government and the authorities ask of them, follow the rules of the centre they're being temporarily housed in, present themselves when the ministry asks them for interviews, report any changes to their address after leaving the centre. They must also not leave Croatia while their request for international protection is being decided upon. This can, in some cases, also refer to their movement within Croatian borders. If any limits on movement have been imposed for whatever reason, they must not break those rules.

Rights:

Once a person has been granted Croatian international protection, they are free to do the following:

They are free to practice their religion as they wish (within the boundaries of the law).

They are entitled to access public healthcare on the same basis as a Croatian national or resident.

They can access legal counselling due to their situation.

Should children be involved, primary and secondary education is given on the same basis as it is given to other children in Croatia. Said children can also be appointed a trained guardian.

They can have the procedures surrounding their asylum application and status dealt with and expressed to them in a language of their choice.

If a formal decision on their application for international protection hasn't been reached by MUP within nine months of their application, an asylum seeker is entitled to take up lawful work. This can only occur if the delay in MUP giving a decision in response to their application isn't their fault.

Caveats:

As MUP explains, if applicants for Croatian international protection already earn an income which exceeds the Croatian minimum wage, they will not receive the aforementioned financial aid and will be expected to cover their expenses during the time spent at the Asylum Seeker's Centre themselves, either partially or entirely depending on the situation at hand. 

Financial aid will also not be provided to those who are employed and have sufficient income to allow a fair standard of living.

If an applicant has the financial means, they are free to live at any address in Croatia instead of the aforementioned centre at their own expense. This can only be done after being given explicit permission from MUP to do so.

For more on moving to, living in and travelling in Croatia, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section. An article tackling anything from a specific administrative issue to tips on renting a car or bringing your pet into the country is published every Wednesday as part of our How to Croatia series.

April the 12th, 2023 - In this edition of How to Croatia, I'm going to talk you through how you can bring weapons in and out of the country, and delving deeper into the European Firearms Pass.

First things first, why would anyone even want to bring weapons in and out of Croatia?

It's a valid question to ask, but those who are passionate hunters or into target shooting tend to bring their weapons with them in and out of European Union (EU) member states quite frequently. These people typically hold the aforementioned European Firearms Pass.

In said pass, the exact number and type of weapon(s) you intend to bring into or take out of the country needs to be clearly highlighted. In that case, you won't reqire any sort of police authorisation in order to bring your weapons into Croatia with you, as long as there are no more than three individual pieces intended for target shooting or legal hunting (for which you'll also need to prove you have a hunting license if you're a foreigner). 

You can also have no more than 500 individual pieces of ammunition for each individual weapon in your European Firearms Pass. The ammunition needs to be clearly listed as well. 

You will require full police authorisation if you have any more than three weapons.

How does one obtain police authorisation if it is necessary?

If you want to bring more than three individual pieces of weapons into Croatia with you, then you'll need, as stated above, prior police clearance in order to do so. You need to do this before any sort of hunting or target shooting contest is set to begin in Croatia. You can make your application for authorisation from either:

Inside the Republic of Croatia at any administrative police station

Outside of the Republic of Croatia at a diplomatic mission/Croatian consular post

What you'll need in order to make your application

In order to make your application for police authorisation, you'll need your European Firearms Pass, your national weapons license and a letter of invitation to come and hunt or partake in target shooting within the borders of the Republic of Croatia. That document must be the original one.

Caveats

If you're travelling into Croatia or indeed into the EU, you need to have your valid European Firearms Pass and the original invitation for you to come to a hunt or to partake in a target shooting competition with you.

If you need to apply for a European Firearms Pass, you can do so at a police station responsible for the area in which your permanent address is registered. It will have the same expiration date as your national weapons license has on it, but it won't be valid for a period longer than five years.

You need to hold a valid European Firearms Pass and a national weapons license in order to partake in a hunt or in a target shooting contest in Croatia and in any other EU member state.

Those who possess a certificate on declared weapons classified under category C must also have a European Firearms Pass allowing them to have and carry weapons classified in categories B and C in the EU, and this will also allow them to take such weapons across the borders of those countries.

For Croatian citizens wanting to take their weapons abroad with them, or if you're interested in bringing weapons with you into or out of a non-EU nation, MUP has more information here.

For more How to Croatia articles, which cover all you need to know about moving to and living in Croatia, make sure to keep up with our lifestyle section. A How to Croatia article tackling some aspect of life here is published every Wednesday.

