How South African citizens can visit and live in Croatia: Guide for 2023
UPDATED: 30.09.2022.
Croatia is becoming more and more popular with South Africans, both for tourism as well as a destination for relocation.
Many South African citizens are choosing to put down roots and make Croatia their home year-round. Some have Croatian heritage and are now applying for citizenship with the intent of moving to Croatia. Applying for citizenship as a person with lineage was recently made easier since the language test was eliminated.
Others have married a Croatian abroad and are returning to build their life in a family home. The rest are just seeking a change and wish to live in a place with a similar climate.
There are a number of ways South African nationals can settle in Croatia. They aren’t all easy, but there are options. We’ve created a guide specifically for South Africans that includes every option available for moving to Croatia long term. If you’re just coming for holidays, we cover tourist visas for too.
In this post, we cover:
- How South African citizens can visit Croatia as a tourist
- How South African citizens can apply for temporary residence
- Requirements for residence
- Health insurance
- Exchanging driver’s licenses
- Buying property in Croatia
- Taxes
- Where to find the South African embassy in Croatia
- Skip the research and let us answer your questions
- Read reviews from our happy clients
Let’s dive in…
How South African citizens can visit and live in Croatia
Tourist visas for South African citizens to visit Croatia
South African citizens require a tourist visa to enter Croatia. To apply for a tourist visa, you must visit the Croatian embassy in Pretoria or a VFS Global Center in Pretoria or Cape Town.
You can find their locations below:
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia
Ozmik House, 165 Lynnwood Road, Brooklyn 0181, Pretoria
P.O. Box 11335, 0028 Hatfield, Pretoria
VFS Global
1st Floor, Cherry Lane Office Park
114 Fehrsen Street, Nieuw Muckleneuk
Brooklyn, Pretoria Gauteng
47 Strand Street, Office 502, 5th Floor
Cape Town, 8001
You can view all requirements and download the application form here.
You may view the latest requirements regarding tourist visas for South Africans on the Croatian government’s web site here.
There are also requirements for South African citizens to enter Croatia. You can find the latest rules here.
How South Africans can move to Croatia
There are many options for South Africans to stay in Croatia long term. This guide will cover all of your options for residency as well as what is required of you as a South African citizen.
Before we get started, we need to go over some terms. Croatia divvies up citizens into 3 groups: Croatian
citizens, EU/EEA citizens, and everybody else (third-country nationals or non-EU/EEA citizens).
Citizens of South Africa belong to the third-country national group. This means that the residence permit scenarios we cover below apply to all third-country nationals, not just South Africans. For example, Australians, Brazilians, Americans and Indians all have the same options for moving to Croatia as South Africans.
Now that we have that out of the way, time to get to the real reason why we’re here. We will go through each residency option, starting with the one that allows you the least amount of time in Croatia, moving up to the ones that allow you the most time in Croatia.
“Sara was so informative and assisted us with all information we required, and followed with an email to guide us with this process. Expat have been amazing.” – Leonnard, South Africa
Digital Nomads
Digital nomads can be granted temporary residence based on their remote work as long as they are not working for any Croatian companies. This program is only open to third-country nationals.
Caveats
- This permit is only for up to 1 year and it is not renewable. Six months after the expiration of your permit, you can apply for a new permit.
- You are not allowed to do any work for a Croatian company.
Here is a post that explains the requirements and process for applying for a permit based on being a digital nomad.
View frequently asked questions about Croatia’s digital nomad permit here.
Permanent residents of EU/EEA/Switzerland
Canadians who hold long-term residence in another EEA member state may be granted temporary residence in Croatia.
Here are instructions on how to apply for a permit based on your permanent residence in another EU/EEA country.
Student Permit
South Africans can study at one of Croatia’s many universities and get residence in the process. You can also study Croatian at certain language schools, which will also qualify you for a residence permit.
To get a student residence permit, you must include proof of acceptance into a qualified Croatian institution of education with your residence application. You’ll also need to show you have enough money to support yourself during the school term.
Caveats
- The term of the permit will be for a single school year, excluding summer months unless you can prove you need to be here in between semesters.
- As of right now, you cannot work as a student. Although, there is legislation in the works to change this.
- You cannot bring your spouse or children to live with you for the first two years.
