Croatia. A country with a stunning coastline, countless islands and more sunshine hours than you can shake a stick at. It has spread its wings and now has a desire to attract highly skilled internationals. As a result there are plenty of questions flying around about Croatia’s digital nomad visa.
I’m a journalist, copywriter, translator and book author who has lived between the United Kingdom and Croatia for the past decade. I’ve seen this country alter a lot, and had the inside scoop as the digital nomad visa went from an idea to a reality in 2021.
I write about the transformations this country has undergone, and the digital nomad visa is a success story worth celebrating.
But (there’s always a but), there are several catches.
It isn’t a visa, despite the name
Croatia doesn’t operate using visas but residence permits. The digital nomad visa is in fact the digital nomad residence permit. Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it? There’s your answer as to why it’s called what it’s called. If you need a visa to enter Croatia, that still applies to you even if you’re approved.
You cannot work for or perform services for any company headquartered in Croatia
The digital nomad visa allows you to work remotely for a foreign company all while lapping up the lifestyle Croatia offers, from remarkable sunsets on the coast to the charms of the bustling capital. There are catches, and one of the main ones is that you are not permitted to work in any capacity for a company headquartered in Croatia.
This is where Croatia’s age-old awkwardness comes into it. This country is infamous for taking one step forward and two steps back. Croatia’s tech scene isn’t booming as such, but it is blossoming like the first buds of spring. The country is suffering a brain drain and has been struggling with demographic issues for decades. The list of Croatian ghost villages keeps expanding, and the need to attract talented internationals is at an all time high.
There’s the EU Blue Card Scheme, which Croatia recently amended to last for four years as opposed to two. But aside from that, not enough is being done to attract and retain foreign talent. The digital nomad visa could have been a way, but alas, the powers that be appear to not have yet recognised that.
You don’t need to open a Croatian bank account
Because you won’t be being paid by a Croatian company, you don’t need a local bank account. You can open one if you’d like, for the sake of the ease of paying bills or other things, but it isn’t necessary.
The Croatian digital nomad visa is valid for one year and does not provide a path to permanent residency
A digital nomad is a person who doesn’t hold the citizenship of a European Economic Area country, and who is employed (or self-employed) by a foreign enterprise engaging in communication technology. As things currently stand, the Croatian digital nomad visa is valid for one calendar year. It cannot be extended, but a new application can be made six months and one day after the original one year permit’s validity has expired.
Permanent residence or citizenship is more difficult to get unless you’re an EEA citizen who has lived here with uninterrupted temporary residence for five years, or a third-country national (someone who doesn’t hold EEA citizenship) who has Croatian heritage they can prove. Even in the latter case, getting the documentation you’ll need and jumping through bureaucratic hoops is off putting to most.
In short, if you’re a digital nomad and you fall in love with Croatia during your time here, you’ll need to find another purpose through which to apply for temporary residence. One thing worth knowing is that the 12 months your digital nomad visa is valid for doesn’t have to include your 90 days of free stay in Croatia. In other words, you can come and be a tourist for about 2.5 months and then begin your application in order to extend your stay for a further 12 and a bit.
You can bring your family, partner, and your pets!
You can bring your family members with you under Croatia’s family reunification rules. Croatia considers “close family members” to be married and unmarried partners. In the case of unmarried partners, you must have been together for longer than three years if you don’t have a child, while the time limit is waived if you have a child together.
If you’ve got furry family members, they can also spend the year with you in Croatia as long as they have the proper vaccinations and a valid travel document.
Yes, you’ll need health insurance
Croatia’s healthcare system is socialised and free at the point of use. There are small, symbolic copayments on some occasions. The Croatian Health Insurance Fund, or HZZO, is responsible for managing the system.
For people working for Croatian companies, their employer pays their health insurance for them each time they’re paid their salary and they have nothing to do with the process. In the case of digital nomads, things are different. You’ll either need to prove that you have taken out a private health insurance plan, or you can register with HZZO.
The latter will come with a cost.
You’ll need to pay a “back pay” in premiums for one previous year. I’m aware this sounds like a ripoff, but hear me out – what if you turn up to register for free healthcare, and you get hit by a bus on your way out of the office? You could have a heart attack next Tuesday. You probably get the picture.
This back payment seems odd considering you weren’t even present in Croatia the year before, but it is to insure your insurance in a sense. The system is such that we all must pay in, and then whoever needs healthcare takes from the collective pot.
If you’re bringing your close family members with you, they’ll need to be registered with HZZO, even if you yourself have a private health insurance plan.
Croatia is a fantastic country to come and spend a year working and exploring
Working in Croatian media, I’ve met many digital nomads. We ran their stories, interviewed the first person to ever be granted the visa back in 2021, and watched the entire saga develop from a LinkedIn post to a brand new law.
I can say that I’ve never spoken with anyone who has been granted a Croatian digital nomad visa and regretted their time spent living here.
The only downside to it is that they cannot simply renew the permit.
Croatia is a vibrant and incredibly diverse country for one so small. The gastronomic scene, the endless annual sunshine hours and the array of things to do make it perfect for anyone who wants to work remotely yet live like a local, all while embarking on an adventure in a country that has made incredible strides forward.
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Lauren Simmonds
Lauren Simmonds is the editor of Total Croatia News, the largest English language portal in Croatia. She lives in Zagreb, Croatia, and is a translator, content writer, interpreter and the co-author of "Croatia - A Survival Kit for Foreigners," which was published in 2022.
