This post has been verified with an immigration lawyer and the ministry that handles immigration.

UPDATED: 06/12/2022

If you live in Croatia and are approaching the five-year mark, this post is for you. Once temporary residents are here for five continuous years, they qualify to apply for permanent residence.

The five years are calculated from the start date of your first temporary residence permit, not the date you arrived in Croatia. This start date will be on your first identification card.

Temporary residents are just that: temporary. In most cases, but not all, temporary residents must re-apply for residency every year, increasing the risk of being denied and kicked out depending on their basis and nationality. EU/EEA residents usually are granted an automatic five-year temporary residence permit, so they only need to apply one time.

If you are a third-country national who wants to apply for permanent residency, view this guide. If you are an EU/EEA national, then check out this guide.

Permanent residency is a big milestone that affords several privileges, including:

• You never have to go through the residence application process ever again
• You are entitled to live in Croatia long term
• You can leave Croatia for longer periods without losing your residency status
• You are one step closer to qualifying for Croatian citizenship
• You are entitled to certain additional benefits

The process of transitioning to permanent residency has caught many off guard, so we will walk you through what to expect, so there are no surprises.

In this post, we cover:

• When to visit the police
• Two applications
• Application process
• How long the process takes
• Simplified process
• Key to success
• Next steps

The facts are these…

How to transition from temporary to permanent residence in Croatia

When to visit the police if applying for permanent residence in Croatia?

The general rule of thumb when applying for a new temporary residence permit is to visit the police two months before the expiration of your current permit to start the application process. It’s a little bit different for permanent residency.

The police will not allow you to start your permanent residency application until the day AFTER your temporary permit expires. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still visit the police two months in advance.

I strongly recommend you still go two months out to let the police know that you intend to apply for permanent residence. They will provide you with the list of requirements for your nationality.

In all likelihood, especially if you are a non-EU/EEA national, it will take you two months to prepare the requirements needed for your permanent residency application anyways. For example, you may need to take the Croatian language test, which is only offered once a month at the fakultet (faculty).

There will be two applications when applying for permanent residence in Croatia

Every resident must have a valid residence permit at all times. For this reason, you will need to reapply for temporary residence at the same time that you apply for permanent residence.

The permanent residency application usually takes longer to process, so you must have a valid temporary permit until you are approved for permanent residency.

This may sound like a lot. Do not worry, we’re going to unpack all of it.

This temporary residence application that you will submit at the same time as your permanent residence application will be slightly different. It is the same application and requirements as every other temporary residence application that you have previously applied for, but with one difference.

When you complete the application form, you will check the box for “Autonomous Stay” (for non-EU/EEA) or “Extension” (for EU/EEA). Most likely, the police will check this box for you, but it’s important to understand the distinction. It kind of functions like an extension rather than a brand-new permit.

The approval doesn’t take nearly as long as usual since, technically, you are without a valid permit until they approve it. During this permit-less time, the police will give you a letter showing you are in process that you can use in conjunction with your old ID card.

Wow, two applications instead of one? That sounds like a headache. Actually, it really isn’t. All the requirements for permanent overlap with the temporary requirements. You will need to fill out a permanent application and a temporary application. You will need to pay two application fees. Other than that, the remaining requirements must only be submitted once since they apply to both.

It is critical to understand that you can only be granted extensions of your temporary residence while you are in the process of permanent. To even clearer, you must apply for permanent residence after 5 years of temporary residence. If you don’t, then you will need to change your residence basis or leave. You can only be granted one extension, so make the most of it.

How does the application process of applying for permanent residence in Croatia work?

For your temporary residence application(s), you worked with the foreigner desk at the police station. For permanent residency, you will be assigned a case worker. Smaller MUP offices may function a little differently, but you’ll probably meet with this person in an office.

In most cases, this case worker will be with you throughout the duration of the process. I was moved between three case workers over 18 months because they kept getting transferred, which was fine by me because the last one was the best.

Most likely, the case worker will only speak Croatian to you. There is an assumption that if you’ve already lived in Croatia for five years and you wish to live here permanently that you do and should speak Croatian.