- Time spent on this permit only counts half towards qualifying for permanent residence.
Here are instructions on how to apply for a student residence permit.
Working for a Croatian company
South African citizens can get residence permits with the option to work in Croatia.
Caveats
- You must have a signed work contract or a valid offer of employment before the employer can apply for a work permit on your behalf.
- Work permits can only be issued for the term of your work contract, up to 1 year at maximum. If the company wants you to stay on longer, then your employer must provide a new work contract. With this new work contract, you can apply for a new work permit. Work permits are not “renewed”.
- If you get a residence permit with the option to work and decide to leave your job, your permit will be cancelled. All work permits are tied to work contracts. Without a contract, you cannot have a work permit.
- For the first year, your spouse or children can not come to live with you in Croatia.
- Before a company can offer you a work contract, they must first confirm with the office of unemployment that a Croatian is not seeking that same role.
If you want to seek a work permit to live in Croatia, then start by looking for a job. Our guide on how to find a job in Croatia includes all the ways you can find available opportunities.
All of the above also applies to approved EU Blue Card holders. Even with the Blue Card, you still need to have a work contract or employment offer before an employer can request your work and residence permit.
EU Blue Card
If you have received higher education or qualifications such as ISCED 1997 levels 5a or higher, or an associate’s degree or higher, you may qualify for an EU Blue Card.
Once you have been hired or given a binding work offer for a highly qualified position within Croatia, the company that intends to hire you may apply for a temporary residence that will allow you to work based on a Blue Card.
Things to know:
- You must be in a managerial position.
- You must be paid an elevated salary.
- The EU Blue Card will be issued for a term of 2 years.
- Your family can join you immediately.
- The hiring company does not have to perform a labor market test.
Our detailed guide on how How to apply for a Blue Card in Croatia is available here.
Starting your own Croatian company
If you’d rather start your own company, you can issue yourself a work contract as the company owner and therefore qualify for a work permit.
This option involves entangling yourself in an endless tax bureaucracy capable of strangling the life right out of you, so it is not recommended if you don’t intend to use the company for business. This option should only be used by those who really want to open and run a company in Croatia.
If you plan to go this route, make sure you educate yourself thoroughly, so you know what you are getting yourself into. We have written a heap of posts about opening and running businesses in Croatia, which you can view here.
Read more about the option of getting a work permit by opening your own company in this guide.
Prepayment of rent
If you only want to live in Croatia for one year, then this option could be the right fit. It’s a great option for retired people and frequent travelers whom have the flexibility to move to a new country for a limited amount of time.
Another benefit is that it is not “merit” based or tied to work contracts. Of course, there are catches…
Caveats
- This permit is only for one year and it is not renewable. You can only apply again after 6 months have passed since the expiration of your last permit.
- At the end of the term, you must leave Croatia for 90 days.
- You must prove that you’ve paid for rent 1 year in advance.
- You must sign up for state health insurance upon approval of residence, then pay 1 year of premiums for the previous year plus the monthly premiums for the year you live here. You can read more about health insurance here.
- You are not allowed to work for a Croatian company.
- Your spouse cannot apply for residence based on you. Your spouse must apply separately.
You can read more about how to apply for this permit scheme here.
Learning Croatian language
A residence permit can also be granted if you study the Croatian language at certain language schools. To get this permit, you must enroll in a Croatian language study program (like Croaticum). [Read: Biggest Croatian language schools in Croatia]
This permit falls under “other purposes” under the law.
Caveats
- You can get a residence permit for up to one year.
- You cannot work for a Croatian company.
- If you wish to apply again for this purpose, you must leave for 90 days at the end of the permit period.
- You can apply again 6 months and 1 day from the expiry date of your previous permit.
Our detailed guide on how to apply for temporary residence based on language study is available here.
Scientific research
If you wish to come to Croatia for the purposes of scientific research, you can get a residence permit. You’ll definitely need to provide proof of the research, which will likely involve a detailed plan of what you hope to accomplish, why you need to be in Croatia and the time frame in which you plan to accomplish it. Expect it to be scrutinized.
Caveats
- You cannot work for a Croatian company
Volunteering
It is possible to gain residency on the grounds of humanitarian or volunteer work. To apply on this basis, you’ll need to provide a contract with a non-profit organization that shows the term of work and that you are not being paid for this work among other requirements.
