Boravak digitalnih nomada u Hrvatskoj: tko ispunjava uvjete i kako podnijeti zahtjev
A practical legal guide for third-country nationals planning to live in Croatia while working remotely for a foreign employer or through their own foreign company.
Croatia’s digital nomad regime allows qualifying third-country nationals to live in Croatia temporarily while continuing to work remotely for a foreign employer or through a business established outside Croatia. Although the term “Croatia digital nomad visa” is commonly used online, the central Croatian immigration status is temporary stay for the purpose of stay of digital nomads.
You may qualify if you are a third-country national — meaning a person who does not hold citizenship of an EEA Member State or Switzerland — and you work remotely through communication technology for a foreign employer or your own company established outside Croatia. The status does not authorise work or services for employers in Croatia. Temporary stay may currently be granted for up to 18 months, subject to the applicable requirements.
- The Croatian digital nomad residence category is available to third-country nationals.
- For this purpose, a third-country national is a person who does not hold citizenship of an EEA Member State or Switzerland.
- The qualifying work must be performed remotely for a foreign employer or through a company not registered in Croatia.
- The digital nomad must not perform work or provide services to employers in Croatia under this residence basis.
- Temporary stay can currently be granted for up to 18 months.
- If the initial stay is granted for less than 18 months, a limited extension may be available.
- Applications can be submitted online, but visa requirements affect the available filing and post-approval procedure.
- As of September 2026, the published minimum means of subsistence for one applicant is €3,622.50 per month.
- Qualifying close family members may apply to join a digital nomad after the principal digital nomad’s temporary stay has been granted.
What is Croatia’s digital nomad residence permit?
The expression “digital nomad visa” is widely used online, including by people searching for ways to move temporarily to Croatia while continuing to work abroad.
Croatian immigration law, however, regulates the relevant status as temporary stay for the purpose of stay of digital nomads.
The regime is intended for third-country nationals who can perform qualifying professional activities remotely while physically residing in Croatia, without entering the Croatian labour market under this residence basis.
It is therefore different from a Croatian stay and work permit issued for employment with a Croatian employer.
It should also be distinguished from ordinary short-term presence in Croatia under the Schengen short-stay rules.
Who qualifies as a digital nomad in Croatia?
Croatian law defines a digital nomad as a third-country national.
In this context, that means a person who does not hold citizenship of an EEA Member State or Switzerland.
The applicant must be employed or perform work through communication technology for:
- a company established outside the Republic of Croatia; or
- the applicant’s own company established outside the Republic of Croatia.
The applicant must not perform work or provide services to employers in the Republic of Croatia under the digital-nomad residence basis.
What about EU, EEA and Swiss citizens?
They do not use this specific digital-nomad temporary-stay category.
Their residence in Croatia is governed by a different legal framework based on the residence and free-movement rules applicable to EEA and Swiss citizens.
This does not mean that an EU citizen cannot live in Croatia and work remotely. It means that the Croatian digital-nomad temporary-stay category is not the legal route through which that person regulates residence.
Employees of foreign companies
A remote employee may qualify where the employment relationship is with a company established outside Croatia and the employee is able to perform the work remotely while living in Croatia.
Business owners and independent professionals
A person operating through their own foreign company may also fall within the regime if the company is not registered in Croatia and the work otherwise satisfies the digital-nomad requirements.
The supporting documentation should clearly establish the foreign company and the applicant’s relationship to the work being performed.
How long can a digital nomad stay in Croatia?
Temporary stay for the purpose of stay of a digital nomad can currently be granted for up to 18 months.
It may also be granted for a shorter period depending on the application and the supporting circumstances.
Can the temporary stay be extended?
If the original temporary stay was granted for less than 18 months, one extension may be available.
The application for extension must be submitted no later than 60 days before the existing temporary stay expires.
Under the current rules, the extension may be granted for up to six additional months within the applicable statutory framework.
Can you immediately submit a new digital-nomad application after the stay expires?
Generally, no.
A new application for digital-nomad temporary stay can currently be submitted after a six-month waiting period following expiry of the relevant previous temporary stay.
Financial requirements for digital nomads in Croatia in 2026
Applicants must demonstrate sufficient means of subsistence for the intended period of stay in Croatia.
