I heard about Expat In Croatia from a friend of mine when I was looking for some help with applying for a Croatian citizenship by decent.
I had a Zoom meeting with Sara and she was incredibly helpful. She answered all my questions in great detail and with her advice, myself and my family are on the right path to applying for our citizenships.
I highly recommend talking to Sara if you need any guidance on the citizenship by decent application process.
This was a great consultation session. Sara took the time to answer every single question that I asked her with exceptional detail. Sara was well-prepared for the call and we managed to cover a lot of ground within a short time. Moreover, Sara provided very valuable suggestions that I wasn't even expecting and sent me a follow up email containing important information for my next steps. I would certainly recommend Sara if you ever need help in Croatia.
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
I'm forever grateful that Sara and the Expat in Croatia team exist. They've clarified and broken down the process of obtaining citizenship in Croatia in a way that has saved me from future headaches of trying to figure out this process on my own. There's a great comfort knowing that I have Sara and her team at my side if anything concerning or confusing comes up. I would highly recommend setting up a consultation with Sara if you have any questions or concerns at all. The process of citizenship can be very tedious and in my consultation, I learned some very important details I would have completely missed and it would have put a huge hiccup in my process if it got overlooked! A consultation with Sara is 100% worth it!
You are treat like a real VIP customer, triple A service and answers.
Before requesting the consulting service, I have done my homeworks, thanks to the excellent website !
The face to face meeting helps me deepen some keys points about my future move to Croatia.
It really helps me checked if I was on the right tracks and saved me lot of time for sure.
Highly recommended !
Sara was prepared, professional and gave excellent guidance. She reeaallyy knows her stuff, was helpful and lovely to boot. I definitely recommend getting in touch if you are stuck anywhere in the process of navigating the Croatian bureaucracy.
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Hi! I would recommend working with Sara 100%. It is really worth taking away all the fluff and the overwhelming information online to go straight and follow her advice. I recently got my Digital Nomad Visa approved, and I couldn't be more satisfied with her services. Also, there's lots of free guidance and information in her blog posts that have been useful in my journey.
We were blown away with how helpful the girls were . We dealt with Sara and Teri. They responded straight away and were so helpful . With all the confusion with our situation , they went above snd behind to help .
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Sara listened to what the problem I was trying to solve, had a couple of ideas and then followed up by introducing me to a lawyer and realtor. Superb outcome. Thank you very much indeed. You'd be mad not to talk to Sara!
Great consultation that helped me understand Croatia digital nomad program much better. I received a lot of information that is not available publicly.
The session was very useful and Sara helped me with all the doubts I had.
Introduced to a Professional
Great experience
I found the services at very high standards and very knowledgeable professionals
Thank you for your support
Sara is incredibly knowledgeable about Croatia and the digital nomad visa process! She provided really helpful insight with the many questions I had. Lastly, Sara was very mindful of the amount of time we had and making sure we were covering all of the topics I was interested in discussing.
Introduced to a Professional
I inherited a house and some gravesites in Croatia and had been battling the Croatian bureaucracy for several years to get everything legally in my name. I reached out to "Expat in Croatia" to help me identify a Croatian lawyer ... Sara was responsive and immediately connected me with a vetted and competent lawyer. If you need to get something officially done in Croatia and you are hitting a brick wall, I recommend talking to Sara ... she is very knowledgeable of Croatia and how things work there.
Thank you Sara and (Teri), for such a professional service start to finish, both calming and super informative. Really went out of their way to accommodate myself and my girlfriend with all of our questions and arranging some last minute bookings. Sara helped us to work through some of the muddy water of making a residency application. The website itself is an amazing source of information, but as the different application options are fairly vast meeting online for a chat is worth every penny. Thank you.
We had a very informative and useful chat with Sara. The meeting was very well organised and Sara had all the answers to our questions. We now have a better understanding of the systems in Croatia and feel much more prepared to move forward with our plans.
Thank you Sara 🙂
Free Guidance, Introduced to a Professional
I can't speak more highly about the expat in Croatia staff. Fantastic prompt and excellent advice from all the staff. I have been dealing with Teri who has been very professional and very friendly in helping me with information and contacts in relation to my citizenship application. Great bunch of people. Highly recommended.
Concierge services, Consulting
Lucija was amazing
She helped us with our COVID vaccine which proved to be very difficult
Thanks to Lucija we were able to travel around Europe
I can highly recommend their services
Wow! Thank goodness for Sara and her team at Expat. Couldn’t have asked for better help. Sara is a wealth of knowledge. She answered all my questions in regards to applying for residency and citizenship without any hesitation. She knows this stuff like the back of her hand. Anyone looking for guidance should, without hesitation schedule a meeting. You won’t be disappointed.
I needed help with residence registration and finding an immigration lawyer. Sara was wonderful. She was easy to talk to and had so much helpful advice. I definitely recommend her services to anyone looking for guidance on documents and immigration in Croatia. I'm sure she saved me a lot of time, stress, and headaches. I have been through this process in many other countries and it's quite difficult, so to have a resource such as Sara is a big deal. I will definitely be back if I have any other questions and will recommend this service to anyone I know who needs help.
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Sara was super helpful, we had several questions regarding the visas and process, which Sara has resolved for us, also Sara has introduced us to an immigration attorney, who was able to clarify everything for us which we couldn't resolve during the call - as we had a unique case. In general it was a super nice experience talking to Sara. Will definitely recommend contacting her to my Friends if they plan to move to Croatia as well 🙂
Here's what I can tell anyone on the fence- just know that you will get the best help they can give you. When I needed help, it seemed like everyone was out of the office, or on a business trip, except for the wonderful people here. They would answer emails, come back to check up, and then check up again. They really do care.
I am a French citizen planning to take a year off in Croatia, and maybe to work a little from there to pay some bills. I had a consulting session with Sara and asked her about immigration and registering as a sole trader, and she could answer all my questions fingers in the nose - she came 100% prepared. In the 30mns call, we also managed to speak about health insurance, renting a place, opening a bank account, mobile phone services providers and buying a vehicle. I think I managed to ask her a couple of questions she had never been asked before, and she could answer them too. She also mentioned a few things I hadn't thought about asking. The only reason why I have not rated the interaction 'Above and beyond expectations' is because my expectations were very high, due to the website being so complete and done so well, and to her colleague Teri being so professional while setting up the appointment. Expat in Croatia is certainly above and beyond similar expats businesses elsewhere!
Introduced to a Professional
The team from Expat in Croatia was able to put me in contact with an amazing team of lawyers (Ivona and Ema) to help me with my application for Croatian citizenship. Being an American citizen who is living in Australia they were able to help me get all of the required documentation in regards to my parents Croatian citizenship from Registrar's Office as well as support me in obtaining my required documents. The only thing left now is to wait for the borders in Australia to open up so I can apply for my citizenship in person and finalize the process. I would highly recommend Teri and the team from Expat in Croatia and the vetted lawyers they put me in contact with to support you in your journey to obtaining Croatian citizenship!
Had a consultation session with Sara via Zoom. Her preparedness was refreshing, which facilitated an efficient and effective meeting. All questions were answered and explained well. Useful information has been sent immediately following the meeting as promised. Excellent service all round!
Concierge services, Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
For anyone arriving in Croatia, we cannot stress enough the importance of having Lucija (and Sara) on your side. We had email introductions before arriving and once we arrived in Split, Lucija met with us to assess our needs. She got right to work ticking off all of our "boxes" and within days we had found our long term apartment. Without Lucija, this would not have been possible. Her energy and positive attitude helped us to settle in and trust the process. We had done lots of research, but once here, we realized we could not do this on our own. Lucija is an expert with all the necessary paperwork, helped us to prepare it and stayed with us throughout. The experience was not only highly professional, but pleasant! A great service, a great experience! We will be forever grateful to Lucija!
Free Guidance, Introduced to a Professional
Sara was very helpful in assisting me with providing invaluable feedback on the process to obtain a Croatian citizenship. She was able to clearly outline the process and pointed me to a helpful immigration lawyer to move forward with an application.
I would highly recommend Sara for her guidance and insights if you are considering proceeding with applying for a Croatian citizenship.
Keep up the good work!
We had a consulting session with Sara in person in Split. She helped us a lot in answering questions about getting a residence permit in Croatia for both non-EU citizen and EU citizen. She drove us trough all the requirements needed for the long-rent residence and the digital nomad residence permits. She also talked about getting a residence permit based on studying a language. We also talked about the need of having a translator while visiting the MUP office and translating documents into Croatian, she told us she has some colleagues who specialise in doing these. Additionally we had time to talk about the weather in Split and things to do in the city once the tourist season is over. After finishing the meeting, she sent us follow-up email with useful links and I also shared a Youtube video with her where I found some information about migrating to Croatia that was a bit unclear, so she can take a look at that. Overall our meeting was very helpful and she answered all the doubts we had about getting residence permit in Croatia and the Croatian bureaucracy.
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Sara was prompt and helpful and I wouldn’t hesitate to ask again if we needed help. I also love the Croatian language lessons 😊 in Expat in Croatia. Please keep up the great work you do.
With many thanks
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
If you are looking to move to Croatia, talking with Sara is a must! She helped me understand the nuances of the application process, answered questions I would not have been able to answer on my own, and gave me priceless insider advice and a professional referral that turned out to be exactly what I needed in my case. Even if like me, you are someone who has done a ton of research on your own, you can save yourself a world of stress and costly wrong moves by getting Sara's expert guidance! I'm so glad I did!
I needed some advice due to overstay of my tourist visa, and I was in a fluster about where to even start. Sara is a class act! Not only did she respond in a timely manner, but her sound professional advice helped me greatly and I felt completely supported. Sara replied on a couple of occasions to my queries and I would not hesitate to recommend her services and the team to anyone who requires assistance or sound professional advice from people in the know. Thank you Sara, you are an angel!
Sara went above and beyond to officially confirm the answer to my question before replying and she even sent additional helpful information that I hadn’t even considered. Sara and Lucija’s blog posts on how foreign nomads can access the CoVid vaccine in Croatia are the clearest, most informative guides I’ve seen for any country. I wish they wrote for government websites, too, then we’d all be better informed.
Hvala, Sara!
I needed an overview and clarification on several points. By advising Sara I was able to quickly get to the essentials and focus on the future solution. The advice helped me make a decision. I will definitely book a session again to clarify new questions. The answers are clear and full of expertise. Many thanks for the help.
Free Guidance, Introduced to a Professional
I reached out for help on several items including real estate agent and legal counsel referal, pet transport advice among others. Response was quick and detailed with warm and professional approach. I highly recommend working with Sara and her team!
She is very kind during session, and gave useful information for us after session, too.
Thank you, Sara!
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
As an American with a Croatian wife, I had lots of questions. I am retired and looking to take up residence in Croatia. We need a lawyer for purchase of property and got a referral almost immediately. We need to transfer money from the States and got info on that. We got advice regarding residency, health insurance, drivers licenses. Sara had all that info for us. She's very knowledgeable and quite pleasant to talk to. She's got lots of practical advice. Truly this time was worth the investment. We may get in touch with Sara again in the future when things come up
Patricia B.