Caveats
- The term is limited to 1 year only.
- There is no path to permanent residency or citizenship.
- Your spouse cannot apply for residence based on you. Your spouse must apply separately on a volunteer or some other basis.
- You cannot work in exchange for money.
- You can only work for the non-profit (called “udruga”) with whom you have your contract used as the basis for your permit.
You can ready more about this permit here.
We have posts on non-profit organizations that offer long-term contracts to non-EU volunteers here:
Marrying a Croatian or EU national
This program is called “family reunification”, which essentially means that spouses and children of Croatians and EU citizens can come to live in Croatia with their spouse or parent (if they are a minor).
To be clear, I’m not suggesting or encouraging anyone to marry someone they are not in a relationship with just to live in Croatia. Frankly, I don’t recommend it either. Divorce is too big of a headache especially in Croatia. There are other, better ways. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s dive in.
If you are married to a Croatian or EU/EEA national, you are entitled to residency in Croatia as long as both you and your spouse live in Croatia together at the same address. This is by far the easiest and fastest permit to get, since there is an automatic trust that is inherent when a Croatian or EU citizen is involved.
You will need to provide an original copy of your marriage certificate that is apostilled/legalized then officially translated(if married abroad). You’ll also need to show that you as a couple have the financial means to support yourself in certain cases. I will cover this in more detail below in the “Requirements” section.
If you are the spouse of a Croatian, you’ll be granted a 2-year permit. If you are the spouse of an EU/EEA national, you’ll receive a 10-year permit.
After 4 years of temporary residency, spouses of Croatian citizens qualify for permanent residency. Once you receive permanent residency, you can apply for citizenship. Hooray!
Spouses of EU/EEA citizens can apply for permanent residence after 5 years of continuous temporary residence.
If you are married to a Croatian, read this post for instructions on how to get residency.
If you are married to an EU national, read this post for instructions on how to get residency.
Citizenship by Croatian descent
If you have Croatian heritage, you’ve hit the ultimate jackpot. Seems like every day, the Croatian government is making it easier for the diaspora to gain citizenship in an effort to get them to come to live here.
To qualify for citizenship, you must have a parent, grandparent, great grandparent, etc. that is Croatian. Lineage must be in a straight line and you must be able to prove lineage, which is usually done with birth certificates.
Even though having heritage is the golden ticket, there are still catches.
Caveats
- From January 1, 2020, you can only apply from an embassy or consulate abroad if you are a non-resident.
- If your ancestor left Croatia at any point and moved to an ex-Yugoslavia country, then your right to citizenship is negated.
- If your ancestor left Croatia after 1991, then your right to citizenship is negated (unless you’re the child of a Croatian that qualifies to register).
- Applications for citizenship take time, months to years, so be patient. You won’t be here next week.
You can see if you qualify for Croatian citizenship in 60 seconds here.
You can see how to apply for citizenship here.
Learn how to apply for citizenship specifically based on descent here.
You can read the most important things you need to know before applying for Croatian citizenship here.
Check out all of our citizenship resources here.
Requirements that apply to all situations
There are common requirements that apply to all South African citizens no matter the reason you are applying for residence. Below is a list of the most common requirements, however, keep in mind that MUP (who handles immigration) will request additional items from you depending on your basis for residency as noted above.
Everyone must provide:
- Completed application
- The police will provide you with the right application called Obrazac 1a. You can view it here.
- A valid passport
- Validity period must be 3 months longer than the validity period of the intended stay.
- Criminal background check + certificate on the length of stay
- People applying for temporary residence in Croatia for the very first time must now provide a criminal background check together with a certificate on the length of stay as part of their application. This requirement went into effect on January 1, 2021. A certificate of the length of stay is required for people who lived the last 12 months in a country other than the country of their nationality.
- Health insurance
- This is usually private health insurance unless you have state health insurance from another EU/EEA state.
- Registered address in Croatia
- Proof of accommodation is sufficient for the purposes of applying for residence. After approval, you’ll need a rental contract.
- Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself
- There are several ways to show this, depending on your purpose for applying. The financial minimums you’ll need as well as how you can show the funds are available here. However, MUP will tell you exactly what they need.
- Those applying for family reunification with a Croatian spouse are exempt from this.