If you are not comfortable communicating with the case worker in Croatian, bring a friend or a lawyer. If you bring a friend, make sure you get on the same page about what you do and do not want to communicate to the case worker BEFORE you go.

The benefits of having a case worker are:

• They know you, so you don’t have to re-explain yourself every time you visit
• They have a direct phone number where you can contact them
• It gives you a single point of contact for the application

How long is the Croatian permanent application process going to take?

The autonomous stay temporary permit extension will go relatively quickly. It could be a few days to a few weeks, depending on your nationality.

The permanent residency application takes longer. If you’re an EU/EEA national, it will only take a few weeks to get approval since you technically have a right to it. If you are non-EU/EEA, the police say to expect a minimum of one year, but it could take closer to 18 months, if not longer.

My permanent residency application took 18 months. The police called me into the police station every 6 months to reconfirm that I qualified, meaning that I was still living where I said I was living and that I was still getting paid a Croatian salary that met their minimum requirements.

[Read: How to show proof of financial means (as part of your application for residence in Croatia)]

Once you are approved, the government will issue a decision on your permanent residency. It’s an official letter stating that you have been granted stalni boravak (permanent stay). I cried when I read mine.

After approval, you’ll have to pay some fees, make a signature, give fingerprints and order your new residence ID card. It’s all the same as when you were approved for temporary residence.

Your game plan for permanent residence in Croatia, simplified

#1 Familiarize yourself with the permanent residency application

We have a detailed post covering the process for third-country (non-EU/EEA) nationals here.

If you are an EU/EEA national and would like to apply for permanent residence in Croatia, view this guide.

#2 Visit the police two months before your temporary permit expires

Tell the police you want to apply for permanent residence and need the list of requirements.

[Read: How to find administrative police stations in Croatia]

#3 Schedule and take your Croatian language test

This test is not as hard as you might think, but if you aren’t actively learning Croatian now, you better get started. You will be expected to speak, and you will need to understand cases.

[Read: Biggest Croatian language schools in Croatia]

[Read: Online courses for learning the Croatian language (both free and paid)]

#4 Visit the police the day after your temporary permit expires

Bring all of the requirements with you to start both the autonomous extension and the permanent application. It is okay if you haven’t taken the test yet. Just know that they will not send your application to Zagreb until they have proof you passed.

#5 Wait patiently

The police will call you (or your lawyer) with any updates or additional needs.

There is no way to speed up the government’s approval of your application. However, having a lawyer handle the application on your behalf can certainly make the process more efficient, which does reduce the time it takes.

If you are a non-EU/EEA national, it is highly recommended that you use a lawyer who can translate for you, accompany you to the police, follow up on your application, and review your application to decrease the likelihood of roadblocks. If you contact me, I can recommend one.

The key to success for permanent residence in Croatia

Like anything dealing with Croatian bureaucracy, be patient and kind. Frustration and anger will not get you anywhere. It will take as long as it takes.

[Read: The most important lesson you need to learn about living in Croatia]

If you follow all of these steps, you’ll be completely prepared to transition from temporary residency to permanent residency. YAY!

Next steps after granting permanent residence in Croatia

Once you are granted permanent residence in Croatia, you have the same rights to health insurance as Croatian nationals, and you must change the status of your obvezno health insurance. Contact the HZZO to sign up for obvezno on another basis. If you are already insured through your job, you don’t have to change the status.

[Read: How to sign up for state health insurance in Croatia]

[Read: How EU/EEA citizens (and Croats) can sign up for Croatian state health insurance]

If you don’t notify the HZZO that you have become a permanent resident of Croatia, they will send you the Rješenje. Rješenje is a written notification that you are signed off from obvezno health insurance and that you must change your status (sign up on another basis/category).

View our other permanent residence articles

• How EU/EEA citizens can apply for permanent residency in Croatia
• How EU/EEA permanent residents can get temporary residence in Croatia
• How non-EU/EEA family members of EU/EEA citizens can apply for permanent residency in Croatia
• Rights of permanent residents in Croatia