March the 29th, 2023 - While we always hope crime won't come knocking, it can and does, and sometimes more often than most of us would like. If you're a foreign national in Croatia, reporting a crime to the Croatian police might seem daunting. It need not be.

Croatia is an extremely safe country and the vast majority of crimes are not heinous when compared to other countries. This little nation of just under four million inhabitants prides itself precisely on its enviable level of safety, and the chances are you'll never need this information. That said, crime can and does happen, and it's important to know the steps you need to take if you end up caught in the middle of a legally punishable offence. Whether you're living here or just visiting, knowing how to report a crime to the Croatian police is an important bit of knowledge to have, even if it takes up space only in the back of your mind.

The Croatian police are available to the public 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and you'll often see them wandering or driving around. This is especially the case in larger towns and cities, as well as in tourist destinations during the warmer months. In tourist destinations which aren't otherwise towns or cities with a large number of residents outside of the tourist season, or if you're in a rural area, you'll naturally see less police presence.

In emergencies

Unlike in the UK or the USA, you won't need to call 999 or 911, but 192.

You can also approach any Croatian police officer you see in the area.

You can also go to the nearest police station to you to report a crime, and you can do so while choosing to remain anonymous if you so wish, although it's worth noting that this does depend on the way you've decided to report the crime in question. I'll explain that in more detail below:

If you don't go in person to the police station but instead choose to contact the authorities in writing, you don't need to provide any of your personal information. 

If you do go to the police station in person, you must still provide the personal information the officer(s) ask for, and a record of the situation will also be made and kept. 

If it isn't an emergency

Just like in any other country, you shouldn't call 192 unless the situation you're in is an emergency which requires a quick response from the Croatian police. While this country has far less inhabitants than most others in Europe, and is absolutely not comparable in this sense to let's say, France or the UK, resources are still stretched thin and police officers do need to be available for actual emergencies.

In the case of you not needing a quick police response, you can always submit your report to the police (in writing) or to the State Attorney's Office.

Caveats

Most people in Croatia speak some degree of English. The level of English fluency is incredibly high in this country and you wouldn't be being ignorant or unwise to expect to come across a police officer who can at the very least communicate the basics with you or understand what you need. Once again, in more rural areas of the country, the level of spoken English is naturally less, and this is also the case for the authorities working there. 

If the first Croatian police officer you speak with struggles to communicate with you, and you're not able to convey what you need to in Croatian, an officer or other police staff member who does speak English or your native language (presuming it is German, Spanish, Italian, French or another widely spoken language) will be found to make communication more concise and easier.

Here in Zagreb at least, the Croatian police have been busy intensively brushing up on their English language skills in order to make themselves more available to foreign nationals who might end up running into trouble of some kind. 

Most Croatian police officers are friendly and approachable. If you've been a victim of a crime or if you've witnessed a crime, don't hesitate to make the appropriate contact.

Croatian police officers are free to ask anyone, at any time, to produce their ID card or other form of government-issused photographic identification. This can also be a residence permit or a passport. Remember, you're supposed to carry a form of ID on your person at all times in Croatia, and while leniency with foreign visitors is a given, residents and citizesn can end up being landed with a small fine if they fail to provide this at the officer's request.

The Croatian police carry guns. They rarely ever have to be used.

For more on living in or moving to Croatia, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section and keep your eyes peeled for our How to Croatia articles which are published every Wednesday.

March the 22nd, 2023 - The EU Blue Card scheme is a special sort of status given to third country nationals (non-EEA/EU citizens) and British nationals who are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement who are highly qualified. It allows them to live in an EU member state for the purpose of taking up gainful employment there. How does one go about getting a Croatian EU Blue Card?

Is there a difference between the Croatian EU Blue Card (plava karta) and a normal residence/stay and work permit?

Although they both allow the holder the ability to work and take up lawful residence, there are differences between the two.

If you're a highly qualified third country national and you fit the bill, you can apply for the Croatian EU Blue Card. You'll need to fill in form 4A (downloadable) either at the administrative police station responsible for their planned place of residence here in Croatia, or at a Croatian diplomatic mission abroad. There is, as touched on above, a difference between the Croatian EU Blue Card and a normal residence or stay and work permit, and that difference lies in some of the criteria a prospective blue card holder needs to meet. 

What does one need in order to apply for a Croatian EU Blue Card?