United States
Concierge services
Both Sara and Lucija were amazing to work with on every level. Once Sara worked her magicgetting me lined up with the requirements and a various details, Lucija came to the rescue Handling the documents, taking me to the excellent translator Ana, needed for the process... Then to the police station with documents and follow up visits. Amazing people and impeccable professionals.
Got a quick and useful reply. Thank you
Sara was beyond helpful with information being a foreigner can be difficult doing business with the language barrier but thank goodness for her help !
Amazing service Thankyou
Free Guidance, Introduced to a Professional
My experience with Sara and the rest of the Expat in Croatia team has been wonderful thus far! I'm in process of moving from the US to Croatia and although I'm incredibly excited I'm also incredibly anxious. The support I've received from Sara and the expat team has been very comforting and reassuring for me. They have graciously answered my dozens of questions and checked in with me unexpectedly to see how I'm doing. I'm very happy that I stumbled across this website and met this amazing team!
The video consultation with Sara was extremely helpful. The Expat in Croatia site has been the best resource we have found for applying for the Digital Nomad residency. We had some questions specific to our situation and she provided us with the information we needed. She is very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. Well worth the fee to have our questions answered.
Sara was extremely helpful. Provided answers to all my questions and even sent helpful links for me to view to make my process easier. I cannot recommend her help enough!
Anthony H.
United Kingdom
Free Guidance
I have contacted Sara on a number of occasions, her replies have always been very helpful.
She is very kind and extremely knowledgeable on all matters relating to Croatia. I would certainly trust her advice and judgment.
Anthony
We chatted briefly on a call about digital nomad residency and Sara provided all the answers with good insight.
I came across Expat in Croatia while searching for Digital Nomad and I am glad I did. The guys at Expat in Croatia are truly remarkable and the content they produce and the support they provide to community it is outstanding. What more can I say - the guys deserve a huge recongation for everything they do. A truly amazing team who go above and beyond to serve their community. I can't recommend them highly enough. Top stars.
Had a 30 minute consultancy session with Sara and found her very friendly and knowledgeable. Helped answer a lot of the questions I had about the application process. Would highly recommend a chat with her if you are thinking about applying for Croatian citizenship.
Hi! Thank you for answering my questions about ESL teachers and nurses. You are a great help and you even sent me a list of schools. So lit!
Sara and I had a video chat regarding property my father left to my children. She was very helpful and pointed me to the direction of an English speaking Croatian lawyer. Thank you so much!!
In a single session Sara provided overviews of visiting Zagreb, transportation insights (and issues) with lived recommendations; she also provided insightful "must-dos" for me while I will be in Split (as a tourist) wrt to hiking national parks and island hoping, etc (I wished to avoid the traditional touristy spots, crowds, etc.).
Sara not only provided her perspective on living in Croatia but employment options, timelines, what could be on and off the table from an expat perspective seeking moving there. She knew about the healthcare needs, visas and provided residency options for my own circumstance. She then summarized our meeting with an email including direct links to sites with further source information.
This was an amazing value, it will save you time, $ and frustration. I have booked another session with her to make the most of my upcoming trip.
Ryan
(Canada)
Hi. I needed help with finding an office address in Crikvenica and Sara helped me right away. Thank you again for your kindness.
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Sara was absolutely fabulous. First, Teri got back to me right away and were really helpful about setting up an appointment with Sara. I was curious about obtaining my Croatian citizenship and Sara emailed me to get some details before our zoom call. During our call, she was extremely helpful. She not only answered all my questions about Croatian citizenship but talked to me about her experience in Croatia and what life is like as an American expat living there. She also connected me with an equally amazing Croatian immigration lawyer who is now helping me move forward in the citizenship process. Sara sent a follow up email after our call about everything we talked about, including connecting me directly with the lawyer via email, and I received another follow up email a week later from Teri making sure I connected with the lawyer myself. I had an awesome experience with Sara and I know I will definitely be reaching out to her again for help navigating this whole process.
Sara was an enormous help while Sherry and I were buying our yacht in Croatia.
Thanks Sara !
Cheers
Free Guidance, Introduced to a Professional
I stumbled across the Expat in Croatia website last year via Google when we started planning a move to Europe, and it quickly became my go-to reference for all things foreigners may want to know about living in Croatia. Since my husband is an EU national, we initially looked at 2 other countries, and I would spend 3 hours scouring 15 separate websites to locate a fraction of the content available on Expat in Croatia. Sara and I corresponded via email to clarify a few points on the residency process, and I have been referred to a vetted Tax attorney as well as Immigration attorney where both offered exceptional service (and value). Sara and her team always follow up to confirm I was taken care of by these professionals which gives me great confidence in their network and vetting process. Expat in Croatia is clearly a passion project for Sara, and I have become a HUGE fan of the site!!
Kristina P.
United States
Consulting
Sara was very prepared for our meeting. She is very knowledgeable, walking me through the processes. She followed up immediately with detailed steps. And she creates a very informative newsletter. Highly recommend Sara and her expertise.
Thx you Sara for answering my questions. Was very helpful.
Sara is a wonderful woman with a world of knowledge. She is kind, friendly, understanding, empathetic and overall she is very smart & clever. Both myself and my husband enjoyed our consultation with Sara regarding moving to Croatia & the logistics of the move.
~ Jodika & Julian - Alberta, Canada
I communicated with Sara via Zoom and she was very helpful. Reading information online can sometimes be overwhelming so it was nice to chat to an actual person about all the questions I have, lol! I found out some new information about how my family and I can and can not apply for citizenship, starting a business, etc. and was followed up with appropriate links to further look into things. I really appreciated her time! 🙂
Sara has been a delight to talk to! Loved her energy, she’s very kind and enthusiastic. I learned so much from her in just 30 minutes. All my questions were answered. On top of that, she has encouraged me to keep going and assured me that I have a big chance of achieving my goal. I felt a huge relief after the call.
A big shout-out to Teri as well! Thank you for the great assistance via email. 🙂
Overall, this is an excellent service from a professional team. Highly recommend!
Natalie and Dean B.
United States
Introduced to a Professional
Exceptional Service
Introduced to a Professional
My experience working with Sara has been beyond amazing and helpful. The attentiveness and support right from the start was something I was amazed with which I haven’t experienced elsewhere. She understood my question and inquiry via my email and got back to be very quickly with a solution and put me in contact with a vetted lawyer to which she highly recommended. I truly believe that I would not be able to get the information needed on my own and without Sara’s help. My ongoing experience was great, I was treated very well with Sara’s contact and got all my questions answered and solved. Sara and her team reached out a few weeks later after our initial contact to see how my progress was going with the vetted lawyer. I thought this was very kind and thoughtful knowing that they care about my situation and look forward to knowing my progress. I will be sure to highly recommend their resources to any one like myself who was in search of in depth information, guidance and support with an incredible experience.
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
We so appreciate the helpful and warm welcome we have received with Sara and her services and guidance. It was very valuable and put us right where we needed to be, when we needed and got us in touch with a fast efficient and knowledgable professional that quickly helped us to progess in days what was taking us months. Thank you for your great service and attitude.
Nicholas Z.
United States
Consulting
Excellent perspective on the real situation at the ground level in Croatia.
Sara was super knowledgeable, friendly, and so easy to talk to. We'll definitely be scheduling future consults with her once we arrive in Croatia.
I had scheduled a zoom session with Sara to go over the Digital Nomad Visa offered by Croatia. I had questions regarding income tax and taxes on capital gains and about the process of applying for the visa and things to consider for eg. location, culture, community, safety etc. before making a move to Croatia. Sara answered all my questions with all the experience she had, even where she couldn't give me a specific detail on something she promised to get back to me (and she did). It was my first ever consultation for a Digital Nomad visa, and I'm really glad she could clarify most of my queries. My session was followed up with an email from Sara with links to the information about whatever we had discussed over our call.
I had a 30 minutes session with Sara to explore my options of temporary residency in Croatia. I've sent some very specific questions beforehand and during our call, Sara has everything researched and ready for me. She explained all steps very clearly. She is very knowledgeable about Croatia so I also got some insights into how my life could be over there, which made me so excited about it. After the call, she followed up with more information, links and instructions. She's always available to answer any follow-up questions. Amazing experience!
Hello Sara,
You were very helpful and responded quickly to my question. Thank you so much. I so enjoy your newsletters, and videos. I look forward to your weekly feeds.
Regards
Marija.
Dawn-Lesley M.
United Kingdom
Free Guidance
Sara has been so kind and helpful when I have contacted her with various questions, she has been able to answer them quickly and thoroughly! I wouldn't dream of going anywhere else, she knows her stuff 🙂 Always really cheerful!
She emailed her response to my question very quickly and provided me with exactly what I needed.
Davidian O.
United States
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
sara is a wonderful person with tremendous knowledge on the ins-and-outs of croatia... based on my experience with her. would strongly any newbies to consult her for any kinds of your needs...!
Free Guidance, Introduced to a Professional
I would highly recommend working with Sara on ALL your needs and questions pertaining to Croatia. My family is looking to obtain our Croatian Citizenship and Sara has been an integral part of this process. I went on her blog and reached out to her by email and she responded quickly and was extremely helpful recommending a professional to help us with our request. Sara was fantastic and we are grateful for her help.
Introduced to a Professional
When I learned I was eligible for Croatian citizenship due to ancestry, I contacted a firm to help me with the process. It would often take weeks for emails to be answered. After a few months and a few hundred Euros, we didn't get very far in the process other than confirming that I am "likely" eligible.
I looked for other resources and was very lucky to find Sara at Expat in Croatia. After filling out the form on the website, I received an email the next day referring me to a Croatian attorney.
The attorney was extremely professional and guided me though the entire process. Fees were laid out up front including legal and translation services. The legal staff was able to locate my Grandfather's birth record, perhaps the most risky part of the process as without that record, we could not have moved forward. Also if the they had been unable to locate the record, fees would have been minimal and we would have ended the engagement.
As I received the required records such as birth and background check documents, the attorney verified all was in order. I was also impressed as in the middle of the process, the Croatian Government changed to a different application which the attorney was aware of.
Finally when I spoke to the Consulate in Washington, DC, she indicated that all my documents were in order. Apparently a lot of people come in with incomplete or invalid documents and applications. The Consulate indicated I had excellent representation.
Finally, Sara at expatincroatia.com routinely checked on my experience. She definitely has an interest in being sure her clients are satisfied. She made an excellent recommendation, but had things not worked out, I have confidence she would have made things right.
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Outstanding! I can just highly recommend Sara and the whole Expat in Croatia team. Asking several questions about immigration to Croatia which needed "insider background", Sara offered me her expertise based on a very reasonable fee. I chose mailing as my preferred communication media. Sara provided great help with her profound knowledge, which came in a very pleasant and charming style. Concerning tax questions, Sara introduced me to a vetted tax expert, who turned out to be highly valuable for ongoing relationship.
Altogether simply a true gain, much more than expected!