- (1) passport photo 30×35 mm
- Usually, there is a photo studio right by MUP where you can get these in the right size.
- Application fee
- This is due upon approval of your application. All possible administrative costs for this procedure are available here. In some cases, you must pay an administrative fee earlier in the process using tax stamps.
Note: Everyone in Croatia must have an address that is registered with the police. You can register the address in several ways:
- Notarized rental contract
- Notarized landlord statement that states you are allowed to live on the premises
- Landlord statement submitted through e-Građani
If your landlord statement is not notarized, then the owner will need to provide you with a confirmation from the tax office that the contract has been registered with them.
“The consultation was very informative and presented professionally with all important points covered. The follow up email was prompt covering all that was relevant with an introduction to the vetted professional.” – Bruce, South Africa
Health insurance for South African citizens living in Croatia
As part of your application for residence, you must show proof of your private health insurance.
Then, after you are granted temporary residence, you must sign up for “obvezno” state health insurance with HZZO (unless you’re a digital nomad). This must be done within 8 days. HZZO is the state health insurance fund that both basic (obvezno) and supplemental (dopunsko) health insurance.
Obvezno is the standard state health insurance required for all Croatian residents. Learn all about Croatia’s state health care obvezno insurance, what it costs, and what is included in our detailed guide which is available here.
Dopunsko is optional supplemental health insurance. You can learn why you should have this health insurance here.
After signing up for HZZO, all non-EU/EEA citizens, children, and adults must pay 12 months of health insurance premiums for the previous year plus the monthly premium going forward. For example, if you are a family of 4 with 2 children, you must pay fees for all 4 family members. These fees change every year, so check the latest amounts here.
Exchanging South African driver’s license
You can exchange your South African driver’s license for a Croatian license during your first year of residence. If you wait for longer, you may be fined and/or required to start from scratch with the driving school. [Read: How to take driving school (Autoškola)]
Learn how to exchange a foreign driver’s license for a Croatian one here.
Learn how to get a driver’s license from scratch in Croatia here.
Buying Croatian property
South African citizens can buy real estate properties in Croatia. For more information, view our step-by-step guide on purchasing a house or apartment in Croatia here.
If you need professional help, we can connect you with expat-vetted real estate agents and lawyers. They will lead you through the process to ensure everything goes smoothly. If you’d like an introduction, please complete this form and we’ll contact you.
Taxes
South African citizens living more than 183 days in Croatia each year must report their worldwide income and pay taxes in Croatia. Croatia and South Africa have a double-taxation treaty in place.
Taxes are complicated. This is a very high-level view of the tax situation. If you ever want a detailed review of your tax liability while living in Croatia, contact us and we’ll connect you with an expat-vetted tax expert.
How to find your consulate in Croatia
Consulate of the Republic of South Africa, Zagreb
Contact: Mikša Branko
Telephone: +385 (0)1 4680 981
Email: konzulat.jar@email.ht.hr
Address:
Vinkovićeva 7
10 000 Zagreb
View Map
Conclusion
While the options to live in Croatia legally long-term are limited for South African citizens, there are a variety of options that will allow you to live here for at least a year, if not longer.
I’m an American whom has lived here since 2012 and currently holds permanent residency. My options were the same as citizens of South Africa, being that we are both third-country nationals so I am familiar with the process.
It was by no means easy or cheap, but from my perspective, all the hoops of fire were worth it. It all depends on how badly you want to live here and how much patience you have.
Skip the research! Let EIC answer your questions one-on-one.
We crafted this post to be as detailed as possible, but sometimes questions still arise because everyone’s situation is different. If you’d like personalized guidance on your situation, we can help.
Save yourself the time and uncertainty of trying to navigate the ever-changing rules for living in Croatia by scheduling a private chat with us.
How does it work?
All first-time clients get 30 minutes with an Expat in Croatia consultant PLUS 30 minutes with a vetted English-speaking lawyer from our network.
Repeat clients can book a 30-minute session with an EIC consultant as a stand-alone appointment.
During your chat with us, we will answer all of your questions about Croatia. You can tap into our expertise on anything you want; whether it be residency, citizenship, healthcare, buying property, letting accommodation, operating a business, what it’s like to live here, personal experiences with bureaucracy, or cultural nuance. It’s all tailored to you.
