Family member in Croatia

As a general rule, the application for temporary residence has to be submitted by the family member to the diplomatic mission/consular office of the Republic of Croatia.

A third-country national, who is not obliged to possess a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia, can submit an application to a competent police administration/station on the territory of Croatia while residing legally, depending on the place of residence/intended residence.

However, there are some exceptional categories of third-country nationals who require a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia, who may apply for approval of a temporary stay in the police administration or police station on the territory of Croatia.

• A colour photograph (35x45 mm),
• proof of the family relationship (eg. marriage/birth certificate),
• a copy of the valid third-country national’s travel document,
• proof of sufficient means of supporting himself/herself (not requested for family members of beneficiaries of international protection),
• proof of health insurance (not requested for family members of beneficiaries of international protection),
• when applying for temporary stay for the first time, proof that they have not been convicted by a final ruling of any criminal offences in their home country or a country where they resided for more than one year immediately prior to arriving in the Republic of Croatia (dully legalised), unless they are posted workers, students, scientific researchers, or intra-corporate transferees utilising mobility, arriving from another EEA Member State.

Third-country nationals must not be subject to an entry and stay ban in the Republic of Croatia and no alert has been issued in SIS for the purpose of banning their entry. Third-country nationals must not pose a threat to public policy, national security or public health.

If a third-country national requires a visa to enter the Republic of Croatia after the stay and residence permit has been approved, he/she needs to apply for a long-stay visa (visa D) in a diplomatic mission/consular office of the Republic of Croatia. In some cases, the long-stay visa may be issued by a diplomatic mission, namely the Consulate office of another State with which the Republic Croatia has concluded a visa representation agreement.

3 days after the entry into territory, the third-country national needs to register his/her stay and provide an address to the police station/police administration.

Third-country nationals will be invited to give biometric data at the police station/police administration once on the territory of Croatia in order to be issued a biometric residence permit (within 30 days after the issuance of the long-stay visa).

An application for granting prolonged temporary residence should be submitted at a jurisdictional police administration/station according to the place of temporary residence at least 60 days prior to the expiry of the valid temporary stay.

The same general rules apply as for the first permit.

No appeal shall be admissible against the decision of the Ministry.

However, an administrative judicial dispute may be instituted against all decisions (first application, family reunification, non renewal or revocation) in line with the Act on Administrative Disputes, Official Gazette, 20/10, 143/12, 152/14, 94/16, 29/17 and 110/21.

All written negative decisions shall include instructions on the legal remedy that shall inform: of the possibility to lodge an administrative judicial dispute against the decision, before which body, in what time limit and in which manner.

Which are the competent courts?

Administrative courts (Administrative court in Zagreb, Administrative Court in Split, Administrative court in Rijeka, Administrative court in Osijek).

What are the timelines for making use of the dispute procedures?

In line with the Act on Administrative Disputes, Official Gazette, 20/10, 143/12, 152/14, 94/16, 29/17 and 110/21, the administrative dispute shall be submitted to the court within 30 days after the delivery of the written individual decision (first application, non renewal or revocation), if not otherwise prescribed.

Temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification

Državljani trećih zemalja

Relevant legislative act: The Aliens Act (Official Gazette, Number: 133/20, 114/22, 151/22) - English version (only version Official Gazette, Number: 133/20).

Ordinance on the Status and Labour of third-country nationals in the Republic of Croatia (Official Gazette, Number: 20/2022, 155/22) can be found here and amendments here. (Croatian language only)

Family members can work without work and residence permit or work registration certificate if they have been granted the following:

• a temporary stay permit for the purpose of family reunification with a third-country national on permanent stay or long-term stay, or a third-country national who has been granted international protection,
• a temporary stay permit for the purpose of life partnership with a third-country national who has been granted permanent stay or long-term stay, or who has been granted international protection,
• an autonomous stay permit,
• temporary residence for the purpose of family reunification or life partnership with an EU Blue card holder, ICT permit holder, long-term residence holder issued in another EEA Member State (mobility cases) and a researcher.

Long-term residence may be granted to a third-country national if he/she:

• had legal residence in the Republic of Croatia for an uninterrupted period of five years including granted temporary residence, asylum or subsidiary protection,
• possesses a valid foreign travel document,
• possesses sufficient means of supporting himself/herself and health insurance,
• has the knowledge of the Croatian language and the Latin script, and
• does not pose a threat to public order, national safety or public health.