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
We had a complicated situation and Sara was able to shed light on issues that concerned us. She also has a delightful personality that puts one at ease.
I want to start my application this summer to be an expat in croatia so I contacted Sara. They were quick to email me for the consultation and Sara was very helpful with providing information. I totally recommend!
Introduced to a Professional
Married to a Croatian citizen for 30 years, I wanted assistance in obtaining citizenship to this wonderful country. 'Expats', and Sara in particular was an amazing resource. I cannot thank you enough!!!!!
Moving to a new country is complicated in so many small ways, big and small, and it can get overwhelming doing all of the research yourself. Sara is a treasure-trove of local and institutional knowledge - I had questions about visas, vaccines and moving my car from the UK, among other little things about how and where to get things done here. You can google around in the hope that internet strangers know what's up, or you can go to Sara and be sure, confident and relaxed.
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Sara is approachable, professional and welcoming. We initially had a video chat and since have exchanged emails. She responds in a timely manner and follows up with the resources and referrals that I requested. Her website is amazing, full of useful and most importantly accurate information including forms and links that actually work! She is very detail oriented and the information is kept up to date which is remarkable in itself. She has firsthand experience and is knowledgeable regarding Croatian bureaucracy. I highly recommend Sara, her referrals to vetted professionals and her website! Thank you for being here, I appreciate all you are doing!
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Hello- I found my experience with Expat in Croatia to be very helpful. Being Croatian/American and living full time in the US it’s very difficult to navigate the laws and requirements in Croatia. I had some specific questions which Sara was able to help refer to another professional and some general questions which were answered with a great detail and follow up resources. Highly recommend to anytime in a similar situation and needing up to date guidance on everything Croatian.
Free Guidance, Introduced to a Professional
After consulting different sites, I could obtain in one place and a quick time all the information to get the Croatia Citizenship, which is great. All the information obtained was clear, the people involved Sara and Antonela were also very kind, and for sure, I will be into the process soon. I recommend your service to any person that need to move forward with some process related with the Expat services.
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Just wanted to thank Sara (and Teri) for their assistance! My wife (who is a Croatian national) and I are planning to permanently reside in Croatia in the not-too-distant future; Sara provided accurate and current information regarding the process and documentation required. She also referred us to a vetted, English-speaking attorney in Croatia for some other issues. We communicated with Sara via email and video chat; she was prompt, helpful, and courteous every time. I highly recommend Expat in Croatia for anyone with Croatian ties living in the states contemplating a return "home" because a lot of word-of-mouth information out there is incorrect, and especially for any US citizens looking for a lifestyle change to a beautiful corner of up and coming Europe.
Sara is extremely professional and very insightful for anyone looking to either move to Croatia or just visit. We video chatted for 30 minutes and it completely relieved me of any anxiety and potential questions I had prior to arriving. Expat in Croatia is by far the best, most convenient, easy to use source for any questions or information you may have. I would recommend it 10/10 times!
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Sara was super kind and helpful. We had a 30 minutes conversation and I got to know everything I needed. Hvala Sara
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
Sara provided a very insightful first look into nuances of expat life in Croatia and detailed guidance on various topics from legal & housing to everyday life & travel. Sara was able to answer all our questions taking into account our personal situation, provide referrals and recommendations and followed up with even more personalized information and guidance. This interaction really helped us in shaping our plans.
Sara was on time and cognizant of my time as well. We had an amazing session where we were able to cover all of my questions and much more than I anticipated. I would highly recommend meeting with Sara before leaving your country to apply for any type of visa! She is on point and provided feedback afterward, making a list of meaningful resources easy to access.
Sara from Expat in Croatia is a wonderful, knowledgeable guide for all things related to travel and stays in Croatia and much more! I direct a non-profit ministry in the US and have traveled to Croatia many times as a tourist with my family and for business. I have followed Sara's Internet writings and posts for several years now, and have always found them helpful. While I have taken eight trips to Croatia and have spent many months here, time and again I have come back to see what "Sara" has to say about the latest changes and regulations for getting in and out of Croatia.
Croatia is a fantastic country. But the rules and regulations here are written very vaguely and are subject to interpretation, so even the most well intentioned person may struggle sometimes in finding out how these regulations are being interpreted--which may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction! If you have anything more than a quick in and out stay, you will want to contact Sara and get all the latest information and the REAL scoop. And even if you do have a relatively simple trip, a 30 minute or 1 hour call can be tremendously helpful to answer all of your Croatia questions, as she knows this country so well.
Recently, we encountered an entry and exit issue that we could not get any clear answers to. So when I saw that Sara offered online Zoom consulting sessions, I thought, I am going to call Sara! I could tell from her writings that she was a REAL person, with experience, who is KNOWLEDGABLE and UNDERSTANDS the bureaucratic challenges here. And so I called her--and she was just like like her blog/writings! Open, friendly, knowledgeable, empathetic and helpful--with a great smile! She helped answer many questions on our call, and then sent follow up links with tons of information and instructions on exactly how to contact, communicate, and fill out proper forms. She was great!
If you are looking for help for Croatia, I recommend calling Sara of Expat in Croatia! And make sure you sign up for her newsletter as well, which is packed with great information and will help make your trip to this fantastic country go as smoothly as possible. Why am I taking the time to write this? Because I love Croatia and want others to experience it, but help is often needed to navigate the various vague regulations here and good information is hard to find. So if you are looking for help, check Sara and her services out TODAY!
Thank you Sara for everything.
Made it to Croatia and we are following your advice.
Much Appreciated!
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
The video chat with Sara was very helpful. Importantly, Sara came across as friendly and open and was clearly enthusiastic about the continued economic and social development of Croatia.
Consulting, Introduced to a Professional
I have worked with Sara with some consulting, and with her introducing me to various professionals that I’ve needed to work with during my stay in Croatia. Sara has always displayed the utmost professionalism, competence, and a sincere attitude to want to help. There has never been a situation I’ve encountered that hasn’t been resolved and ultimately come to a positive resolution. Sara has a vast knowledge of the inter-workings of Croatia, has a wide array of the best professionals, and is fluent in the Croatian language and culture. I highly recommend her services if you’re seeking any information related to Croatia.
Sara provided expert consulting to me over a video call. The call was super helpful, Sara has a wealth of experience and knowledge. She was very helpful and happy to answer all the questions and concerns I had on the call as well as helping further over email. I would definitely recommend.
For the past year and a half of living in Croatia, we found the supportive information found in the Expat in Croatia newsletter to be invaluable. Considering a property purchase and residency, we set up a Zoom meeting with Sara. Sara clearly and expertly was prepared to guide us through our questions. Following up with a detailed listing of resources and contacts, we now feel we have all the information we need to move forward. Sara's service is an exceptional value and highly recommended for any "Expat in Croatia."
My video chat with Sara was incredibly helpful. Not only did she confirm the information I had as valid, but she alerted me to some important lacunae in my preparation for applying for residency. Sara offers an invaluable service for those looking to live in Croatia. I highly recommend reaching out and scheduling a session if you're another one of us who has fallen in love with Croatia and wants to make it your home.
Richard I.
United Kingdom
Consulting
We had a zoom call with Sara as we needed some urgent advice, Sara was able to help and immediately. She has a great in-depth knowledge of all things related to moving or working in Croatia. I’m sure we will be back for more soon. Sara is also very pleasant to deal with.
December 23, 2013 @ 11:01 am
I have been reading a lot of blogs about expats the last few years, but in relation to insurance and europe you nailed it! Great. Thanks!
December 23, 2013 @ 12:37 pm
Thanks for the stamp of approval!
July 19, 2019 @ 12:42 pm
Hello,
I have a little bit of a different situation as I am a Croatian and American dual citizen. I just moved here last month and am in the process of renewing my Osobna. I am currently looking to work remote for a US firm online. Obviously I would need to obtain health insurance here since I would not be getting any through my remote company due to living outside the US. What would you suggest? Also do you know any knowledge about taxes and how I would go about paying taxes here if I am earning dollars and paying taxes in the US?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
July 22, 2019 @ 2:39 pm
Hi Vee,
You can get health insurance through HZZO as an unemployed individual. Speaking as an American myself, you will need to pay taxes in the US no matter what you do or where you are. Croatia only taxes you on income generated in Croatia. If you are working with an American company, then keep your money in American banks. Don’t let any of it flow through Croatia or you will make yourself liable. That being said, it is always best if you validate your tax situation with a Croatian lawyer to avoid any liability. I can recommend one if you email me.
Regards,
Sara
April 17, 2014 @ 4:43 pm
Hallo, quick question,
did you get a permanent residence VISA, or one for 2 years?
cheers
April 20, 2014 @ 7:12 pm
Hi Peter,
Before Croatia entered the EU, I got a temporary residence for 1 year. After EU, I got a temporary residence for 5 years. After 5 years, I can apply for permanent residence, which means I don’t have to reapply in the future. Cheers!
September 15, 2014 @ 6:21 pm
I have the EU healthcare card. Will that do for applying for temporary residency?
September 24, 2014 @ 11:58 am
Hi Dan,
Having an EU healthcare card will definitely help in gaining temporary residency. In conjunction with your EU passport and proof of income, that should be all you need to get residency.
October 6, 2014 @ 6:12 pm
Here on a volunteer visa from Switzerland with 1 yr temp residency. Mandatory enrollment in HZZO and a week later a bill for one year was about 800 Euro. Now 5 months later we are getting bills from the tax office that we are behind and should have been paying monthly also. Tax offcials are finding it hard to explain only that the one yr payment is basically an insurance that we will pay our monthly insurance.
Verry disappointed!
November 3, 2014 @ 1:46 pm
Hi Jerry,
Thank you for sharing your experience. Are you saying that you have received tax bills in addition to the health insurance bills?
Sara
July 17, 2020 @ 8:23 pm
Hi .
My name is Brenda and I’ve just purchased a property in croatia.
I’m a British Citizen.
I would like to eventually retire in croatia, probably in the next four years.
How do i go about getting medical insurance or cover
How do I go about getting residency
How is Bixet going to affect travel to croatia / will visa be necessary?
Wil it be necessary to have both NHI and croatian cover?
Many thanks for your help
July 20, 2020 @ 10:14 am
Hi Brenda,
We have a residence guide specifically for UK citizens that will answer your questions. You can view that here: https://www.expatincroatia.com/uk-citizens/
If you need further assistance, please contact us.
Regards,
Sara
February 19, 2015 @ 2:36 am
I am a croatian citizen, but currently living in the States. Am I elegible for Croatian insurence, given that I am continuing my Master in the EU.
February 19, 2015 @ 11:15 am
Hi Bojana,
Yes, most likely. You’ll need to first go to Croatia to apply for health insurance at HZZO. Then, you can take that proof of insurance to the EU country where you are studying. Essentially, you’ll “transfer” the state insurance from Croatia for the state insurance in the EU country where you’ll be living. Let us know how it goes!