In addition, you’ll receive a follow up with additional resources based on your situation, Sara’s Croatia Restaurant Guide as well as introductions to vetted professionals like insurance, law, real estate, translation and tax.
All legal advice will be handled by our vetted lawyer network. We can help you with everything else.
Appointments will be scheduled over Zoom.
We have an extensive Frequently Asked Questions about this service here.
Who will I speak with?
Expat in Croatia has two experienced consultants, Sara Dyson and Carol Anne Škorvaga. You may choose your consultant.
Carol Anne Škorvaga, known to us as “CAM”, is a first-generation Croatian-Canadian living in Jastrebarsko with her family. She grew up entrenched in the Croatian community surrounded by culture and folklore, attended Croatian school in Canada and then returned to Zagreb to attend Filozofski Fakultet. CAM is fluent in Croatian and has firsthand knowledge of being both a Canadian expat and a Croatian returnee, building a home in Croatia and being a parent with children in local schools.
Meet CAM in this quick 2-minute video here.
Sara Dyson is the founder of Expat in Croatia. She has lived in Split, Croatia as a US citizen since 2012 and experienced first-hand applying for temporary residence, long-term residence and Croatian citizenship. She’s also operated 2 companies, purchased a home, and written about Croatia and its bureaucracy extensively since 2013. Her application is citizenship is based on her work through Expat in Croatia. Read Sara’s full bio here.
Meet Sara in this quick 2-minute video here.
What is the cost?
The below costs are per 30 minutes and include VAT (25% tax mandated by the Croatian government). If additional time is requested, it is billed in ¼ hour increments.
First-time clients automatically get an extra 30 minutes with an English-speaking lawyer from our vetted network.
Carol Anne Škorvaga
- First-time clients | 150 euros (includes session with lawyer)
- Repeat clients | 75 euros
Sara Dyson
- First-time clients | 250 euros (includes session with lawyer)
- Repeat clients | 150 euros
It takes a tremendous amount of hands-on, human work to research and vet our information that we provide during sessions. This process includes extensive web research, phone calls to the government, collaboration with licensed Croatian professionals, and visits to government, collaboration with licensed Croatian professionals, and visits to government offices.
It’s not something that ChatGPT can do. We must employ skilled, full-time employees who live in Croatia and that comes with a cost.
Reviews from our clients
“I learned more in an hour that my month of online searching. Everything was prompt, organized, and correct. Best money I have spent in this process thus far.” – Megan, United States
“So far I have only had a consulting session with Sara but it was excellent and all of my questions were answered and I feel totally confident with the information provided. I was also given additional website links after the session so that I could find extra information. I felt totally at ease with Sara who came across as not only a very professional person but very personable. I would most certainly recommend Expat in Croatia to anybody else for whatever assistance they needed.” – Helen, United Kingdom
You can view our last few reviews here or all of our reviews here.
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Mary L.
United States
Consulting
For my consulting session with Sara, I had questions about establishing residency, and also some questions about Healthcare. I sent in questions to her ahead of time so that my session was customized for my needs. Sara had all of those questions noted and was very prepared to elaborate on each one of them and more. I felt confident on the information that was provided and when I had a follow-up questions she was able to easily answer those for me as well. Sara is very personable and approachable in her demeanor which made the meeting enjoyable. I have been following EIC for a few years now and I am always so impressed by the wealth of information that is out there for all of us “seekers”. In addition, the pre-session communication by CAM was very efficient and much appreciated. I have already recommended Expat in Croatia to friends and family members in need of information. Thank you!
Vlasta N.
Canada
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Thank you so much to these wonderful ladies for the fantastic service. I needed help with some Croatian business issues, terms & processes. They connected me with an appropriate professional – another lovely lady who I immediately connected with and felt she really understood my issue, & she was able to answer all my queries in English – bonus! I would highly recommend these fabulous, friendly ladies and service to anyone who needs some assistance. Again, many thanks.
Brett B.
