Croatia Permanent Residency Criteria

When applying for Permanent Residency in Croatia, you will generally need to provide a comprehensive set of documents to support your application. The following checklist covers the most common documents needed:

1. Application Form: Complete the official application form for permanent residency. You can obtain this form from the local police station or download it from the official government website.
2. Valid Passport: Ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the date of your intended application submission.
3. Proof of Legal Residence: You must prove that you have legally resided in Croatia for the required period. This could include a long-stay visa, temporary residence permit, or any other legal documentation.
4. Criminal Record Certificate: Provide a criminal record certificate from your home country and any other countries where you have lived in the past. It should not contain any convictions for serious crimes.
5. Proof of Financial Stability: You will need to demonstrate that you have a stable source of income to support yourself while living in Croatia. This can be done through bank statements, employment contracts, or proof of business ownership.
6. Health Insurance: Show proof of health insurance coverage, which is mandatory for residents in Croatia.
7. Proof of Accommodation: Provide a rental contract or property ownership documents to demonstrate your accommodation in Croatia.
8. Marriage Certificate or Birth Certificate (if applicable): If you are married or have children, you may need to provide relevant certificates.
9. Employment or Business Documents (if applicable): If you are employed or run a business in Croatia, provide employment contracts or business registration documents.
10. Proof of Language Proficiency: Some applicants may be required to pass a Croatian language proficiency test. Check the specific language requirements for your situation.
11. Proof of Integration: Depending on the local requirements, you may need to demonstrate your integration into Croatian society. This can include certificates from language or culture courses.
12. Payment Receipts: Pay any required fees for the application, processing, and issuance of the permanent residence permit.
13. Passport Photos: Provide recent passport-sized photos as specified in the application form.
14. Additional Documentation: Be prepared to submit any additional documents that may be requested by the local police or immigration authorities during the application process.
15. Copy of Previous Residence Permit: If you have held a temporary residence permit in Croatia, include a copy of this permit.

Note: Remember that the exact requirements can change, so it is crucial to check the latest information on the official website of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior or consult with an immigration lawyer to ensure that you have the most accurate and up-to-date information for your specific situation.

Before submitting your visa application, please ensure to review the list of required documents. The guidelines provided on this website will assist you in preparing your documents accurately. By following these guidelines, you can minimize the risk of your visa application being rejected due to incorrect or insufficient documents.

Application Form for Long-term Residence (Form 1a)

Application Form for Permanent Stay (Form 1a)

You can also find the visa application form on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Croatia.

In Croatia, there are two kinds of permanent stays:

1. Long-term residence (Dugotrajno boravište):

   Non-EU citizens can get long-term permission to stay in Croatia if they have lived there legally for five years continuously. This also includes times when they stayed temporarily or were seeking asylum or protection. During these five years, they can’t be away for more than 10 months at a time or 6 months at once.To be eligible, they must have valid permission to stay or protection at the time of applying. But if their asylum or protection is taken away, they can’t get long-term residence.

2. Permanent residence (Stalni boravak):

   Non-EU citizens can get permission to stay permanently in Croatia if they are:

   • A family member or partner of a Croatian citizen who has been staying temporarily in Croatia for family reasons or partnership for at least four years.
   • From the Croatian diaspora with foreign citizenship or stateless, returning to live in Croatia permanently after staying continuously for at least three years.
   • Having stayed continuously for at least three years as a refugee and having refugee status for a minimum of ten years, confirmed by an official certificate.
   • A child who has been staying temporarily with one parent who has permanent stay or long-term residence for three years.
   • Someone who had permanent residence in Croatia in 1991 and has returned for good, with proof of no criminal record from their previous country.
   • An underage child in Croatia with one parent having permanent stay or long-term residence, even if the other parent is not around or unable to take care of them.
   • Born in Croatia as a non-EU citizen and living there since birth without being able to get the proper residence papers due to circumstances beyond their control, backed up by documents like birth records, school records, job history, or proof of using healthcare or social services.

The process for applying for a Permanent Residence in Croatia typically involves the following steps:

1. Check Eligibility: Review the eligibility criteria provided by the Croatian authorities to ensure you meet the requirements for permanent residency.
2. Gather Required Documents: Collect all necessary documents, which may include a valid passport, proof of accommodation, evidence of financial stability, health insurance, and any other specific documents required by the Croatian government.
3. Application Submission: Submit the completed application form along with the required documents at a police administration/police station according to the alien’s place of temporary residence. The decision with regard to the application is made by the Ministry of the Interior.
4. Pay Application Fees: Foreigners need to pay a fee of 83,62 EUR to get their permanent stay or long-term residence approved. Additionally, they have to pay 31,85 EUR for a biometric residence permit in the regular process, or 59,73 EUR in a faster process. Both fees can be paid using a payment slip to the state budget account. You can get the account details at the local police office. For a certified copy of the permanent stay or long-term residence decision, there’s a fee of 13,94 EUR.
5. Attend Interviews or Biometric Data Submission (if required): Be prepared to attend an interview or provide biometric data if it is part of the application process as determined by the Croatian authorities.
6. Wait for a decision: The Ministry of the Interior will review your application and make a decision within 60 days. If your application is approved, you will be granted a long term residence or permanent residence permit.

You can obtain more information about Croatia Permanent Residence by, click here

Important notes:

• To pay the administrative fee for permanent stay, use internet banking and transfer 83,62 EUR to the state budget account with IBAN HR1210010051863000160. Use model HR64 and reference number 5002-713-OIB (personal identification number).
• If you don’t have an OIB, use reference number 5002-713 followed by the number of your valid travel document or identity card (up to ten digits without zeros or special characters), for example, if your document number is AZ004586, your reference number would be 5002-713-4586.
• For the biometric residence permit fee, transfer 31,85 EUR (or 59,73 EUR for the expedited process) through internet banking to the same state budget account with IBAN HR1210010051863000160. Use model HR65 and reference number 7005-485-OIB (personal identification number).
• If you don’t have an OIB, use reference number 7005-485-RKP followed by your file number.