Unlike for the issuance of a residence permit (which is all an EEA citizen needs as they're free to work) or a stay and work permit for non-EEA citizens, the issuance of a Croatian EU Blue Card has some differences. Would-be Croatian EU Blue Card holders still need to meet the general requirements asked of other individuals applying for residence in Croatia, and they're all outlined in Article 59 of the Law on Foreigners (Zakon o strancima), but you'll also need to provide the following:

Proof that you meet all of the conditions the legislation of the Republic of Croatia asks of them in order to properly engage in a legally regulated profession. The details of that profession must be fully and clearly stipulated in your employment contract, and it all must correspond with the Croatian legislation on professional qualifications.

As made obvious above, you'll need to show proof of your employment contract for said highly qualified work position. The employment contract cannot be for a period shorter than twelve calender months (one year), and the issuer of the employment contract must have their company registered in Croatia.

You'll also need to prove your level of education (higher) from your home country or the country in which you gained said education. This can be done with your degree(s) diploma(s), certificate(s) and so on.

What are the costs?

There are admin fees implied with all processes undertaken at MUP (the Interior Ministry), and they vary. In the case of the application for and the issuance of a Croatian EU Blue Card, you will need to pay just under 75 euros for the issuance of the status/permit, and then just under 32 euros on top of that, for the issuance of the actual physical card (which comes in the form of a biometric residence permit/ID card). 

Please note that the aforementioned sum of just under 32 euros is for the issuance of the biometric card in what's called a ''regular procedure'' (that just means that it will take the usual amount of time to be made). You can pay more, more precisely just under 60 euros for the card to be issued to you in an ''accelerated procedure'', and you'll get it more quickly.

On top of that, you'll need to pay just under 10 euros to the state budget.

Payment details are specified here.

Can Croatian EU Blue Cards be renewed?

Yes. As long as you as the holder start the process at the same administrative police station which issued you the blue card no later than 30 days before it is due to expire. You're free to remain in Croatia until a decision on renewing the card is made and becomes legally enforceable. 

Can my family members join me, even if they aren't blue card holders or even applicants?

Yes! Your family members are free to join you using something called family reunification. Your family member simply needs to meet the requirements laid out in Article 64 of the Law on Foreigners in order to be granted temporary residence on the basis of family reunification with a Croatian EU Blue Card holder. They'll still need to provide some things to MUP, so here's a list:

They'll need to fill in form 1A.

They'll then need to provide: a photo of themselves, a copy of their valid passport, a residence permit to prove that they resided in the territory of another EEA member state as family members or life partners, a visa (if applicable at all), proof of them holding health insurance, proof of sufficient funds in order to not become a burden on the welfare system, proof that they haven't been convicted of any criminal offences in the country they resided in for more than 12 months immediately prior to arriving in Croatia.

There are other things to note and items to provide the Croatian authorities with based on who you are to each other in the sense of being family. This varies if the relationship is a parent/child relationship, if your husband or wife is in question, if you're not married but are in a commonlaw partnership, an informal life partnership, and so on.

Those more specific details can be found here.

Caveats

As a Croatian EU Blue Card holder, you may only work for the company (registered in Croatia) for which the blue card has been issued for, and for the length of time it has been issued for. In other words, you're only permitted to work for the employer that you have entered into employment with and been granted a blue card for.

Your family members will be granted temporary residence on the basis of family reunification only for the amount of time your blue card has been issued for. The same is true for the renewal process.

For more on moving to and living in Croatia, spanning everything from rental car and ferry tips to getting health insurance and buying property, make sure to keep up with our lifestyle section. An article on living in, moving to or handling administrative tasks in Croatia is published every Wednesday.

March the 15th, 2023 - In this edition of How to Croatia, I'm going to take you through the process of authenticating both foreign-issued and Croatian documents. For documents issued by certain countries, no such procedure is required. Read on.

First things first, why do you need to have certain foreign and Croatian documents authenticated, and what does that even mean?

Authentication is the legalisation of certain documents that Croatia requires to go through that process, such as diplomas, certificates, or public documents such as records.

Let's say you're an Indian national and you have documents issued to you officially by the Indian authorities and you need to have them authenticated for use here in Croatia. You'll need to have the authentication done by the Indian authorities, not the Croatian ones. This is usually done with an official stamp and/or mark such as a signature.

The process of authentication verifies the authenticity of the stamp and/or signature on the document, but not the content the document contains. 