United States
Introduced to a Professional, Professional Assistance
On short notice I accepted a work trip to Europe and decided to stop in Zagreb prior to my job in Paris. Having obtained citizenship approval the purpose of this trip was to file birth records and my marriage record as well as obtaining domovnicas for my family and to apply for my passport. Filip coordinated everything on very short notice, including vetting our documents and coordinating a new translation due to a copy and pasting error within 3 hours. Ines met me and obtained the domovnicas for my family on my behalf. The registrar wished to have another document to complete registering my marriage and my wife and my birth certificates but Filip has told me exactly what to get. Finally Filip accompanied me to the MUP to file for my first passport. He guided me through the process and, unbelievably, I had my first Croatian Passport in my hands three hours later (not exaggerating)! These are the second group of professionals Expat in Croatia has referred me to, and again my expectations were exceeded. Thank you so much Filip and Ines for your attention to detail, guidance, timeliness, and professionalism all on short notice. The remainder of my family will be using your services once they receive their decisions as well. Thank you!
Natalie N.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
My husband and I met consulted with Expat in Croatia in order to learn about obtaining Croatian citizenship. We met with Sara Dyson initially and she was able to answer all of our general questions with regard to citizenship. She also put us in contact with our attorney, Ines, in order to begin the application process. I was very pleased with Sara’s expertise on the matter. Our attorney, Ines, was very thorough and professional. She clearly explained the process step by step and answered all of our questions and concerns throughout the entire process. Our appointment with the Chicago consulate went very smoothly and it was all thanks to Ines’ hard work! We couldn’t be more pleased with the experience and I would recommend Expat in Croatia and their professionals to anyone looking into Croatian citizenship.
Brice R.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
I really did not know where to start but Expat Croatia (Sara) introduced me to Antonela (Immigration lawyer) and she is the best. The citizenship process can be a bit daunting but having someone in Croatia to help is so necessary. I also feel that Antonela and Mia provide a service that is great value for what they charge. My advice to anyone who is applying for citizenship is to be diligent and patient. We were able to find all the necessary paperwork and I did secure Croatian citizenship for myself, my wife and our three children. (My grandmother was born in Croatia). The citizenship process took just over 2 years. We are now working on getting our Croatian passports which of course while a straightforward process, does take several months.
Ivan C.
Germany
Consulting
Sara answered all my questions, happy with the call. May actually engage the fixer in the future too.
Tara H.
New Zealand
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
My journey with Expat in Croatia started with a consulting session with Sara, From here I decided to work with a vetted lawyer to help me with my Temporary Residence application and dealing with the infamous Croatian bureaucracy. I was paired with the lovely Andrea and her team, who were amazing. It was awesome to know everything was taken care of, and that everything was explained to me clearly and carefully. I was given updates of my application status, accompanied when having to get things done such as ID photos, dealing with MUP etc., and all the forms filled out for me. This experience was definitely worth the money as it saved me a lot of stress; I enjoyed it so much I’m using another Expat in Croatia lawyer to help me with my Citizenship application!
Nicole C.
United States
Consulting
Sara was extremely knowledgeable and helpful answering all of our questions and walking us through what to expect in the process of applying for a temporary residence. She provided multiple resources promptly after the call. I can definitely see us booking another session with her as we start the process just to have a second pair of eyes help along the way. Absolutely worth every penny!
Barbara (Richard) H.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
The Expat in Croatia newsletter has been an indispensable guide for us while waiting to acquire Croatian citizenship. Since receiving citizenship this month, we decided to book a consultation to address more specific questions as we move closer to actually moving to Croatia. We chose CAM (Carol Anne) to be our consultant and found her to be the perfect “fit” for us. She has experienced everything that we will be dealing with as she moved from Canada to Croatia. Whether it is information about shipping items, registering a car, health insurance, or getting a tax consultant to navigate important financial details, she provided everything and more. We found her to be thorough, professional, personable, and smart. She is also funny and charming. We love CAM! We will continue to use this resource, consulting with CAM as needed or as more questions arise.
Megan G.
United States
Consulting
I learned more in an hour that my month of online searching. Everything was prompt, organized, and correct. Best money I have spent in tgid process thus far.
Jenn K.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
EIC has a Wonderful team of professionals to help guide us through our process of obtaining Croatian citizenship by descent. We had initial consultation with Sara, and then one of the attorneys, Andrea. Although we are gathering our documents on our own, we will be hiring them to oversee the process and help us with requirements we are unable to complete on our own during and after our applications are submitted . We would highly recommend Expat in Croatia !
Craig W.