The required amount is linked to the official Croatian average monthly net salary for the previous year and can therefore change from year to year.
Under the amount currently published for 2026, one digital nomad must demonstrate at least:
- €3,622.50 per month;
- €43,470.00 for a 12-month intended stay where the applicant demonstrates the total amount already available in a bank account; or
- €65,205.00 for an 18-month intended stay on the same basis.
The required amount increases for each additional qualifying family member, life partner or informal life partner.
Financial means can currently be demonstrated through evidence such as:
- a bank statement showing the total amount required for the intended period;
- a bank statement showing regular monthly income at the required level; or
- payslips for at least six months showing the required monthly means.
What documents are commonly required?
The precise documentation depends on the applicant’s circumstances, but the application generally needs to establish identity, qualifying remote work, health insurance, sufficient financial means, criminal-record status and an address or intended address in Croatia.
Common supporting documentation includes:
- a copy of a valid passport;
- proof of health insurance covering the territory of Croatia for the intended period;
- proof of the purpose of stay and the qualifying remote-work arrangement;
- an employment contract, service contract, employer statement or other appropriate evidence;
- where relevant, documents showing registration of the applicant’s foreign company and evidence that the applicant performs work through that company;
- proof of sufficient means of subsistence;
- criminal-record documentation from the relevant foreign country or countries; and
- an address or intended address in Croatia.
Passport validity
The travel document must generally remain valid for three months longer than the period of the intended stay.
Proof of qualifying remote work
This is one of the central elements of the application.
Depending on the applicant’s work structure, the evidence may include an employer statement, employment or service contract, registration documents for the applicant’s own foreign company and documentation showing that the work is performed through communication technology.
Criminal-record documentation
Applicants generally need appropriate evidence concerning criminal convictions from their home country or from a country in which they resided for more than one year immediately before arriving in Croatia.
The document must satisfy the applicable legalisation requirements.
Language of documents
The relevant supporting documents may be submitted in Croatian or English.
Where translation into Croatian or English is required, it must comply with the applicable authorised-translation requirements.
How and where do you apply?
Croatia currently provides an online application route for digital-nomad temporary stay.
An online application is forwarded to the police administration or police station competent according to the applicant’s intended place of stay in Croatia.
Applications can also be submitted through other competent authorities. The correct procedure depends particularly on whether the applicant is required to hold a visa to enter Croatia.
If you are not required to hold a visa to enter Croatia
A visa-exempt third-country national submitting the application in person may generally apply through a Croatian diplomatic mission or consular post abroad or, while legally present in Croatia, at the competent police administration or police station according to the intended Croatian address.
When such an application is submitted in person at the competent police authority in Croatia during lawful stay, the applicant may remain in Croatia until the decision becomes enforceable.
If you are required to hold a visa to enter Croatia
Different procedural rules apply.
A visa-required third-country national who submits the application in person must generally apply for digital-nomad temporary stay through the competent Croatian diplomatic mission or consular post.
An in-person application by a visa-required applicant submitted instead at a Croatian police administration or police station is subject to rejection.
Following approval, the applicant will generally need to obtain a Croatian long-term visa D before entering Croatia for the approved longer stay, unless an applicable exception applies, for example because the person already holds a qualifying biometric residence permit or long-term visa issued by another Member State.
What happens after digital-nomad residence is approved?
Approval of temporary stay does not necessarily complete the immigration process.
Long-term visa D, where required
A visa-required applicant will generally need to complete the applicable visa procedure after temporary stay is approved, unless an exception applies because of another qualifying residence permit or long-term visa.
Registration of the Croatian address
The digital nomad must comply with the applicable residence-address registration requirements.
After arrival in Croatia, the temporary residence address generally needs to be registered with the competent police administration or police station within the prescribed period.
Evidence of accommodation may include a lease agreement, title deed or appropriate statement from the property owner, depending on the circumstances.
Biometric residence permit
Third-country nationals with approved temporary stay must obtain the relevant biometric residence card.
This requires an in-person appearance before the competent police authority for the required photograph and biometric data.
Administrative fees
Administrative fees differ depending on whether the application is handled through a Croatian diplomatic mission or consular post or through a police authority in Croatia, and whether a long-term visa D is required.
Because official fees may change, the applicable amounts should be checked immediately before filing.