So, back to being an Indian national with Indian documents which need to be authenticated by the Indian authorities - you'll need to do this in order to legally use said documents and have them be valid for Croatia. In order to exercise some sort of right that said documents afford you here in Croatia, an apostille stamp will be required from the issuing nation (in this case, India).

What about public Croatian documents?

If you need to have a public document issued by a Croatian authority authenticated, you'll need to request an apostille stamp from the municipal court in Croatia competent for the territory on which the issuing authority is located.

A German document requires the German authorities, a French document requires the French authorities, a Croatian document requires the Croatian authorities, etc.

The legalisation process for Croatian documents issued to you by the Croatian authorities:

If you have public Croatian documents which require legalisation by the powers that be and you're abroad, with the intention of exercising a right that document affords you abroad, you'll need to do the following:

First and foremost, you'll need to have that document or documents translated by a court interpreter in Croatia.

Then, you'll need to have it authenticated by the municipal court competent for the territory where the issuing authority is located, as touched on above.

You'll then have to request legalisation of a judge's signature and a court stamp from the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration

Last but by no means least, you'll need to then request legalisation of both the official signature and stamp of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Sound like a headache? It can be. So be prepared to do a bit of running around. If you've spent any considerable amount of time in Croatia and dealt with anything remotely administrative, you'll already be aware of that. With that, I'll get into the next bit which will likely contribute to any headaches already being suffered. You'll need to request all of the above by paying a physical visit to the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration. Lucky you.

The Ministry of Justice and Public Administration authenticates documents for use abroad on:

From Monday to Thursday from 09:00 to 11:00 and then from 13:00 to 15:00.

On Fridays from 09:00 to 12:00.

Are there any countries and their documents which are exempt from this process?

Yes. Thanks to European Union (EU) regulations, more specifically the one which promotes one of the main pillars of the functioning of the bloc - freedom of movement - some countries and some documents are exempt.

Since the year 2019, certain (but not all) public documents and their certified copies issued by an EU member state are exempt from needing to go through the legalisation or authentication process within another EU member state. As stated, this doesn't mean every single document is exempt, and for some of them, you can ask for what's known as a multilingual standard form to avoid translation requirements.

You can find the list of countries which have some of their public documents exempt from this requirement by clicking here.

Caveats

These exemptions only apply to documents and their certified copies issued by an EU member state's public authorities which are being presented to the public authorities of another EU member state. For example, if you're a German national with certain German Government-issued documents, and you need those documents in Croatia, you won't need to have them authenticated or legalised by the use of an apostille.

As stated above, this applies in certain cases only, such as for the establishment of facts like death, birth, marriage, civil partnership, divorce, legal names and so on. More detailed information and other such items can be found by clicking here.

Costs can be accessed by clicking here.

SOURCES: Courts of the Republic of Croatia and the European Justice's e-Justice portal

For more on moving to and living in Croatia, which covers everything from ferry, pet and parking tips to getting residence, health insurance and a job, make sure to keep an eye out for our dedicated How to Croatia articles in our lifestyle section which are published every Wednesday.

January the 25th, 2023 - When it comes to life in Croatia, especially for a foreigner, there are many ups and downs that you won't be remotely acquainted with. The special little quirks of life in Croatia (be they good or bad) are the spice of life. Sometimes those spices are invigorating, and other times they just give you diarrhoea.

One trap you will naturally end up falling into, whether you express it or not, is comparing Croatia to your home country. This is something that is absolutely unavoidable and we all do it. Anyone who tells you that they don’t do it is lying. Perhaps they don’t do it anymore, but they are certainly guilty of having done it in the past. It’s completely natural to compare, no matter how often some ‘woke’ yoga instructing faith healer has told you not to on Instagram. No offence to yoga instructing faith healers at all, but you know the type of person I’m referring to, and it’s time we stop trying to pretend human nature can be controlled, because to some extent - it can’t. Comparing things to other things is part of perfectly normal human cognition, and while it isn’t always helpful, there’s little you can do to stop it. The key is to not let it affect you, and for that you need time.

Croatia shocks in many subtle and sometimes not so subtle ways. If you’re not used to a country so bizarrely obsessed with paperwork, documents, copies of documents and flashes of ID cards at every semi-official turn, this will more than likely be your first surprise. Many (but not all) countries have moved on from this, and Croatia is also progressing and has been since the coronavirus pandemic forced it to. There are now many more things available to obtain from the comfort of your own home and online, but it would be a lie to say that the country isn’t still clinging on to queues, clerks and pieces of paper. 