United Kingdom
Consulting
Would highly recommend the services of ‘Expat in Croatia’ to friends. Sara took the time to familiarise herself with our specific situation before we chatted which meant we were able to talk through the options available and conclude with a clear idea of the avenues we should pursue.
Ninka S.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
I had first consultation with Carol Anne (CAM). She did a great job, very informative and willing to help . I would recommend Expat to my friends. Steve was very responsive to my emails and he connected me to Filip who we hired to help my son and his girlfriend. So far great experience but I know it is a process. We needed help with temp residence for my son’s girlfriend who was looking for looking to stay longer the 90 day . My son has USA /Croatian Citizenship.
Lori P.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
We needed assistance with purchasing property and moving forward with applying for Croatian citizenship. We had a great conversation with Sara and CAM, they explained both processes clearly and provides us with numerous resources. They have also facilitated contact with a Croatian lawyer to work with us on both processes. It has been helpful to understand timelines and requirements, and they have provided contact with professionals that can be responsible for the aspects that we cannot do on our own.
Helen M.
United Kingdom
Consulting
So far I have only had a consulting session with Sara but it was excellent and all of my questions were answered and I feel totally confident with the information provided. I was also given additional website links after the session so that I could find extra information. I felt totally at ease with Sara who came across as not only a very professional person but very personable. I would most certainly recommend Expat in Croatia to anybody else for whatever assistance they needed, and intend to use the services of a vetted professional in due course.
Natalie P.
United States
Consulting
My husband and I consulted with Sara to find out more about living in Croatia with a digital nomad permit. We asked about options to bring our nanny with us as well as which locations and neighborhoods would best suit our family. We’re so grateful to have a local help us in this venture which gave us so much reassurance and piece of mind before we move across the world!
Robert P.
Australia
Consulting
Useful information was given such as bank accounts, residency and buying properties
Lindsey F.
United States
Consulting
My husband and I met with Sara to discuss our options regarding moving to Croatia. My husband is of Croatian descent but we were unsure of what we would need to present and to who, once we arrived in Croatia. Sara, through her expansive knowledge, was able to direct us to the correct experts and offer alternatives. She made navigating the Croatian immigration process much easier. Sara and her team are exceptional. I cannot recommend them enough; I look forward to continued correspondence with her as we continue through the process.
Michael C.
Australia
Consulting
Very good service. If you are thinking of immigrating to Croatia a chat with Sara is mandatory. There are so many things one must consider. e.g. Immigration procedures and mandatory health care payments etc.
Bernadette B.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
My experience to date with Expat in Croatia has been terrific. The website contains a wealth of information which is vetted and updated regularly. After reviewing the website, I scheduled a consultation with Sara Dyson to discuss the process of obtaining citizenship by descent for myself and my siblings. In less than an hour Sara provided a comprehensive, detailed explanation of the process. She answered all my questions about housing, healthcare, and life in Croatia; and the references provided in a follow-up email were extremely helpful. I am especially impressed with the service they offer matching people applying for citizenship with Croatian lawyers who can assist them. It’s not a simple handoff; an Expat in Croatia representative remains engaged through the entire process and acts as a liaison between the client and the attorney. We will definitely be taking advantage of that service as we pursue our dream of obtaining Croatian citizenship. I look forward to working with Sara, Carol Anne and the entire Expat in Croatia team.
View our other residency by nationality guides
- How EU/EEA permanent residents can get temporary residence in Croatia
- How EU/EEA citizens can get temporary residence in Croatia
- How EU/EEA citizens can apply for permanent residency in Croatia
- How American citizens can visit and live in Croatia
- How Australian citizens can visit and live in Croatia
- How Brits can visit and live in Croatia (post-Brexit)
- How Canadian citizens can visit and live in Croatia
- How New Zealand citizens can visit and live in Croatia
- How non-EU/EEA family members of EU/EEA nationals can get temporary residence in Croatia
- How third-country (non-EU/EEA) citizens can apply for temporary residency in Croatia
Please note: Information provided by Expat in Croatia is only for the purposes of guidance. It does not constitute legal or financial advice in any form. Croatian laws and bureaucratic rules often change, and each personal case is individual, so different rules may apply. For legal advice, contact us to consult with a licensed Croatian lawyer. For financial advice, contact us to consult with a licensed Croatian tax advisor or accountant.
