Croatia

When traveling to Croatia, your nationality and the types of activities you will conduct during your trip will determine whether you may travel lawfully as a business visitor or if you require work authorization. Please seek advice from your immigration counsel if you are uncertain about the specific types of activities that constitute business or work.

What types of activities may I engage in as a business visitor?

As a business visitor to Croatia, you may engage in the activities below. While this list is not exhaustive and other activities could qualify as business, you may:

• » Attend business meetings or round-table discussions
• » Visit a current project site or factory floor for informational purposes
• » Attend sales conferences, seminars, conventions, or trade shows
• » Participate in training

If I qualify as a business visitor, do I need a visa for Croatia?

Nationals of the European Union, the United States, and many other select countries are eligible for a visa waiver and are not required to obtain a visa in order to enter and conduct business activities in Croatia. If your nationality is not eligible for a visa waiver, you must obtain a Visitor Visa from a Croatian Embassy or Consulate prior to travel.

Additionally, nationals who would otherwise require a visa may be eligible for a visa waiver if they hold a visa or residence permit from a Schengen Area member state, Bulgaria, Cyprus, or Romania. However, please check with your immigration counsel regarding specific visa waiver eligibility requirements and for the permitted period of stay on a visa waiver.

What types of activities require work authorization?

The activities below, whether paid or unpaid, generally constitute work under Croatian law. This list is not exhaustive, and many other professional activities are considered work in Croatia, even if conducted for a short duration.

• » Consulting
• » Auditing
• » Conducting professional training
• » Delivering, installing, or servicing machinery and equipment

 
In limited circumstances, foreign nationals may engage in certain professional activities without obtaining work authorization while on assignment under Van der Elst rules, although strict preconditions must be met. An individual assessment is required before deciding whether an assignment exemption is applicable.

If I am traveling to Croatia for work, what type of work authorization do I need?

The requirements for work authorization depend on your qualifications, on the nature and duration of your work, and on whether your employer has an entity in Croatia. The most common types of work authorization for Croatia are:

• » Work Registration Certificate (short term work authorization)
• » Work and Residence Permit (long term work authorization)
• » EU ICT Permit (work authorization for managers, specialists, and trainees transferred from a company based outside the EU to a host entity in Croatia that belongs to the same company or group of companies)
• » EU Blue Card (work authorization for highly-skilled direct hires)
• » Temporary Stay and Residence Permit for Digital Nomads (work and residence authorization for remote workers of a foreign company)

Is it possible to be exempted from work authorization requirements?

Nationals from the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland are not required to obtain work authorization in order to work in Croatia. However, registrations or other formalities may be required prior to working or residing in Croatia.

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which governs post-Brexit relations between the EU and the U.K., has altered immigration regulations in the affected countries. Please be sure to contact your immigration representative for full details regarding the TCA's impact in Croatia.

Inevitably, the legal and strategic considerations impacting visa selection, as well as visa waiver and work authorization eligibility, entail the careful consideration of many factors. We recommend that you consult with your immigration counsel before taking any course of action.

Copyright © 2021 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. Government immigration agencies often change their policies and practices without notice; please consult an immigration professional for up-to-date information. This document does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. BAL maintains comprehensive immigration information and processing specifics for our clients.