While you might find what should be a very simple task to be an arduous, laborious venture full of unhelpful government officials and clerks, you’re also just as likely to find what should be an arduous, laborious venture easy and with a lot of help along the way. Croatia is as much of a country of balance as it is paradoxes. I can’t count how many situations I’ve had that should have been easy turn into ridiculous wild goose chases, and in the same breath, I also can’t count the amount of difficult problems I’ve had made so much more simple. Life in Croatia is a balancing act of sorts, to say the least.

Here’s a funny example for you; I once had to get a certain tax document. I went to the main tax office in Zagreb and a large, burly security guard told me that they don’t do that here. I insisted on speaking to the woman sitting behind the glass like some sort of museum piece for a second opinion. She, annoyed at me having disturbed her game of Angry Birds (and in fairness she was on a high level), confirmed what the aforementioned large, burly security guard had said. I eventually got the document I needed, although nobody from two institutions who should know, the tax office and the finance ministry, seemed to know who was supposed to give it to me (or even what it was). An argument even broke out between three women in one room at another tax office who couldn’t agree on what the document was and who was supposed to provide this document while I just stood there twiddling my thumbs. Explaining everything in Croatian had zero effect.

You’d think the tax office might be able to give you a pretty run of the mill tax document. More fool me, I suppose.

A few weeks later, I had to go to MUP for something which needed quite the explanation, and I had mentally prepared myself for the waiting, the random children running around in circles in an attempt to cure their terminal case of boredom, the clerks getting irritated at people for forgetting documents and the vending machine which, quite like the infamous McDonald’s ice cream machine, appears eternally out of order. 

I entered the building, bypassing the policeman by the door who is paid to stand and do, well, not a lot, taking a number and sitting down. One random circle-running child appeared from behind a pair of jean-clad legs, but I wasn’t made dizzy watching them spin around and around in their boredom for long. Up came my number, I handed over what I had, I was given what I needed, and the clerk barely even looked at me, let alone spoke. I was in and out in ten minutes. No questions (even the ones which should have been) were asked.

I have several such stories. For every bad one, I have a good one. Sometimes two.

I could have let myself get hung up on the whole tax document ordeal and compared it to the UK, where, honestly, not only would you never need to get such a document, but I’m not sure it even exists there. I would be lying if I said that in the throes of my frustration at the time, I didn’t think about how utterly ridiculous this entire quest was, how it was taking up my whole day, how incompetent every person I’d spoken to was, and how this would never happen in Eng… and then I stopped myself. No, that wouldn’t happen, but something else equally as absurd likely could and would.

The administrative bodies in Croatia, even in Zagreb, need a lot of work. Nobody can deny that. There is far too much paperwork, far too many things which require you to show up in person and take time out of your day to do so, and honestly, far, far too many people employed to do next to nothing but enjoy weird little power trips. Think of it like the meme about how many meetings could just be emails, that’s Croatian administrative bodies down to a tee.

For as much as expats complain about how such and such is not like that in their country in a negative sense, there is also such and such which is not like that in their country in a positive sense. Sure, you might be asked to obtain a tax document which not only does the tax office not produce, but apparently nobody has ever heard of. But you might also be pleasantly surprised by a MUP clerk who just wants to get home and who asks you nothing and couldn’t care less about the rules even when you’ve come armed with papers (and copies of said papers) and detailed explanations.

It takes time, a hefty dose of patience and a long exposure to the realities of life in Croatia before you can truly reach Nirvana, which is where you simply accept it for what it is, you pick your battles, and you realise that two realities can co-exist and don’t need to be compared to each other. Dealing with incompetent clerks and difficult-to-navigate rules is a headache wherever you might find yourself, but when you’re enjoying an ice cold cheap beer, looking over the glorious Adriatic to the rugged mountains and watching what Alfred Hitchcock once described as the most beautiful sunset in the entire world, it all seems worth it.

We all live our lives in a kind of process. Things are peeled away gradually, and different ‘levels’ are reached along the way. What we found difficult ten years ago, we likely don’t now. What we spend our time worrying over now, we likely won’t even remember in five years. Getting to know a new country also forces you to get to know yourself. It opens up and exposes parts of you that no other experience could, and forces you to give yourself a long, hard look in the mirror. You might find that you actually don’t particularly like yourself, and while that is a jarring experience, it will open the door to transformations. Nothing builds character like being forced out of your comfort zone, and nothing makes you more self aware than being plunged into unknowns.