Cheers,
Sara
February 20, 2015 @ 1:01 am
I have contacted the HZZO, waiting on a reply. Keep you posted
February 18, 2016 @ 9:01 am
Hi! I'm living in Croatia and I've applied for temporary visa (5y)… But they didn't explained me yet about the HZZO… I know that I need to pay around 500kn/month, but I'm worried about those "5000kn" on initial… Is it right? How it works the HZZO in Croatia? I will pay for a "plus", called "dopunsko"… Do you know how it works??? Thank you very much! Your blog was very helpful!!!
February 18, 2016 @ 10:28 am
Hi Patricia,
Yes, you will have to pay an initial start up fee of 5000kuna plus around 500 kuna a month going forward, assuming you aren’t an EU citizen. That policy begin when Croatian entered the EU. Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to help!
Cheers,
Sara
May 26, 2016 @ 10:48 pm
Hi Sara. May I ask. Do you have any information on where exactly I need to go to gather the required information for my proof of medical cover. I am a British citizen ( UK). Passport holder.
I have explainers to HZZO that the whole world knows that Britain had and still has the first ever Free National Health Service in the World. The lady agreed and knew All UK citizens have Free Medical health Cover . ( National Health Service ).
Any suggestions would be lovely thanks.
James
May 27, 2016 @ 8:52 am
Hi James,
You’ll need to get proof from the UK National Health Service, most likely. Since you are already here, you could try speaking with the UK Consulate in Split or the UK Embassy in Zagreb.
November 22, 2017 @ 9:50 pm
Hi James.
you can apply for EHIC, (European Health Insurance Card) issued free by the UK NHS.
December 15, 2016 @ 7:56 am
I don't know when things changed but we are long term residents of Croatia and must have health insurance. We were shocked to learn that we must pay 16% of our income (US Social Security) for health coverage now. I don't understand why it now costs us about 500% more than when we were temporary residents. Also, the CHIF website says there is no cost for doctor visits or most prescriptions, but we do pay a minimal charge for both. We haven't yet gotten a bill from the Finance Department but were told it will now cost us closed to $500 a month for both of us.
December 19, 2016 @ 2:10 pm
Hi Ginny,
Thanks for reaching out! I’ve not heard of a situation where residents are charged more for health insurance once they are made permanent residents. Did HZZO tell you this price increase was the result of becoming a permanent resident? If you are using your HZZO policy and you are seeing a public doctor (not a private doctor) then you shouldn’t have to pay anything to see the doctor. Most prescriptions are also free if prescribed by a HZZO network doctor, but are not covered if prescribed by a private doctor. Definitely interested in hearing more about your situation.
Cheers,
Sara
May 26, 2016 @ 10:46 pm
Hi Sara. May I ask. Do you have any information on where exactly I need to go to gather the required information for my proof of medical cover. I am a British citizen ( UK). Passport holder.
I have explainers to HZZO that the whole world knows that Britain had and still has the first ever Free National Health Service in the World. The lady agreed and knew All UK citizens have Free Medical health Cover . ( National Health Service ).
Any suggestions would be lovely thanks.
James
December 17, 2017 @ 4:32 am
Hi James, you can get a EHIC from NHS thats as long as you still have UK address and on the electoral roll.
If your not on the roll they will issue “S Card” (like the old E111) and when you have proof of address in Croatia you then contact them and they issue EHIC………
August 19, 2016 @ 3:05 pm
Hi– We are retired from the USA trying to get a 1 year stay. We have health insurance from Cigna, Global, will that suffice. With the 5000 kuna signup for each of us, it makes more sense to keep our Cigna insurance. It is 280 Euros per month for the two of us. Do you agree?
August 30, 2016 @ 2:49 pm
Hi Gordon,
The Croatian government requires that you get their national health insurance. A private policy does not count towards a visa. You certainly keep your Cigna policy if you want, but you will also need to get HZZO as well if you plan to apply for a visa.
Regards,
Sara
September 28, 2016 @ 7:41 pm
I found your blog searching for other thing expat related in Croatia and I read this just by curiosity. I would like to share my experience with the HZZO appliance and paper work, as I found in Croatia even if there is a procedure, it will always be subject to the opinion or ways of the person behind the desk.
When I apply for it they told me I was going to have to pay 412kn in per month plus and initial 5000kn. I ended up going like 5 times to the HZZO because they kept asking me for different papers to fill in. Every single time I went there, there was a different person to speak to and therefore a completely different story about what I needed to do. After buying all the types of forms at the library store, at my 5th time there the woman ask me for one form, I gave it to her. Then she said, no I need the other form, I gave it to her, than she said she was going to fill all info in the system and leave the both forms cause she really didn't know which one was needed. I really don't know what she did, but the 5000 kn bill never came and apparently will never come cause I asked and they told me there is no due with HZZO under my OIB… one year later we decide to leave the country, we put everything down and 5 days before living my boyfriend got really sick (he is Croatian) and I I had to reactivate everything again by my self while he was in the hospital. Again, I ended up going 3 times, Every time a different person behind the desk asking for something different, at the end I solved it, and I got my HZzo back still nobody asked for the famous 5000 kunas. Why I'm saying this, because living in Croatia so far I noticed no public entity actually works by the book. Every worker does whatever he thinks it's correct. They contradict between them and at the end whatever they do pass ok without anybody else checking if what they did is ok. So, my advice, get a lot of patience, and go to see the people with a package of frank coffe under your arm, smile and don't get pissed off (or hide it as much as you can), and then you might get everything solved by the end of the day.
(Sorry my bad english, it's not my mother tongue, I hope you can understand something of this, haha!)
Ps: it's also good to know that after you get your hzzo you need to sign in for a general doctor (this may take from 1 to 3 months in big cities, so it is important to do it as soon as you get the HZZO to avoid having to wait for it when you actually need it), that will prescribe any checks that are not an emergency (for this last ones you just go to emergency room at the hospital and wait 4hs to be seen by a doctor).
Also would be nice to mention that the 412 kunas is just for basic insurance where you still need to pay something for everything. There are private insurance companies that provide very good additional insurances that cover more and better that the government additional insurance.
There is also the option for those ones who live in big cities to apply for a private clinic insurance like the one of SUNCE clinics, that hired together with and aditional private insurance, make its posible for you to use the hospital services too in case of an emergency. I hadn't try it yet, but apparently for what I found out this option is also valid for the residency permit and with less bourocracy and waiting times at the moment of seeking medical attention.
Hope this info is useful for somebody! Best wishes!
Andrea
September 30, 2016 @ 10:23 am
Hi Andrea,
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us! You are right. Every person’s experience with the Croatian bureacracy seems to be unique. It truly does matter who you talk to and the kind of mood their in.
I’ve always felt like foreigners who live in Croatia must really want to live here, because we jump through an extraordinary number of hoops to do so. Congrats on not having to pay the 5000kuna start up fee, as many have been blindsided by that charge.
Thanks for suggestions regarding private insurance at SUNCE and other poliklinikas like them. This should be helpful to many!
Cheers,
Sara
November 23, 2017 @ 5:00 am
it would help other’s if you can list all the documents they ask for……………
December 18, 2017 @ 2:39 pm
Hi Terence,
Thank you for the feedback. Will consider this for a future update.
Regards,
Sara
October 20, 2016 @ 6:56 pm
Sara, thanks for your blog; it's very informative. However, I had questions regarding banking issues relating to U.S. IRS requirements, FBAR, etc. I'm an American permanent resident here, and my wife is Croatian. I have my U.S. retirement checks direct deposited into a U.S. bank account and use my ATM card freely here in Croatia. But I'm hesitant to have an official association with my wife's Croatian bank account: ATM card, signature authority, etc due to IRS foreign bank reporting requirements. My intent is not to avoid any proper legal requirement – I only want to limit my U.S.tax liability any proper way that I can. Can you shed some light on this or direct me to a site that can? Thanks, and keep up the good work. I haven't lived in the States in going on 20 years now, and it's been an adventure at every turn, but I love it with no regrets.
August 25, 2018 @ 1:35 am
@Roy, my husband and I are kind of in the same situation. I am Croatian, and he is American, we are still living and working in the US. However, he is retiring next year, and we want to go live in Croatia. Can you share your experience with us, please?
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Robbie
December 7, 2016 @ 1:13 am
Really happy to come across this website! We're thinking of making Split a base sometime in 2017 and really didn't know that there was much of an expat community here. Really appreciate all the information found on these pages and will save as a favorite.
On our last visit we visited a lawyer about extending the usual 90 day visa. We're non-EU citizens. We were told that we'd have to sign a lease and have it notarized before having an extension granted (which seems like the wrong way around…but I guess government paperwork basically the same everywhere). We had hoped that we could work towards Croatian citizenship but I was told that the only way to get that was to invest in property or a company. We're not ready to commit to that level yet. But, according to the lawyer, there seems to be no issue getting visa extensions granted when we sign a lease (which has to be prepaid and notarized). Not citizenship but at least we can stay in the country. I'll browse through your pages and see if there's anything i've missed on that subject.
Good to know about Croatian health insurance. We've been full-time travellers for a few years now and are covered by expat insurance. Local insurance would be something we'd have to look into.
Thanks for all the information on this site.
Frank (bbqboy)
December 8, 2016 @ 11:26 am
Hi Frank,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m glad to hear the info has been helpful. 🙂
There is a huge expat community in Split, and it’s much more active than the communities in the other major Croatian cities.
The extension your lawyer is mentioning may be the 18-month maximum for non-EU nationals. I’ve heard of a few cases where people have been granted stay for that long, but then have to leave for 6 months after the 18-month term. They likely want you to sign a lease to show you have a place to legal, registered place to live.
There are a variety of ways to get on a path to citizenship, however this type of extension is not on that path. Purchase of property, starting a business or sponsorship by a citizen are the best ways to get on that path, but involve a lot of cost and bureaucracy.
On insurance, I tried to use my private global policy to satisfy the health insurance requirement when I applied for my first visa. However, the national health insurance is the only suitable policy they will accept and are very strict on that.
Good luck on your move!
Cheers,
Sara
January 17, 2017 @ 8:14 pm
Hello Sara! Thank you for having all these information online, it is really helpful. I dont know if you can help me with this: Im a Croatian citizen but I have never been in Croatia. Im not planning to go and live there anytime soon, but I do plan to move temporarely to Poland. Do you think I can get the Public Health Insurance card there eventhough I will not have a permanent residency in Croatia (no permanent address, bank account, work etc)? As a EU citizen my plan is to use that health insurance card to present in Poland for the temporary residence permit. If its possible to get it, what do I need to present and how long, approximately do you think it would take to get it? Thank you very much! and I hope you can help me with this because I can not find information regarding this case anywhere.
Gisela
July 26, 2017 @ 10:49 am
Hi Gisela,
Thanks for reaching out!
Most EU citizens can trade their health insurance policies for another EU state policy. That being said, since your current residency is not in the EU and you do not have an health insurance policy from an EU country, then the next step would be to speak to the authorities in Poland.
Regards,
Petar
February 23, 2017 @ 4:19 pm
Hello Sara,
This is a wonderful site! Thank you for all the great information!
