May 16, 2023 - Thinking of emigrating? Why the grass is greener in Croatia - a video from a presentation at the Zagreb FER Faculty of Engineering last week. 

I am often accused of being too positive about Croatia.

A little positivity never killed anyone, of course, but after 20 years of living here and being surrounded by the default negative Croatian mindset, I decided to start a YouTube channel looking at the brighter and more positive aspects of life here.

Two of the first videos I did were 8 Reasons Croatia is the Best Place to Live in Europe, and 10 Things Croatia Does Better than Anywhere Else. Both were very popular, and both attracted a lot of comment, some complimentary, some critical.

Having read the comments, I decided to offer a free presentation to any school or university faculty in Croatia in destinations that I would be visiting called "Thinking of Emigrating? Why the Grass is Greener in Croatia."

Perhaps, after 20 years here and having travelled to 96 countries and lived in ten, I had a slightly different perspective that students might be interested in hearing.

I have done several presentations on the topic since I made the offer, the most recent of which was at the FER Faculty of Engineering in Zagreb last week, who were kind enough to record the presentation so that it could be watched more widely. Here it is, in full.

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 23, 2023 - Growing one's own food is a big thing in Croatia, but how to get the fresh produce to other family members all over the country? Meet the fabulous culture of moving vegetables. Premiering tonight at 19:53.

Food in Croatia is fantastic.

And so, so fresh.

With so many families growing their own food, it is not a long journey from the family field to the table. Or is it?

Over the years, I have learned that it is not possible to go on a long journey in this region between two cities without a boot full of vegetables for a friend or family member in the destination city. And then to have your car filled with a boot full of other vegetables for the return journey.

And if you haven't driven from Dalmatia to Zagreb with 30 cabbages in the car, only to do the same journey in reverse with 30 cabbages of a different sort 6 months later, are you even living in Croatia?

Meet the fabulous, fabulous culture in Croatia (and the wider region) - moving vegetables!

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You can subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert YouTube channel here.

What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

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.

March 8, 2023 - So how does Croatia really work? Meet the Mighty State of Uhljebistan.

Can learning one word of a foreign language change your understanding of that country and your relationships with your local friends?

It did with me.

The day I learned the word Uhljeb and its effect on Croatian society, Croatia changed for me, and so did my relationships with many of my Croatian friends.

Find out how Croatia really works be entering insides the walls of the Mighty State of Uhljebistan, a country within a country in Croatia.

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You can subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert YouTube channel here.

What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

March 7, 2023 - After 12 years of writing online, why I no longer give free advice about Croatia.  

It all started with a laptop and a pint.

A new career, the latest in a string of new careers - being self-employed in a foreign land is not without its challenges. 

Writing. 

I remember how nervous I was when I started the Total Hvar blog way back in October 2011. Did I have anything interesting to say? Would anyone actually read my words?

There have been many milestones over the last 12 years, which live long in the memory, but none more so than the moment that Sinisa Matkovic-Mikulcic of Secret Hvar became the first person to share one of my articles. 

It got EIGHT likes on Facebook.

I felt like JK Rowling, as though the whole world was reading. 

And then came the first comment, and then the first email asking for information. I was more than happy to oblige. Engagement grows the beast, but also I could see how the birth of a community would help the site grow. 

And grow it did.

At one crazy point, the TCN project had no less than 11 writers on the payroll. It was pretty chaotic.

And just as the number of writers and articles increased, so too did the incoming emails to the inbox, most of them looking for information or wanting to meet for a coffee. 

I was always happy to oblige, but then the floodgates opened. I currently get about 400 messages a day, mostly from people I don't know. They are looking for information, thinking about moving to Croatia, and wanting to meet and buy me a beer. 

It is flattering to get so much attention, but there comes a point when if I answered every email and drank every beer, that would be my full-time job. Which would not bring in a lot of cash to feed the kids. 

And of course, there are those who expect you to be at their beck and call, and if you don't reply instantly, you are arrogant. When I lived in Varazdin, there was a chap in Zagreb who wanted to buy me a coffee. I was only going to Zagreb one day a week at the time, and my diary was full of business meetings from 10am to 10pm each week when I got the bus back home. I apologised, said I was busy and to try again in a month if he still wanted to meet. He gave me a piece of his mind and unfriended me.  

Each to their own. At least one less message, I suppose. 

And then there are those such as former Top Fan Andrea, who sent me a bizarre request for help regarding her partner's inability to get an Irish passport notarised, and what could I do to help. Having no knowledge about the situation, as well as being the 30th enquiry I had answered that hour, I suggested she check with the Irish Embassy. 

For which my public reward was above. 

Maybe I have an arrogant streak in my messages to people with the surname of Woods (or perhaps it is the same person), but here are some of the comments to my announcement of my new talk show on 24Sata, which aired on Sunday. 

Another commentator asked dear Elizabeth to explain what question she had asked me. I did too, also wondering also why she follows TCN if she finds my face so abhorrent. 

As with many trolls, when confronted, the comment was deleted, and so we will never know. 

Such is life. 

So lots of effort for little reward, with the probable bonus of receiving abuse for your efforts. It sounds a little like promoting tourism and getting lawsuits in compensation. 

Back in 2011, I was a lonely blogger with no peers to talk to, but these days, of course, there are many more freelancers and copywriters in the remote work space. 

We began to talk and share experiences. 

We were both shocked, I at how much better they handled all this, they that I was doing so much for free.

"Rule number one, Paul, NEVER  do anything for free once you are established. You have built a brand, have a website full of articles, an excellent book. If people still want to talk to you, then they should pay."

Would anyone really pay to learn something from me?

I decided to test it recently.  The first person was thinking of moving to Croatia and wanted to schedule a call to pick my brain. I politely suggested he buy our recent book, Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners, and if he still wanted to talk, then I could send him my rates for 30 and 60 minutes.  The reply was swift - thanks but he had no intention of paying. It seems it is fine to expect me to give things for free.

I spoke to more people in the field, and they were all adamant. Start charging.

And so, somewhat with reluctance (but necessity), that is what  I have decided to do. And incredibly, a little like Sinisa being the first to share one of my articles all those years ago, someone is prepared to pay for my time to help him move to Croatia.

So if you want to book my time for a chat, I charge 70 euro plus VAT for 30 mins, 100 euro plus VAT for 60.

Having said all that, I am going to try one new approach to making myself available to answer people's questions, in the form of a YouTube live AMA (Ask Me Anything) one hour a month. I am still figuring out the format and will announce the time shortly for a 1-hour live chat. If you have a question you would like answered, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Live chat.  

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You can subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert YouTube channel here.

What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

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Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.