Croatia is an onion. It has many layers, some parts of it might appear rotten, and other parts are white and pure. It has taught me many, many things, and while it has well and truly put my pre-Croatia definition of stress to shame, it has also taught me what true appreciation really is. It has taught me that comparison, despite being an unavoidable part of being human, doesn’t have to be given a voice that influences anything, and while there are many things in this country which absolutely do need to be changed, I wouldn’t change that part.

Comparison is definitely the thief of joy, as Theodore Roosevelt once rightly said, but only if you allow it to rob you.

For more on life in Croatia, from tips and tricks about renting a car and using the ferry services to opening a bank account and obtaining citizenship or residence, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section. Our How to Croatia series is published every Wednesday.

January the 18th, 2023 - In this edition of How to Croatia, I'm going to take you through some of the sometimes rather surprising and unpleasant motions (and emotions) living abroad can stir up. From expat groups to dealing with homesickness and more, making it work means getting comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Remember when you were a kid and it was enough to tell another random kid you’d never met before that you liked his toy dinosaur and that was it, you ended up being friends with no questions asked. How simple life once was. As adults who obsess over our insecurities, what others might think of us, and worst case scenarios, we tend to overcomplicate making connections, especially genuine ones. Spoiled by being older and wiser, we add layers of complexity to things that should be simple, create barriers where there doesn’t need to be any, and sometimes even seek to protect ourselves from discomfort or embarrassment by not putting ourselves out there.

Did you know that we make our minds up about others within about ten seconds of meeting them? It’s subconscious and automatic. This is because back when we were living in caves and trying to avoid being killed by sabre toothed tigers, we didn’t have the time to spend getting to know others on a deeper level. I suppose when your life is all about churning out offspring and becoming old and decrepit at about 25, things like that aren’t quite as important. Times have changed dramatically, but we still tend to make up our minds to a certain degree about others based on the energy we feel from them when we first meet. First impressions are everything, as they say. Meeting people in Croatia might be a bit more complicated because of the language barriers, but deep down - we all speak the same language, and decency transcends everything else.

Many foreigners tend to think Croats are a bit standoffish because they tend not to walk around with beaming smiles plastered across their faces. While people in the UK have even been known to apologise to inanimate objects when bumping into them, you’ll likely not notice that here. Despite typically not being seen grinning from ear to ear, the truth of the matter is that Croatian people would usually give you the shirts off their backs if asked. 

Croats speak English to an extremely impressive standard, but even an attempt at speaking Croatian (which is notoriously difficult and most Croats are aware of that), will win you instant appreciation with most people. A friendly ‘dobar dan’ (good day), ‘dobro jutro’ (good morning) or ‘doviđenja’ (or just ‘đenja’ for short) will elicit a smile and help develop connections. I’ll jump more into language a bit later on.

Expats who like to live their lives in expat bubbles full of their own nationality or indeed different nationalities who have also come to live in Croatia do so understandably. Humans are social animals, we seek out what feels most comfortable, and the craving for something familiar can be extremely strong when spending extended periods of time abroad, and that doesn’t really fade no matter the length of time spent outside your home country. 

I still have cravings for Greggs sausage rolls and every time I go to England, which is every few months or so, I transport myself back in time with the taste of them, proper fish and chips and Irish bacon. My mum’s Sunday dinners are something irreplaceable, and even if they could somehow be made in Croatia, I honestly don’t think I’d want to eat them anywhere else but in my childhood home. I’m going off on a bit of a tangent here (the thought of sausage rolls does have that effect), but my point is that feeling homesick and longing for home comforts isn’t unusual, and what might be a hard pill to swallow is the fact that while it will fade in and out, this will likely never go away. It’s human, and while frustrating, it’s completely natural.

Don’t limit yourself to other expats only

Feeling like you don’t quite belong here (being home) or there (being Croatia) often leads expats in Croatia to associate and build relationships solely with those from their country of origin. While understandable, doing so will limit your understanding of Croatia and Croats enormously. Becoming friendly with the locals will see doors open up to you in a way you might not expect, despite how obvious and logical it might seem to read it. Understanding the country you’re in on any deeper level gives you the opportunity to see the wood from the trees, broaden your horizons and grasp another way of life, even if not entirely. 