I am a Canadian who fell in love with Croatia and decided to buy a property in Croatia last year. I opened a Croatian Company to purchase it since I am not EU and wanted to rent it out intially. My accountant in Croatia has told me there are new tax laws as of January 2017. As a director of a Croatian Company, I now have to pay health insurance which will cost me over $200 a month Canadian. Also I was told that this is not a business expense and I have to pay this out of my own personal money. Just to clarify, I do not live in Croatia, I own the company only for the purpose of holding and renting the realestate and I am not receiving any salary or income in Croatia. Do you know anything about this new tax law?I can't find anything on-line and it doesn't make any sense to me since in Canada I have full healthcare coverage. I would be grateful for any insight you can give me. Kind Regards, Kelly
July 5, 2017 @ 10:54 am
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for reaching out! That does sound odd. However, I do know that pension and health insurance must be paid for the director of a d.o.o. (which I assume is what you have). I recommend that you contact an attorney. You may email me for a referral: [email protected]
Cheers,
Sara
March 1, 2017 @ 12:08 pm
Hi, I've been employed by a Croatian company in Split for just over a year and have been told the health cover here has changed and I must now provide proof that I do NOT have health cover in the UK! I am currently trying to work out how to get evidence that I do not have foreign health cover, which isn't a category on any NHS site!
If anyone has had to do the same thing, I would be grateful for any info on how to achieve this.
Thanks, Giles
April 6, 2017 @ 11:11 am
Hello Sara. So, i heard something that the Croatian Law about visa changed and i would like to know more about that, do you know what changed?
May 7, 2017 @ 4:06 am
Hi Sara. What is the monthly rate for health insurance as a temporary resident? Will it change with permanent residency? Thank you.
July 5, 2017 @ 10:50 am
Hi Beth,
The rate is approximately 450kuna per month plus the initial 5000kuna fee. I am not sure that the cost changes with permanent residency, but I will find out and post here.
Cheers,
Sara
August 3, 2017 @ 6:40 pm
Hi Beth,
Health insurance premiums do not vary based on residency status, but may change at the prerogative of HZZO.
Regards,
Petar
June 20, 2017 @ 10:38 pm
Hello,
Is it hard to rent a 2 bedroom apartment in Croatia for under 300 USD a month.We are a family of three hoping to find a town with a good bi lingual school for my daughter as well.I would really need your advice on finding a city that has cold temps in Croatia and not so expensive.my budget is 1500 USD for a family of 3.
Thanks
June 21, 2017 @ 8:45 pm
Hi Michael,
Thank you for reaching out! To find a 2-bedroom apartment for under 300USD, you would need to be in a smaller city or on the outskirts of a large one. If you want cold temperatures, then best to look in and around Zagreb where there is a better chance of finding a bilingual school.
Cheers,
Sara
June 23, 2017 @ 8:16 am
Hi Sara,
My wife and I are thinking of opening a business in Croatia. We currently live in Indianapolis, In, USA. I moved to the States in 1999 from Croatia. I am a naturalized US citizen and my wife is born and raised in the US. I have couple questions for you that I am hoping to get better understanding: 1. Is there any advantages of me having a brother in Zagreb and several cousins to gain residency? 2. From a start up capital standpoint, I see a lot of non EU requirements, but unable to determine the actual amount needed is it a firm min of 100,000 KN or up to 100,000 KN? 3. Also, once a residency is established, is it for short term only? What can be done to get long term residency with the hopes that my business will succeed.
July 5, 2017 @ 10:35 am
Hi Martin,
Thanks for reaching out! You mention moving from Croatia to the US in 1999. Do you have Croatian citizenship? If so, then you only need to show up and register with the police to gain residency. Your spouse would need to apply for residency based on marriage (which requires a certified translation of your marriage certificate). Regarding start up capital for a business, if you are a Croatian citizen, then the amount needed is 20,000kn for a d.o.o. Since Croatia is now in the EU, the initial visa for your wife would be 5 years. You don’t need a visa if you are a citizen.
Cheers,
Sara
August 13, 2017 @ 9:01 pm
Hello Martin, I just want to extend what Sarah mentioned, and I hope the info is correct. I was reading (an re-read) for months about obtaining residency, both on this site and the policija site with all of the mind-bending information. I am a temporary resident, I received a 5 year visa last year because my husband is Croatian and lives here. Regarding your brother and cousins, you could apply for your visa based on family reunification. You are an American now, not a Croatian, so you will have to go through the whole process but your chances are good of getting a visa because you have close family here. It would be easier for you and your wife if you could stay with family whilst your application is in progress. You will need to take one of these family members with you during the application process. If you rent an apartment, you will need to take the landlord with you. The police will visit the address to make sure that you live there. The length of the residency seems to depend on what the case manager decides. It could be one year or five years, but if you intend to notify them of your intention to open a business that could have a positive impact on your application. I did the part-time Croaticum course last year, and there were students from all over the world, and the ones that I spoke to had one year visas, and another married Australian (like me, married to a Croatian) had a five year visa. Good luck!
January 19, 2019 @ 1:07 pm
Hi Jo,
Apparently they changed the law as of 2017 so non-EEA spouses of Croatian citizens only qualify for a renewable 1 year visa. The yearly renewal is a hassle but worst of all it comes with the stipulation that you can not leave the country more than one month at a time whereas before it was 6 months to 1 year in special circumstances. You have the 5-year residence permit. Have you ever been out of the country more than one month at a time without any problems?
Thanks,
Dan
August 24, 2017 @ 11:44 am
Hi Sara,
Is nice and very informative to read across your blog and have some good understanding about Croatia. I am a non-EU citizen who setup a company here in January 2017 and got 1 Year Temporary Resident Permit which is expiring on January 2018. My company capital was 200,000 Kunas and I have 3 Croatian employees in my company as I was told that I need to have 3 Croatian employees for getting Resident Visa to stay and work here.
I wanted to ask that since I would be applying for renewal of my Temporary Resident Permit Card in January 2018, will I be having it renewed for same 1 Year or will it be for 3 or 5 years? Secondly, can you shed some light regarding if I need to keep 3 Croatian employees for sure or can I drop them off as part of my temporary resident permit requirement? As right now my work does not need me to have 3 employees, am more of working myself at my company.
Looking forward for you response!!
Thanks,
Hassan.
August 30, 2017 @ 3:31 pm
Hi Hassan,
In my experience, it will be required for you to employ 3 Croatian employees for the duration of your temporary residence. Most visas are issued for 5 years. Since you were issued a 1-year visa, then your next visa may also be 1 year, likely because they want to ensure you are keeping Croatians employed. I would confirm this with an immigration attorney.
Cheers,
Sara
September 12, 2017 @ 9:16 pm
Hi Sara,
Thanks for the information. An expert advice on this will be highly appreciated.
Also, is it possible for me to undertake work in Germany based on my Croatian Resident Permit? A client of mine has offered me a consultancy work to work for him in Germany, so can I work there based on my Croatian Resident Permit or would I need separate Resident Permit for Germany and insurance? (since Croatia is not in Schengen states till now).
Looking forward for your feedback.
Thanking You,
Hassan.
September 13, 2017 @ 8:20 am
Hi Hassan,
Thanks for reaching out!
You may only work in Germany with a German work permit. The Croatian residency permit does not give you permission to live or work in any other countries other than Croatia.
Cheers,
Sara
September 13, 2017 @ 1:51 pm
Hi Sara,
Many thanks for the response above. which is well understood.
I have Croatian Health Insurance from HZZO and I also applied for EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), so if I undertake any job in Germany would I still need to take separate Health Insurance in Germany or will my Croatian Insurance suffice that?
Here I would like to say that your blog is quite helpful in terms of understanding in Croatia particularly for expats!!!
Kind Regards,
Hassan
September 13, 2017 @ 2:01 pm
Hi Hassan,
Glad to hear you are finding the resources helpful! For insurance coverage in Germany, you’ll need to “trade” in your Croatian policy for a German one. I recommend going to the state health insurance in Germany to discuss how to go about trading in your policy.
Cheers,
Sara
November 24, 2019 @ 1:41 am
Hello Sara,
I am Polish citizen. My partner is Croatian citizen. I am pregnant and we are planning the delivery in Rijeka and we are not married. To get the HZZO insurance you wrote that I need a document that v in not insured in Poland. However, Polish government insures me automatically and it’s a constitutional law. I cannot really deny it. How HZZO may react on it. Will I still be able to register? Let me add that I already checked with polish public insurance and the child delivery is not covered by the EU insurance card.
November 25, 2019 @ 3:09 pm
Hi Kasia,
Yes, you’ll still be able to sign up for HZZO health insurance. When you arrive, my first stop would be the HZZO office. You can explain your situation and they will best guide you on your options.
Regards,
Sara
August 25, 2017 @ 7:49 am
Hi guys&gals,
Need some help.
I’m a bit in confusing situation.
I’m Croatian citizen, worked until the end of April, 2017. Was bit of lazy and didn’t have a clue, since it was my first job, that I should’ve register myself at HZZO after that in next 2 weeks.
So I left without health insurance.
Now I got job oportunity on Cyprus, virtually, and I will get “boravište” there, but my primary adresse will stay in Zagreb, Croatia.
Do you guys have any helpfull information for me, how to settle my health insurance?
Thanks!
August 30, 2017 @ 3:33 pm
Hi J,
Since you did not have health insurance in Croatia, you cannot exchange it for a policy in Cyprus. This means you’ll need to get a new policy in Cyprus independent of Croatia. If you want to exchange the policy as an EU citizen, then you’ll need to go to HZZO and ask how much you’ll need to pay to get current.
Cheers,
Sara
September 15, 2017 @ 7:15 pm
HOLY CRAP!!!!
I was going to move to Croatia, because it is “so cheap”, but the health insurance is more than my entire pension! Why can’t you just go to the doctor for free like other countries? Or just, not have insurance?
September 16, 2017 @ 1:19 pm
Hi Heinrich,
The initial application fee is unreasonably high. However, the monthly cost is extremely reasonable.
There is no such thing as going to the doctor for free. Someone has to pay for it, whether it be you, the government or the taxpayers. Requiring health insurance for residents, especially foreign residents, makes sense. You never know what will happen to you and the government and citizens of your host country should not foot the bill for you choosing to not have insurance.
Regards,
Sara
January 19, 2019 @ 1:23 pm
Thanks for the practical information but I’ll have to disagree that the monthly cost is extremely reasonable. Not all family members of Croatian citizens who move to Croatia come from privileged first world countries. Anything that becomes a hindrance to allowing a Croatian citizen to live in their own country with their family is pretty crap. And for some people in certain situations, the fees are a problem.
February 8, 2019 @ 12:07 pm
Hi Dan,
As I stated “if you come from the [United] States”, then it is a bargain. I am only speaking from my experience and am not generalizing that it is a reasonable cost for everyone. I grew up with for-profit healthcare in a land where any moderate injury or sickness could put you out of work or in debt.
Those that are employed in Croatia have their insurance paid by their employer so are not concerned with monthly cost.
I agree that anything that prevents a Croatian from living in their own country comfortably (as long as they do all that they are supposed to) is crap. Unfortunately, that is a problem in a lot of countries and not just Croatia.
