Guidance: Living in Croatia

What you should do

You should:

Coronavirus

You should follow the advice of the Croatian Government and your local authority. You can also read our Croatia travel advice for our latest guidance.

For information on getting a COVID-19 vaccine as a UK national in Croatia see our coronavirus travel advice.

Stay up to date

You should:

You can also:

The Withdrawal Agreement

If you were legally resident in Croatia before 1 January 2021, your rights will be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement .

You should check that you are correctly registered and should get a new residence document by 30 June 2021 to evidence your rights.

You should also read our guidance on living in Europe.

Visas and residency

If you were living in Croatia before 1 January 2021 you need to get a new residence permit by 30 June 2021. If you don’t you may have to pay a fine, though your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement will not be affected.

Read the Croatian government’s guidance on residence rights and how to apply.

Moving to Croatia

Check the entry requirements for Croatia and read the Croatian government’s guidance on how to get a visa.

Passports and travel

You should carry your residence document, as well as your valid passport when you travel. If you have applied but not yet received your document, carry your certificate of application.

If you have not yet applied for a residence document, you should carry evidence that you are resident in Croatia. This could include a tenancy agreement or a utility bill in your name, dating from 2020.

If you cannot show that you are resident in Croatia, you may be asked additional questions at the border to enter the Schengen area, and your passport may be stamped on entry and exit. This will not affect your rights in Croatia.

Passports

Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You can apply for or renew your British passport from Croatia.

You must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland). This requirement does not apply if you are in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement.

If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.

Renew your passport before you book your travel if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

As a non-EEA national, different border checks will apply when travelling to other EU or Schengen area countries. You may have to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing. You may also need to show a return or onward ticket, accommodation booking and that you have enough money for your stay.

Entry requirements

You can travel to other Schengen area countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa for purposes such as tourism.

To stay longer than 90 days in any 180-day period, to work or study, or for business travel, you must meet the entry requirements set out by the country you are travelling to. This could mean applying for a visa or work permit, as well as a temporary residence permit.

Periods of time authorised by a visa or permit will not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.

Different rules will apply to EU countries that are not part of the Schengen Area. Check each country’s travel advice page for information on entry requirements.

Travel to the UK and Ireland has not changed.

Driving in Croatia

If you are resident in Croatia, you should exchange your UK licence for a Croatian one.

You should exchange your driving licence at the nearest police station. You can do this if you have either an approved temporary or permanent residence in Croatia. To exchange your licence, you will need the following:

your original UK driving licence and translation
payment slip
administrative fee
a 35 x 45 mm photograph

Driving in the UK with a Croatian licence

You can use your Croatian licence in the UK for short visits, or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test.

Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Croatia

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.

You can read the European Union’s guidance on car registration and taxes in Croatia. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.

Healthcare

Read our guidance on healthcare in Croatia and make sure you are correctly registered for your circumstances.

State healthcare: S1

You may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK if you live in Croatia and you:

are receiving a UK State Pension
are receiving some other ‘exportable benefits’
are a frontier worker who lives in Croatia and commutes to work in the UK
have been sent to Croatia temporarily by your UK employer

Read our guidance on using an S1 form in Croatia to ensure you are correctly registered for healthcare.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)

If you are resident in Croatia, you must not use your UK-issued EHIC or GHIC for healthcare in Croatia, unless you are a student or a detached (posted) worker. Current EHICs will remain valid until the expiry date on the card.

If you are living in Croatia you may be eligible for a new UK-issued EHIC or GHIC if you’re:

a UK student in Croatia
a UK State Pensioner with a registered S1
a frontier worker with a registered S1

The card you receive will depend on when you moved to Croatia.

Apply now for a new UK EHIC or GHIC.

An EHIC or GHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance.

For more information read our guidance on healthcare when travelling in Europe and advice on foreign travel insurance.

You should also read guidance on:

Working in Croatia

If you were legally resident in Croatia before 1 January 2021, you have the right to work, as long as you remain legally resident.

If you are planning to come to Croatia to work, you may need a visa.

You may need to apply for a UK police certificate before you apply for a job.

Read the Department for International Trade’s guidance on:

and sign up for their updates.

Frontier workers

If you live in Croatia and were regularly commuting to work in another EU or EFTA country, before January 2021, you may need a permit to prove that you are a frontier worker.

If you live in the UK or another EU or EFTA country and regularly commuted to work in Croatia before 1 January 2021, you need a frontier worker permit. Read the information on how to apply for the permit on the Ministry of Interior’s guidance for UK nationals.

Money and tax

The UK has a double taxation agreement with Croatia to make sure that you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. Ask the relevant tax authority your questions about double taxation relief.

Existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Croatia have not changed following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

You should read the guidance on:

The Ministry of Finance has information about custom services and declarations of goods in Croatia.

You should get professional advice on paying tax in Croatia. You can find an English-speaking lawyer in Croatia.

National Insurance

Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or social security contributions in Croatia.

Banking

Whether UK banks can provide services to customers living in the EEA is a matter of local law and regulation. Your bank or finance provider should contact you if they need to make any changes to your product or the way they provide it. If you have any concerns about whether you might be affected, contact your provider or seek independent financial advice.

Read the Money and Pension Service guidance on banking, insurance and financial services changes for more information on cross-border banking.

Pensions

Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Croatia.

Tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

If you retire in Croatia, you can claim:

Read the Money and Pension Service guidance on pension and retirement changes for more information on cross-border pensions.

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you must respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don’t.

Benefits

Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Croatia.

Tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

Check which UK benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.

Many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.

Croatian benefits

You may be entitled to Croatian benefits. To find out if you are entitled to Croatian benefits and how to claim, check Croatian social security benefits.

Voting

You cannot vote in local municipal elections in Croatia or European Parliament elections.

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

Births, deaths and getting married

If your child is born in Croatia, you will need to register the birth abroad.

If someone dies in Croatia you can:

Find out how to get married abroad.

Find out about notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Croatia.

Accommodation and buying property

You do not need to be resident in Croatia to buy property or land. The regulations for third-country nationals apply.

You should read

Pets

If you have a pet passport issued by Croatia or another EU member state, you can use it to travel with your pet to Great Britain and elsewhere in the EU.

A GB-issued EU pet passport is not valid for travel to the EU or Northern Ireland. You should speak to your vet before you travel to get the necessary pet travel documents and ensure you’re compliant with the EU Pet Travel Regulations.

Read guidance on:

Check the rules of the country you’re travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel.

Emergencies

You can dial the European emergency number on 112 or Croatia uses:

192 for police
193 for fire brigade
194 for ambulance
195 for search and rescue at sea
1987 for road assistance

Find the full list of emergency numbers in Croatia.

If you’re the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy Zagreb.

You may also need:

Returning to the UK

Tell the UK and Croatian authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently. To help prove you are now living in the UK, you should de-register:

temporary or permanent residence in Croatia at the local police station
from your local health centre

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

If you get healthcare in Croatia through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.

Disclaimer

This information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Croatian authorities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is not liable for any inaccuracies in this information.

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