While I’m a huge proponent of immersion, I am absolutely aware that saying ‘just speak to people’ is a daunting task and much more easily said than done. Feeling comfortable in a new place is a gradual process which happens over time and isn’t straightforward, so if you’re just interested in meeting others who will more than likely share the same struggles, have the same problems, and be feeling the same feelings as you for now while you get settled and find your feet, I’d recommend introducing yourself to some expat groups. There are several large and very active and helpful ones to be found on - you guessed it - Facebook.

Expat groups

There are expat groups for various locations all over the country, from Osijek to Dubrovnik and everywhere in between, and most of them are very active. Asking questions there will help get you realistic answers from people who have experienced things themselves, introducing yourself there will quickly gain you some friends, and observing what’s posted there will keep you up to date on events and the like which you might not have known about otherwise, especially if you’re still working on learning Croatian.

Expats in Zagreb [Official], Expats meet Split, Dubrovnik Foreign Circle, Expats of Dalmatia, Expats in Dubrovnik, Expats on Brač, Korčula, Hvar Comunita Degli Italiani Spalato, Croatian Australian NZ-ers and Friends in Split, Expats in Trogir, Americans in Croatia, Chilenos en Croacia, Indians in Croatia, Latinos en Croacia, Svenskar i Kroatien, South Africans in Croatia… I could go on, but you probably get my drift. These are just some of the expat groups on Facebook, so you’ll find something that suits you without any problem at all.

There are usually local Croats who are members of these groups, too.

For more on finding your feet in Croatia, be it regarding setting up your health insurance and finding a job and somewhere to live, to driving and learning to avoid snakes and bears, make sure to keep up with our dedicated lifestyle section and our How to Croatia series, which is published every Wednesday.

January the 4th, 2023 - In this edition of How to Croatia, we're going to be exploring the reasons why you should make the effort to learn the language, and that Croats having an excellent grasp of English should never a be a get out of jail free card.

I’ll be frank, learning Croatian is difficult unless you happen to have a Slavic language as your mother tongue. It has been listed as among the most difficult languages to pick up in the world on multiple occasions, and I’ll also be frank when I say many expats don’t bother trying to learn it. Do you absolutely need to be able to speak Croatian? Honestly, no. You’d get by. I’ve mentioned that the English language proficiency among Croats is very high. Should you learn to speak Croatian? Yes. And not only because it is the respectful thing to do when living in a country where Croatian is the official language, but because it will help you to adapt in a way that nothing else even comes close to.

Do you need to be fluent? Absolutely not. Croats are (unless the person is very ignorant to the world) aware that Croatian is difficult to learn. That said, as I mentioned before, any attempt at learning shows respect and will be greatly appreciated and even admired if you manage to get a bit more advanced with your skills. 

It’s true when they say that the earlier you begin learning something, the more quickly and easily you’ll master it. Croatian kids converse very well in English, many of them take extra lessons outside of school, and a lot of them enjoy watching YouTube videos by American content creators and reading books written by British authors. I’ve met Croatian kids who actually don’t even like to speak in Croatian, choosing to instead speak in English among themselves, and lapping up the chance to practice to what is often fluency. 

Given the fact that the English language is so desired and so widely spoken across the world, those who have English as a first language often speak only that. That of course isn’t always the case and claiming so would be a wild generalisation, but at age 13 with raging hormones and wondering whether or not Darren from the year above fancies you or not, it isn’t really the best time to soak up the ability to tell everyone what you did on holiday in French. This puts Brits especially at a disadvantage when it comes to properly learning foreign languages.

Croatian is made up of dialects, there are three main ones; Kajkavian, Shtokavian, and Chakavian, but the reality is that the way in which people speak can alter from town to town, let alone region to region. Someone from Brač (or as they call it - Broč) will struggle to understand someone from Zagorje, and vice versa. The way the time is told in some parts of the country is different from in another, and Dalmatian is a language with many unfortunately near-extinct words of its own. Did I mention that Dubrovnik language is also one of its own in many respects? Don’t get me started on different words being used on different islands which are a mere stone’s throw away from each other. There are words that the now dying generation use which, when they depart this life, will tragically go with them.

Some words in Croatian are so similar to each other in how they sound but mean wildly different things. Proljev is diarrhoea, and preljev is dressing. I cannot imagine a salad slathered in the former would be all that appealing. A friend once accidentally called her mother in law (svekrva) her ‘sve kurva’ (kurva means whore). Another person I know once said he had a headache (boli me glava), but ended up saying ‘glavić’ instead, which is part of the male sex organ. Given that ‘glava’ means head, you can probably guess which part ‘glavić’ is. My point is that this is a language which is intricate, and the little things make a big difference.