Regards,
Sara
September 30, 2017 @ 9:54 pm
This is really disheartening as my husband and I were literally booking a 6 month trip to do some work on his family home in Zagreb until I read this. That is an unreasonable fee for us to pay to only stay 6 months. We plan on leaving Croatia a few times during the stay to do some traveling- does this impact this requirement if we aren’t in Croatia for over 90 days at any given time?
I’m so disappointed I can’t justify paying that considering we are also still paying for our policy in the US while we are there.
October 1, 2017 @ 9:48 am
Hi Caitlin,
I understand your frustration. Were you planning on applying for a visa for such a short trip? If you are not planning on applying for a long term visa, then there is no need to get the health insurance, especially if you’ll be in and out of Croatia during that time. To be sure of your options, I recommend consulting an immigration attorney. From my perspective, it sounds like you are on holiday instead of immigrating, so you could likely get away without having it.
Cheers,
Sara
October 4, 2017 @ 7:37 am
Hi Sara – thank you again for the info. I haven’t found an attorney yet that is comfortable with the Croatian process. Don’t we have to get some sort of visa to remain in Croatia for 90 days out of 180, even if we are on holiday?
October 5, 2017 @ 4:18 pm
Hi Caitlin,
You do not need a visa to be in Croatia for 90 days. Up to 90 days, you are considered to be a tourist.
Cheers,
Sara
October 26, 2017 @ 1:24 am
I worded that poorly I meant for *more* than 90 days out of 180? So if we stay for 120 days, we have to pay for the health insurance with the long term visa..
November 9, 2017 @ 10:40 am
Hi Caitlin,
For stays of 90 days or under, you do not need to register with the police or get health insurance with HZZO.
Cheers,
Sara
January 19, 2019 @ 1:01 pm
Hi Caitlin,
Yes, I would agree that the requirement to pay this much for health insurance is ridiculous and annoying – not all EU countries do this to family members of citizens. Imagine a family (not from a rich country like the US) moving to Croatia because one of the spouses is Croatian, and then being asked to pay 5000 kuna up front per child plus the monthly fees. You may not think it’s much as a privileged American but say as a Bosnian or a Russian or whatever married to a Croatian that would be absurd. It’s a real bastardly law unless you have first world privelege. (By the way now I hear they’re forcing all Croatians to pay some monthly sum for HZZO or about to.) On top of that it is even more annoying that Croatia changed their law in 2017 so that non-EEA spouses of Croatian citizens are only eligible for a 1 year renewable visa. This is annoying not only because you have to renew it every year, but worst of all you can only leave the country one month at a time (except in special circumstances) without losing your residence permit (not to mention making things difficult for permanent residency in 5 years). For some people this is absurd and ridiculous. Before the change in the Zakon o Strancima in 2017, spouses of Croatian citizens, no matter what their nationality, were eligible for 5 year residence permits like EEA citizens along with much more freedom of movement: 6 months per year out of the country up to 12 months in special cases. By the way usually they just make you pay some cheap traveler’s insurance while your visa is in process (in my case one week). Paying the HZZO was not required in order to get the residence card. They give you a letter to take to HZZO and tell you do do it, but you get the residence card first…
October 17, 2017 @ 12:06 pm
Hi there,
Thanks so much for the informative post, its been super helpful.
I am a little stuck and was hoping you could help.
My mother recently moved to Croatia. She came from Australia and she has just received her Croatian passport (as she left when she was little). She went to get a healthcare card and was advised about this 5,000 kuna fee and ongoing monthly fee. At first I thought it was mum just not understanding the lady and now I see that she is infact correct. I can’t get over how high this fee is and it may mean she will need to come home as it’s so expensive.
Can I ask, do you still pay this large upfront fee if you are a citizen? I mean, there are people across the country on such low incomes, how did they all afford this when Croatia became part of the EU?
Is there a way around this upfront fee? I can help contribute to the monthly payment, but this upfront fee is just a bit ridiculous.
October 17, 2017 @ 2:22 pm
Hi Tammy,
Thank you for the question!
The 5,000 kuna fee is a one-time fee. It only needs to be paid once at the start of the new insurance term. It is not applicable to Croatian citizens and residents who were here when Croatia became EU because they already had existing state insurance policies and were therefore not obligated to pay this fee.
Hope this clears it up.
Cheers,
Sara
November 9, 2017 @ 2:29 am
Hi! Great article! Really appreciate the links 🙂 I’m wondering if what I want to do is even possible..
My situation is a bit complicated. I am a Croatian citizen but have never lived there. I will be studying in another EU country starting next year. I would like to go to Croatia for 2 months or so *before* starting university in this other EU country. Can I register for temporary residence in Croatia, join the HZZO (paying whatever fees I have to) and then get the form to use the EHIC in this other EU country (I’ve checked and it’s accepted in that country, I’m wondering if it’s possible from the Croatian side)? And if I register for temporary residence, is a hostel address enough?
November 9, 2017 @ 10:38 am
Hi Natalia,
I wouldn’t bother registering with the police or getting insurance with HZZO if you are only here 2 months. Tourists can be here for 90 days without doing either, so the same would apply to you. It makes more sense to sign up for insurance in the country where you’ll be living permanently. No reason to deal with the bureaucracy if you don’t have to.
Cheers,
Sara
December 10, 2017 @ 11:42 pm
Hi Sara,
Thank you for your advice. However, I would like to have proper insurance during my time in Croatia – it’s supposed to be 2-3 months but I might stay for longer so I’d rather join the HZZO as soon as I get there to avoid problems later. Would you happen to know the requirements for joining? As in, do I need a permanent address or is the hostel address enough to join and I can change it later?
December 3, 2017 @ 7:52 am
Hi Sara
Great blog. Thanks for all the info. My question is related to the Pension and Insurance.
My wife and I are wanting to retire in Split. If we apply for a temp resident visa and pay 5000 Kuna initially, do we have to pay this same amount each year when renewing visa?
Will we be granted a temp resident Visa if we do not work, are retirees and have no family ties to Croatia, but have funds to support ourselves?
I understand that I am able to apply for the Pension when I turn 65 as there is a Social Security Agreement with my home country Australia. How long do I need to be paying health insurance monthly fees in Croatia before I can apply for the Pension
December 18, 2017 @ 3:00 pm
Hi Craig,
Thanks for the question!
Currently, Croatia does not have a visa or policy specifically related to non-EU nationals that want to retire in Croatia. In this case, the best option is to apply for the temporary 1-year visa, which requires prepayment of health insurance and rent for 1 year. You will need to also prove you have the funds to support yourself, by putting an amount (that the police will give you) in a bank account in Croatia. It would be beneficial to also provide proof of retirement and social security during the application process. Please note that this current temporary visa is only valid for 1 year and is not renewable. HOWEVER, I have heard situations where retirees have been allowed to extend it. There is nothing official in the law about retirees, so it depends on who you talk to, in what jurisdiction and what kind of mood they are in.
The 5000kuna fee is one-time at the time of initial application, not annual.
I’m not sure about the process for applying for pension as a non-citizen, but will look into it for a future post.
Regards,
Sara
February 22, 2018 @ 4:37 pm
Hello!
Is it really mandatory to join HZZo health insurance?
When I was applying for the 1 year staying permit, they told me I can use any health insurance that I would find eligible.
Nobody told me that I must enroll under HZZO.
So I am still buying worldwide health insurance form Cifna that covers all medical bills in Croatia.
I pay around 80 Eur per month. But does it mean, I still have to enroll and pay HZZO?
February 22, 2018 @ 5:29 pm
Hi Jekaterina,
Thank you for the comment! Yes, you must enroll in HZZO. Have you already been approved for your one-year permit? It would surprise me if you received approval without showing HZZO enrollment, but I’ve learned that one should never be surprised in Croatia.
Cheers,
Sara
February 22, 2018 @ 5:49 pm
I enrolled with the travel insurance.
The police workers told me it is fine. Also, they did not mention AT ALL they I must enroll under HZZO.
They told me I have options and that’s it. So I calmly bought Cigna insurance.
SO, what I must do now?
I lived in Croatia for almost a year now, if I go to HZZO will I have problems?
May 17, 2019 @ 5:35 am
Hello Jekaterina, In what city/office did you apply for your residence permit?
Thanks,
Dan
May 20, 2018 @ 10:40 pm
Hi,
My understanding is EHIC only valid for temporary stays, but if one has UK National Health does that still mean the 5000 Kuna necessary to be paid for longer stay ?
If staying with friends does that count for residency ? In our case plan to spend part of year in Croatia, part in UK- but thinking best to apply for longer term residency before the earliest Brexit date of March 2019 ( my understanding is probably there will be 2 year transition period after that). (Looke dinto Croatian copany but holding costs if little activity seem to be several hundred Euros a month between mandatory insurance and bookkeeping/regulatory costs).
For tax ID , is that pretty straightforward providing Passport ID, local mailing address ? Is other documentation needed?
Thanks.
May 29, 2018 @ 12:16 pm
Hi Ray,
Thank you for the question!
The 5000 kuna is only charged for long term residents who have signed up for a HZZO policy. If you are only traveling on holiday in Croatia as an EU citizen, then you are not obligated to pay this fee.
The longest stay allowed without a residence permit is 90 days. If you intend to stay longer, then you will need to apply for residence regardless of where you are staying.
Getting an individual tax ID is very easy. Here is a post about it: https://www.expatincroatia.com/how-to-get-an-oib-croatian-identification-number/
You are correct, there are high costs associated with opening a company for the purpose of residency.
Hope that helps!
Cheers,
Sara
December 3, 2018 @ 11:29 pm
Hi Sara,
I have had an apartment in Porec for 10 years now and obtained a 5 year residence card earlier his year after recently taking early retirement. I don’t get a pension but live on my savings. This year I have been traveling a lot and spent 5 months in Spain, 5 months in Croatia. Next year I intend to spend about 8 months in Croatia. Do I need get an S1 form from the UK to give to the HZZO office? Once I move my health insurance to Croatia do I get a new EU health card from Croatia and have to give up my UK one?
Also can I transfer back my health insurance after a few years when I return to the UK?
Once I have the HZZ0 insurance do I have to register myself with a doctors surgery?
Keith
December 11, 2018 @ 12:34 pm
Hi Keith,
To answer all of your questions at once, YES. To your last question, I’m not sure what you mean by “doctors surgery”. With HZZO insurance, you will need a general practitioner doctor.
Cheers,
Sara
December 29, 2018 @ 6:12 pm
Hey there,
First off, great job on getting some clarity on how HZZO process works to all of us that can’t figure it out on our own. What doesn’t help is HZZO and their website.
I looked it over several times and nowhere can I found 5,000 kuna requirement. What also cannot be found is monthly cost per person per month. If you try to shoot ’em a question, OIB is required and I’d say most non-Croatians that need answers don’t have one.
Questions are:
1.) do you know where one can actually find one time fee and monthly cost on HZZO site
z.) if they cannot be found, do you know what is the monthly cost for the end of 2018
#.) is one time 5,000 kuna really one time or can it be re-requested say 3 years after you leave Croatia only to come back
Thanks in advance.