Can family members join a digital nomad in Croatia?
Qualifying close family members of a digital nomad who has been granted temporary stay may apply to join the digital nomad in Croatia under the applicable family-reunification rules.
The framework can also include qualifying unmarried partners where the statutory requirements are satisfied.
Timing is important.
The principal digital nomad’s temporary stay should first be granted. A family-reunification application submitted before the relevant digital-nomad temporary stay has been granted is not treated as though the principal status already exists.
The minimum financial-means requirement also increases where additional qualifying family members or partners accompany the digital nomad.
Work and tax considerations for digital nomads
Digital-nomad temporary stay should not be confused with a Croatian stay and work permit for employment in the domestic labour market.
The status is based on remote work for a foreign employer or through an eligible foreign company and does not authorise ordinary work or services for Croatian employers under the digital-nomad residence basis.
Is income earned as a digital nomad subject to Croatian income tax?
Croatian income-tax legislation contains a specific exemption for receipts of individuals earned from employment or activity for an employer that is not registered in Croatia on the basis of acquired digital-nomad status.
That specific rule should not be interpreted as meaning that every possible tax issue connected with living in Croatia automatically disappears.
Tax residence, other categories of income, ownership of companies or assets, social-security questions and tax obligations in another country can require separate analysis depending on the individual circumstances.
Common problems in Croatian digital nomad applications
1. Assuming that any remote work qualifies
Working online or using a laptop is not by itself sufficient. The applicant still needs to establish a work structure that satisfies the legal definition of a digital nomad.
2. Providing unclear evidence of the foreign work arrangement
Employer statements, contracts and corporate documents should clearly identify the applicant, employer or company, nature of the work and the foreign basis of the professional activity.
3. Using outdated financial thresholds
The minimum means-of-subsistence requirement changes because it is linked to Croatian average salary data.
4. Insufficient passport validity
The intended duration of the temporary stay should be coordinated with the remaining validity of the applicant’s passport.
5. Underestimating foreign-document formalities
Criminal-record certificates and other foreign public documents may need to satisfy legalisation and translation requirements before they are accepted.
6. Filing through the wrong procedure
Visa-required and visa-exempt applicants do not always have the same filing options or the same rights while an application is pending.
7. Forgetting the steps after approval
Where applicable, obtaining the long-term visa D, registering the Croatian address and obtaining the biometric residence card are additional parts of the overall process.
Frequently asked questions
Is Croatia’s digital nomad residence permit available to U.S. citizens?
Potentially, yes. A U.S. citizen is a third-country national for the purposes of this Croatian residence category and may qualify if the remote-work arrangement and other statutory requirements are satisfied.
Can Canadians and Australians apply for Croatia’s digital nomad permit?
Potentially, yes. Canadian and Australian citizens fall within the third-country-national framework and may apply if they satisfy the applicable digital-nomad requirements.
Can an EU citizen apply for the Croatian digital nomad residence permit?
Not under this specific residence category. The digital-nomad temporary-stay regime is intended for third-country nationals. EEA and Swiss citizens regulate their residence in Croatia under a different legal framework.
How long can I stay in Croatia as a digital nomad?
Temporary stay for a digital nomad can currently be granted for up to 18 months, although a shorter period may be approved depending on the application and circumstances.
How much income do I need for Croatia’s digital nomad permit in 2026?
As of September 2026, the published minimum for one applicant is €3,622.50 per month. The amount is linked to Croatian salary data and should be checked again at the time of filing.
Can I work for Croatian clients or employers?
The digital-nomad residence basis is designed for remote work for a foreign employer or through an eligible foreign company and does not authorise the digital nomad to perform work or provide services to employers in Croatia under that status.
Can my spouse or partner come with me?
Qualifying close family members and qualifying partners may apply for the relevant residence after the principal digital nomad has been granted temporary stay, subject to the applicable family-reunification conditions.
Do I need to be in Croatia to apply?
Not necessarily. Croatia provides an online application route. Other filing options depend on the applicant’s visa requirements, location and immigration status.
Planning to live and work remotely from Croatia?
Logarusic Legal assists international clients with assessing eligibility for Croatian digital-nomad residence, reviewing remote-work and financial documentation, preparing applications and coordinating the immigration steps required before and after approval.
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