Croatian is a very colourful language. The ways people swear in this country and the creativity used is quite the art form in itself. The genitals of sheep, mice and Turkish people are dropped into conversations quite casually, and people refer to things being easy as a ‘cat’s cough’ or even as ‘p*ssy smoke’. I’ll be here all day if I carry on and explain all of their meanings, but rest assured, Croatian makes up for its infuriating difficulties with its imaginative creativity.

How do I begin learning Croatian?

Turn on your TV, your radio, and start reading news in Croatian language. You’d be surprised how much information having the radio or TV on in the background actually puts into your brain without you even actually listening. Children’s books are also extremely helpful if you’re starting from scratch.

Find a private Croatian teacher

Word of mouth and expat groups are your friend here. People are always looking for Croatian teachers and seeking recommendations for them. One question in an expat group will likely land you with several names of teachers with whom other users have had good experiences and progress with their language skills. Some teachers hold small classes, some do lessons over Skype, Zoom or another similar platform, and others will meet one on one. 

Language exchanges

There are also language exchanges offered informally, where a Croat will teach you Croatian in exchange for you teaching them English, German, French, Spanish, or whatever language is in question. You both help each other learn the other’s skill, and it is a very equal affair.

Take a Croatian language course

Certain faculties and Croatian language schools, such as Croaticum, offer Croatian language and culture courses for foreigners. Did you know that you can also apply for residence based on studying here? There are different types of courses available and at reasonable prices. Some of them are even free! From semester-long courses on language and culture spanning 15 weeks and over 200 lessons to one month courses of 75 lessons spanning 4 weeks, there is something for everyone, depending on how much time they can or want to put into it. There are also others which offer Croatian language courses online, such as HR4EU, Easy Croatian, the Sputnik Croatian Language Academy, CLS and more.

If you have a Croatian partner, don’t rely entirely on them

Have them help you to learn, but don’t completely rely on them to the point that they’re your buffer stopping you from attempting to learn and improve. Many expats make this error, and their Croatian spouse actually ends up becoming an unwilling barrier to them picking up at least bits of the language in their perfectly noble attempts at helping. Stick some notes on household items with their names in Croatian. You’ll be calling a bed a krevet, a door a vrata, a wall a zid, a floor a pod, a window a prozor and a glass a čaša (or a žmul, if you want to take a step even further and learn a little old Dalmatian), in no time.

Age is a factor, so don’t run before you can walk

It isn’t a popular thing to say, but age does play a role when it comes to learning new skills, whatever they may be. Kids soak up new languages like sponges because their brains are developing, but with each passing year of our lives, that sponge gets a little bit drier. Croatian isn’t Spanish, it has very complex rules which are unlike what native English speakers have grown up using. You might find that you never truly master Croatian, and you might also feel as if you’re behind and not picking it up as quickly as you’d like to. This is normal, and it’s fine. Moving to or spending any significant amount of time in another country is a huge shift and for some people, throwing themselves into learning the language is last on the list in comparison to working out how to make ends meet or set up their lives. Nobody should be shamed for not having the same priorities as others might have. For some people, being a polyglot is just part of their nature, for others, it just isn’t. Patience is a virtue. Many expats will tell you that they understand much more Croatian than they’re able to speak, and if you can reach that level (which takes a while), you’re already much more than halfway there.

If you’re a member of the Croatian diaspora, the State Office for Croats Abroad has has scholarships available

If you’re a member of the Croatian diaspora, even if you don’t have Croatian citizenship and don’t have any intention of moving to or working in Croatia, you can still learn Croatian in various locations in Croatia and reconnect with your family’s roots and heritage.

I’m a translator. I translate from Croatian into English all day long, I could talk about my love and endless interest in linguistics all day (so I’ll stop now) and I can tell you that the two languages are very different in almost every aspect. It will not come easily, but genuine desire and consistent effort will surprise you with its results. Listen to Croatian, watch things in Croatian with English subtitles, have your spouse, friends and Croatian family members help you, don’t fear making mistakes and your confidence will grow. You will get there.

For more How to Croatia articles, which explore living in and moving to Croatia and span everything from getting health insurance to taking your dog on a ferry, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.