Oh, and Happy New 2019!
January 10, 2019 @ 3:14 pm
Hi Tony,
I don’t know if it is published on the HZZO site or not, but have heard enough widespread accounts of the 5000kuna fee that I’m confident it is the case so be prepared for that.
The approximate monthly cost as of end of 2018 is 460kuna.
The 5000kuna fee is one time, but that is assuming no service interruption. If you stop paying at some point and leave Croatia then return without closing your account, you must pay all back premiums before your insurance will be valid again. You cannot just start paying the monthly again.
Regards,
Sara
January 4, 2019 @ 6:41 am
Hello Sara,
If i apply for temporary residence and in the case i dont have health insurance neither EHIC as a EU citizen:
Is it possible to apply for health insurance in croatia by paying the Initial 5000 kn + monthly fees and NOT having an EHIC ?
In other words: your case as EU citizen. Possible ?
January 10, 2019 @ 3:11 pm
Hi Zoran,
Yes, you can apply for health insurance fresh without EHIC. BUT, I have heard of cases where you must prove that you do not have health insurance in your home country.
Regards,
Sara
March 27, 2019 @ 4:03 pm
As a non-EU full-time student, do I also need to get HZZO?
My university is confusing me saying I cannot get HZZO at all.
I read information saying that I not only can, but absolutely MUST get HZZO. I am confused.
March 27, 2019 @ 4:15 pm
Hi Eva,
Is your university provided some kind of alternative health insurance policy? The mandate is that all residents must have HZZO insurance, including those here on a student permits. The only exception I can imagine is if they are offering some alternative. What exactly are they telling you?
Regards,
Sara
April 9, 2019 @ 12:57 pm
I’m just going to add my experience here, whilst it’s fresh in my mind.
I’m a UK citizen who moved to Croatia prior to Brexit (should it ever occur). I arrived 31st December 2018, and in early February I commenced my Residency application. Whilst this did involve about four visits to MUP, it was actually extremely easy, with the MUP person speaking English, and the two page form being very simple. I showed proof of savings by pasting my bank balances on a Word document, with the XE rate beneath.
A month on from getting my residency card, and I received a letter (last Friday, sent to me by recorded delivery) from HZZO stating that I had 8 days to go to HZZO to sort out my health insurance. I went down there this morning (Tuesday) and a very helpful, English speaking lady there told me I needed an E104 from the UK. If I have that, then I’ll be exempt from paying the backdated health insurance, which comes in at around 6,000 kuna (circa £700). Googling E104, I discover this is a document which provides proof of National Insurance payments, and is essentially devised for UK nationals seeking to live overseas. So I’ve applied for that, and hope that when it arrives that this will absolve me of the 6k kuna.
On another note, it is extremely important that UK nationals get their EHIC card before heading to Croatia. It was requested by both the MUP and HZZO.
April 9, 2019 @ 1:21 pm
Hi Paul,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It will be very helpful to other UK nationals coming to Croatia.
Cheers,
Sara
April 16, 2019 @ 6:16 pm
It seems to me that almost every case is different, in all areas of Croatian life when bureaucracy is involved.
Paul CB’s experience is different to mine, for example.
I came from the UK 2 years ago. Got 5 year residency with no issues, no interview, no problems. No mention of healthcare at all. I told them I had an EHIC. They seemed happy with that.
Nothing from HZZO, I’d never heard of them until I read this blog!
I had intended to sort out some healthcare at some point, but to be honest, this blog has put me off the whole process! It seems that nobody actually knows the real process and costs.
I would hate to think that inaccurate information is putting people off from coming to Croatia, but this seems to possibly be the case when reading the replies here.
I will have to look into this further.
April 17, 2019 @ 9:02 am
Hi Rod,
Every case is really different, across the board, which I explain in more detail here. As Croatia gets deeper into the EU, it does seem that they are being more and more lax about requirements for EU nationals, which is good. But again, it just depends on who you talk to.
Regards,
Sara
May 17, 2019 @ 5:57 am
Hello Rod, In which municipality did you apply for your residence permit? Once you get permanent residency I would like to know whether you are required to keep paying these ever increasing monthly payments or if you will be treated more like citizens who pay none (or little) per month. Basically permanent residency in Croatia costs 6,300 some HRK x 5 which in a way can be argued is against EU freedom of movement laws…as an EU citizen you shouldn’t have to pay more than a Croatian citizen to live in the country. At least can’t they make it free for EU citizens/permanent residents that have their own national health insurance? Croatians can get free national health insurance in other EU countries. It’s a bit of a jip the other way around.
Thanks, Dan
July 3, 2019 @ 12:52 pm
Hi I am got admission into University of Zagreb for PhD position , Ill be travelling to Croatia next month. Do I need to obtain health insurance from HZZO ?
July 4, 2019 @ 9:21 am
Hi Gaurish,
Yes, you will need health insurance from HZZO. Take a look at this post: https://www.expatincroatia.com/study-gain-student-residence-croatia/
Regards,
Sara
July 12, 2019 @ 1:47 am
Hello,
I am planning on moving to Croatia from the US with my Croatian fiancé which is already living there. I am an Italian citizen and a naturalized US citizen. As an Italian citizen, will I be able to be excepted from those initial 5000 kunas?
Will the residency process be less complicated if I was married to him, or will it be the same since I am also a EU citizen?
July 22, 2019 @ 2:56 pm
Hi Meli,
The 5000 kuna health insurance fee is obligatory for all new polices.
Regards,
Sara
July 23, 2019 @ 1:02 pm
Hi,
I moved from the USA to Croatia about 1 1/2 years ago.. i received my Croatian citizenship at that time as well. I applied and have a temporary residency form from the HR Police for a year. When i went to the HZZO office they told me i am not entitled to any type of health insurance (including the National insurance which is “required”). I said i had no problem paying the initial fee and 500 kuna a month but still the answer was a no. I went another day to HZZO to speak to the legal dept and they informed me as well that i am not entitled to health insurance unless i obtain permanent residency. So now im confused how some received health insurance with temp residency while myself… a Croatian\EU citizen cannot get anything???!! Help me anyone!!
July 23, 2019 @ 1:45 pm
Hi Jack,
If you live here and have residency, then you should be able to get HZZO health insurance. I do not understand why they are not letting you sign up for it. I am truly speechless. As a citizen, you wouldn’t have the need to apply for permanent residency. You must be tearing your hair out!
I would recommend posting your situation in the expat group closest to your location to see if anyone has experienced the same issue. Here is the full list: Expat Facebook Groups in Croatia
Please keep me posted on your situation. I would like to hear how it was resolved and will be helpful to others.
Regards,
Sara
August 7, 2019 @ 1:34 pm
Hi Jack,
Many things about this are strange. I don’t understand why you had to apply for temporary residency if you are citizen. Residency permits are only for non Croatians. As far as insurance, it also doesn’t make sense that you cannot sign up for health insurance. Again, permanent residency, like temporary, should not apply to you as a Croatian citizen. You have no need for either of those, so to say you cannot get health insurance until you have permanent residency has no sense. Do you have a Croatian citizen national ID with a chip or do you have temporary residency card that says “privremeni boravak”?
Regards,
Sara
August 16, 2019 @ 7:21 am
Hi,
My wife and I are U.S. citizens who are interested in moving to and retiring in Croatia. Is this possible? We would purchase a property to establish residency to live there year round and purchase whatever health insurance is necessary. We have sufficient retirement income from the U.S. as well as income from investments to live on.
August 17, 2019 @ 8:07 pm
Hey Sara, I have an Osobna… also a putnovica. I have an apartment here in Zagreb now which i needed the “temporary residency” for even though ive been living in Zadar for over a year. Everything here doesn’t make any sense… like i said both HZZO and HZZO legal department said that im not entitled to any insurance unless i move here permanently. They said that i can abuse the system by getting insurance and then moving out of the country immediately. So again i cant even pay for national health insurance even though i offered many time and the only option so far is getting a part time job.
August 28, 2019 @ 11:23 am
Yes ive been living here since 2017 without health insurance. i just recently decided to get health insurance which i thought i was entitled to …but… i guess not according to Croatia
October 9, 2019 @ 8:50 pm
Great article and Information!
October 14, 2019 @ 10:38 am
Thank you Simran!
October 21, 2019 @ 7:51 pm
Hi Sara,
My name is Nicolas Zuljevic. I am currently learning croatian and on the process of aplying for the citizenship. I plan on moving to Croatia in a couple of years but there are lots of things that are difficult to know unless you read fluent croatian. I am a critical care unit physician in my country (Argentina) and I´d very much like to be able to work there as one as well, but I don´t know anything about the life of croatian Drs. or how much do they earn, work hours, etc. Do you know something (or know someone) about being a physician in Hrvatska?
Thank you very much!
October 22, 2019 @ 8:14 am
Hi Nicolas,
Thanks for the question!
I am not familiar with what it is like to be a doctor in Croatia. I recommend posting in some of the Expat Facebook groups, which also contain many Croatians. You’ll likely get a lot of responses. Here is a full list: https://www.expatincroatia.com/immigrant-focused-facebook-groups-croatia/
Regards,
Sara
January 16, 2020 @ 3:18 pm
Hi Sara,
I am a naturalized Croatian citizen living in the USA and am in the process of establishing residence in Zagreb. I am retired. I understand that I must sign up for insurance with HZZO. As a citizen, will I have to pay the initiation fee? As a retiree, is there a reduced monthly premium? If I return to the States for a few months, will it be possible to temporarily “suspend” my policy and pay no monthly premium while I am away? Will it be possible to reinstate my policy when I return?
Thanks in advance,
Bob
January 21, 2020 @ 11:50 am
Hi Bob,
As a citizen, you do not have to pay the initiation fee. You are not entitled to a reduced monthly premium. You cannot suspend your policy. You can end your policy and start it again, those are the only options.
Regards,
Sara
January 28, 2020 @ 4:14 pm
It seems to me as an EU citizen from Denmark that Croatia has a hard time to comply with EU law and regulations: treating EU citizens equally with their “own” people, even their own becomes enemies of the state if they travel away for a while, to work and see the “big world” out there….
They do not even comply with their own laws inside the country, but “eat and drink” differently, depending who, what, were you are/they are..! No wonder they are not in the schengen yet.
January 29, 2020 @ 6:14 pm
Hi Hellen,
Have you experienced a situation where you were not treated according to the law?
Regards,
Sara
February 19, 2020 @ 11:03 am
Hello, just an update to the current “buy in” cost is 6,577.44 Kuna. Also, they seem to charge the same for each family member, even minor children. Price per month is 548 Kuna currently.
March 4, 2020 @ 5:09 pm
Hi Chad,
Yes, this is correct! We are working on a post that covers all the different costs of health insurance, so we verified these amounts with HZZO just recently. We will have that post up shortly. 🙂
Regards,
Sara
June 3, 2020 @ 12:13 pm
My question is a bit off topic – proving to the US that you have healthcare. Since US citizens who are resident in Croatia still have to file US taxes they have to prove they had US health insurance or pay the penalty. I know we have to have HZZO here but I assume that doesn’t meet the requirement for the US. Am I missing something? Did that make sense?
June 3, 2020 @ 1:37 pm
Hi Deb,
Thanks for the question!
This makes perfect sense as I have first hand experience with it. If you qualify to file your taxes as a US non-resident, then you are exempt from the health insurance requirement in the United States. You are not subject to penalty, regardless of HZZO. My accountant in the US prepares my taxes, but I think there is a checkbox where you mention whether or not you have health insurance. You can still check yes if you have HZZO health insurance.
To make sure you qualify for the exemption, check the Substantial Presence Test. Here is the info on that: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/substantial-presence-test
Hope that helps!
Regards,
Sara
July 27, 2020 @ 4:01 am
Hello Sara,
We love your website as it contains a lot of valuable information. We’re a family of four (two minor children) looking to relocating to Croatia for a year in September. As I understand it, we can apply for medical insurance through HZZO after 2 months, once we start our temp residency application. What type of coverage can we get until we would qualify for state insurance? Do you know if Croatia have any health provision for expats who happen to contract coronavirus in Croatia and don’t have state coverage?
Also, does the initial 6000+ kuna would be multiplied by 4, since we’re a family of 4? Do minors pay less or is it the same fee?
Thank you so much in advance for your help,
Anna
July 31, 2020 @ 12:09 pm
Hi Anna,
Thank you for your question!
Please take a look at this post to understand what is covered in the state health insurance: https://www.expatincroatia.com/state-health-insurance-cost/
If you do not have state coverage (which is required of all residents), then you must pay out of pocket for all healthcare services, corona or not.
For all third-country nationals, the 1-year of back pay (~6500 kuna) must be paid for each person including children. I reconfirmed this with HZZO after receiving your question just to be sure.
Regards,
Sara
October 14, 2020 @ 11:42 pm
I just wanted to share my experience: I can only apply to HZZO by bringing my MUP certificate (potvrda) together with my residence permit (ID card) to the HZZO office.
To be clear, this means I arrived in Croatia 4 months ago, applied to MUP for temporary residence, received approval, applied for an ID card in person at MUP, picked it up in person at MUP today, and I have still not had the opportunity to apply to HZZO.
The only health-related requirement for my temporary residence application was to demonstrate I had travel health insurance in place for the 3-month duration of my visitor permit.
I arrived in Croatia under the impression that since I intended to stay, I was required to enroll in HZZO immediately. And I tried! But nobody would give me “the letter” I needed to take to HZZO until my temporary residence was approved. When I finally received the certificate I was assured I would need my ID card too, so wait another month and then go.
I’ve heard stories, including in these comments, of people who wanted to stay in Croatia for longer than 90 days being forced to join HZZO right away. I would like to know how they did it! Because it no longer seems possible to join until after you’re a resident.
October 15, 2020 @ 10:08 am
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for sharing your experience!
MUP has changed their requirements in recent times with regards to health insurance. At one time, you had to sign up during the application process. Now you cannot do so until after you are approved. I think this is tied with the large increase in non-EU nationals that have been applying for residence.
I’ve updated the post to reflect this. If you need any help, please let me know. 🙂
Cheers,
Sara
November 23, 2020 @ 2:17 pm
Hi,
I’d like to ask you a question. I am going to travel to zagreb as Non-Eu citizen, I am single.
I have a job contract as phd with Zagreb university for 4 years of working.
Since i like the culture over there, I am curious to know how can I get my permanent residency ? What are the ways to help me achieve it.
Please, If my question is not related in here, guide me to the right place.
Thank you so much.
November 24, 2020 @ 12:01 pm
Hi Cyrus,
You must have 5 years of continuous temporary residence to qualify to apply for permanent residence. If you already have work secured for 4 years, then you would need 1 more year past that to qualify. Here is more info: https://www.expatincroatia.com/apply-permanent-residency-permit-croatia/
Regards,
Sara
December 30, 2020 @ 1:22 pm
“Call your home state insurance provider and tell them you are moving to Croatia and need to provide Croatia with proof that you are no longer insured by the state policy in your home country”.
This is not true, I think. For example, you should be able to keep American insurance as well as Croatian insurance. America does not have an agreement with EU that mandates this.
January 3, 2021 @ 12:50 pm
Hi DC,
This only applies to EU citizens.
Regards,
Sara
December 30, 2020 @ 1:31 pm
If I’m Croatian citizen (born in 1991) then it seems I dont have to pay the 6000+ kuna upfront cost, correct?
January 3, 2021 @ 12:50 pm
Hi DC,
If you can prove that you were insured for the previous 12 months before signing up for HZZO, then yes, the 1 year upfront is waived.
Regards,
Sara
April 10, 2021 @ 1:23 pm
Hi Sara,
My husband and I are looking to spend 3 months in Croatia with our 1-year-old daughter. While we are fine getting by with travelers health insurance for the two of us (where we will only need to use it in case of emergency) I would prefer to have something more thorough for our daughter, so that we can go to the doctor on a regular basis if needed. Since we won’t be there more than 90 days at a time, we don’t HAVE to sign up for state coverage, but I’m wondering if it’s possible to get state coverage for our daughter in this case. Or, is it best to get some kind of private insurance given the time it takes to apply for state coverage? I would so appreciate any advice you can offer!
Thanks so much,
Yardena
April 11, 2021 @ 2:42 pm
Hi Yardena,
Only legal residents can sign up for state health insurance. Given this, you’ll need to obtain private health coverage for your daughter. If you want to explore Croatian options, Croatia Osiguranje and Wiener Osiguranje have good reputations.
Regards,
Sara
April 16, 2021 @ 8:06 pm
Hello, my question is about applying for health Insurance as we move to Croatia from the States (all of family areCroatian citizens except I am American), that we must “pay 12 months of back pay. They can get out of this if they can prove that they were insured for the previous 12 months.” Can we take statements from our American health insurance to prove this, or is there an official form? Our American health insurance will last one month after we move to Croatia. Is that enough?
Thanks!
April 28, 2021 @ 9:32 am
Hi Heidi,
Yes, statements from your American health insurance that show the duration of when your family was covered will work.
Regards,
Sara
April 20, 2021 @ 3:08 pm
Hi Sarah!
I was wondering if you could shed some light on my situation regarding the mandatory HZZO insurance for both myself and my family.
I’m a Croatian citizen but lived in the UK for over 30 years. I’ve always maintained my address/documents/residence in Zagreb but not the healthcare as I was covered by NHS as I was living in the UK most of that time.
Since last year myself and my husband (UK citizen) have been living in Zagreb, he’s got his 5 year residence and they accepted his EHIC card as health insurance. They made it sound like registration with HZZO was optional. As we were here temporarily for an unknown period due to pandemic, we didn’t think about registering with them given we had emergency cover via EHIC.
Also in the autumn our daughter joined us here, she’s a UK citizen studying in The Netherlands but since her studies went 100% online she came to live with us for this academic year. She’s still registered with a doctor in The Netherlands.
Would you know how we should go about registering with HZZO, do we have to give up our NHS cover, do we have to pay the 5000kn that read about etc etc.
Would be super super grateful for some guidance and appreciate any help with this 🙂
Many thanks and regards
Vesna
April 28, 2021 @ 9:25 am
Hi Vesna,
Unfortunately, this isn’t straightforward, thanks to the UK government. HZZO is telling UK citizens that they have to give up their NHS to get HZZO, but that makes no sense at all given that the UK is no longer in the EU. I asked the UK Embassy in Zagreb about this, and they couldn’t given me a straight answer. They suggested contacting the UK government through this site: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medical-facilities-in-croatia A couple of my UK readers did so, and never received a response.
Regarding the backpay (which is now more 12 months x 576 kuna), this is also not straightforward. The rule is if you are an EU citizen, then you can have the backpay waived if you can prove that you were insured for the previous 12 months. In a UK citizen’s case, they are no longer EU, but they were an EU covered citizen in 2020. An argument could be made that they could use their 2020 time to apply to the backpay (then only pay backpay for non-EU 2021 time). So it would be pro-rated. However, HZZO and the UK government have been unclear, and we haven’t heard of any UK citizens voluntarily giving up their NHS this year for the purposes of getting HZZO.
I wish I had more clarity on this. My suggestion would be to contact the UK site above to see what your rights are in the EU now. Maybe you will have better luck that the others!
Regards,
Sara
August 1, 2021 @ 9:09 pm
Hello,
I have a question re. the HZZO requirement that all new enrollees pay 12 months of premiums for the previous year before moving to Croatia.
I lived on the temp visa in Croatia for 5 months, from Jan until the end of May of this year, when I cancelled my visa and left Croatia.
Since I paid for HZZO for 12 months in 2020 and 5 months in 2021, it seems like I’ve grossly overpaid for the coverage. Has anyone had this situation and was able to request refund. In my case, it would be for the 7 months in 2020. Thx
September 3, 2021 @ 2:42 pm
Hi Bojana,
My apologies for the late reply. I was trying to get the answer. HZZO has just informed me that, unfortunately, you don’t have the right to any kind of payback. Everything was covered according to their rules and you had to pay a 12-month payback regardless of the number of months you lived in Croatia.
Warm regards,
Marija
January 2, 2022 @ 2:19 pm
Hi Sara and Marija,
Thank you for your very informative post, and thank you for the time you spend answering people’s questions!
I am a Croatian and US dual citizen. I’ve been spending more than 6 months of the year in Croatia for many years now (i.e. prijavljena sam), and I do not have a job. I have been covered by my spouse’s US health insurance for emergencies (he lives and works in the US, full time). I regularly travel back to the US, and I’ve taken care of most medical issues and doctors’ visits in the US, or I’ve paid out of pocket to go to a private clinic in Croatia.
My spouse’s health insurance will no longer cover emergencies outside of the US, so I would like to start paying for state health insurance in Croatia instead of being covered by my spouse’s policy.
Will it be an issue if I go to the HZZO and say that I’m interested in getting health insurance now, even though I’ve been living in the country without HZZO’s health insurance for many years? Will there be any penalties? Also, as a Croatian citizen with proof of being insured for the past 12 months, is it correct that I will not have to pay the initial 12 month fee?
Thank you very much for your help!
January 18, 2022 @ 5:01 pm
Hi Danielle,
Thank you for contacting us.
This is a topic we have yet to research, so thank you for bringing it to our attention! We will add it to our research queue. Once we have enough questions or interest on this specific topic we will post the information to our website. The best way to keep up with updates is by subscribing to our newsletter.
If you need this information urgently, we offer a research service for a fee. Due to Croatian bureaucracy, this work often takes a lot of time to research, make phone calls and correspond with the powers that be through emails.
If you’re interested in this service, please provide the exact information you seek in detail, and then we will give you an estimated time and cost to complete the research.
Once the research is completed you can opt for either a written answer or schedule a personal consulting session for Sara to go over the information with you.
Please let us know if we can further assist you. Thank you again for your question! 🙂
Warm regards,
Marija