Spain
Spanish digital nomad visa
3 + 2 years, with a route to settlement
Onboard Living · Croatia
Life on the Adriatic, with the job you already have – for up to 18 months
The Croatian digital nomad permit is for people who work remotely for a foreign company or for their own business abroad. A Schengen country, tax-free remote-work income, and a process we handle from the documents to the residence card.
Croatia
The programme in brief
- Who it is for
- A non-EU national who is employed by a foreign company or owns their own non-Croatian company, and works remotely
- Income threshold (2026)
- EUR 3,622.50 per month, or savings: EUR 43,470 for 12 months, EUR 65,205 for 18 months
- Validity
- Up to 18 months
- Extension
- If granted for a shorter period: once, up to 18 months in total; a new application after a 6-month break
- Family
- Spouse and child under 18 – through family reunification, after your permit has been approved
- spouse : yes
- child under 18 : yes
- parent : no
family members can apply once your permit has been approved
- Appearance in person
- Yes: at the consulate for applicants who need a visa; after arrival, at the police (biometric card)
- Processing time
- Decision up to about 60 days from submission, in practice often shorter; the card follows within a few days
- Official fees
- About EUR 190 in total via the consular route (with a D visa); about EUR 88 in total when applying in Croatia
- Tax
- Remote-work income from a non-Croatian employer is exempt from income tax in Croatia
- Route to settlement
- No – this programme is for a temporary stay
Benefits
Why it works for you
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A European base by the sea
A Schengen country: a Croatian residence card lets you travel in the Schengen area (up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the other member states).
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Tax-free remote work
Income from a foreign employer or from your own company abroad is free of personal income tax in Croatia.
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A year and a half of peace of mind
Since the 2025 amendment, the permit is issued for 18 months, not 12. No need to start over after a year.
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Your family can come
Your spouse and children under 18 can be granted residence alongside you through family reunification.
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Predictable costs
Official fees are low and the requirements clear: the largest item is the proven income, not the fees.
Who it is for
Who it is for – and who it is not for
Who it is for
- An employee of a foreign (non-Croatian) company who can do the work from anywhere.
- Someone who owns a company registered outside Croatia and runs it remotely.
- Someone looking for a European base for 1–1.5 years, not permanent settlement.
Who it is not for
- Anyone who would work for a Croatian company or serve Croatian clients – the permit rules this out.
- Anyone who cannot prove EUR 3,622.50 per month in income or the equivalent savings.
- Anyone seeking long-term settlement or citizenship: digital nomad time does not count towards either, and a 6-month break between two permits is mandatory.
Requirements
Requirements and documents
Requirements
- Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationality.
- Remote work for a foreign employer or your own foreign company; work for a Croatian employer is excluded.
- Income: at least EUR 3,622.50 per month (2.5 times the Croatian average net salary, 2026 figure), shown by 6 months of bank statements or payslips – or the full amount in a bank account for the whole period. Each family member raises the threshold by 10% of the average monthly net salary, EUR 144.90 in 2026 (the legal minimum – we recommend showing comfortably more).
- Health insurance valid in Croatia.
- Police clearance certificate, legalised, with a certified Croatian or English translation, no older than 6 months.
- Address in Croatia: tenancy agreement, land registry extract or a statement from the person who owns the property.
- Passport valid for at least 3 months beyond the planned stay.
Documents required
- Application form
- Passport copy
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof of remote work: employment contract or employer's letter, or the register extract of your own company
- Proof of income or savings (6 months of statements)
- Police clearance certificate, legalised, with translation
- Proof of address
- 3 × 3.5 cm photograph
All documents in Croatian or English, or with a certified translation.
Reasons for refusal
Why applications are refused – and how we prevent it
The Croatian police, part of the Ministry of the Interior (MUP), decide on the application under Article 59 of the Aliens Act (Zakon o strancima): a proven purpose, means of subsistence, insurance, a clean criminal record and an address. Under the Act, the application must be refused if any of these is missing, if any document is false, or if there are objective reasons to believe that the purpose of the stay is different from the one stated in the application.
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The income does not look regular
The EUR 3,622.50 per month must be proven with bank statements showing regular credits or with 6 months of payslips; for each family member, 10% of the average monthly net salary (EUR 144.90 in 2026) is added – this is the legal minimum, and we recommend showing comfortably more. A single large deposit does not replace this.
We: go through your statements at pre-screening and, if the savings route (EUR 43,470 for 12 months, EUR 65,205 for 18 months) is the stronger one, recommend it.
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The contract does not show remote work and a foreign employer
An employment contract alone is often not enough: you need a letter on company letterhead confirming that the company is registered outside Croatia and that the work can be done remotely. Work for a Croatian company is a ground for exclusion.
We: prepare the wording of the employer's letter for signature.
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Incomplete police clearance certificates
For a first application you need one from your country of origin and from every country where you have lived for more than a year – legalised, with a certified translation.
We: specify on the document checklist, country by country, what you need, where from and with which certification.
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Unsuitable insurance
‘International’ travel insurance that excludes the EU or long stays is not accepted.
We: choose a policy valid in Croatia together with you.
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Translation
Only documents in Croatian or English, or certified translations, are accepted; machine or self-made translations are not.
We: arrange the translation with a certified translator.
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The wrong order for the family
A family member's application can be submitted after the digital nomad permit has been approved; a family application submitted earlier is refused.
We: schedule the submissions in this order.
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Formal errors and missed deadlines
The passport must remain valid for 3 months after the planned stay; the address must be registered within 3 days of arrival; after a permit expires, a new application can be submitted only after a 6-month break.
We: tell you the deadlines in advance and send reminders.
Legal basis: Aliens Act (Zakon o strancima), Articles 57, 59, 61 and 63–64 (NN 133/20, as amended by NN 40/25); the MUP guidance on digital nomads.
Process
How the process works
In total typically 2–3 months from pre-screening to the card; processing takes up to about 60 days from submission
- Pre-screening and checklist duration: 1–2 working days
- Preparing the documents duration: 1–3 weeks
- Submission and processing duration: up to about 60 days, often shorter
- Arrival and residence card duration: 1–2 weeks
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1. step: Pre-screening and checklist
we review your situation and give you an exact, tailored checklist.
Duration: 1–2 working days
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2. step: Preparing the documents
translation, legalisation, checking the proof of income.
Duration: Depends on your pace; typically 1–3 weeks
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3. step: Submission
at the Croatian consulate for your place of residence if you need a visa, at the police in Croatia if you do not; online applications are also accepted.
Duration: 1 day
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4. step: Processing
a request for missing documents if needed; after approval, applicants who need a visa receive a D visa.
Duration: Up to about 60 days, often shorter
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5. step: Arrival in Croatia
address registration within 3 days, biometric enrolment at the police, payment of official fees.
Duration: 1 day
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6. step: Residence card
the police issue it within 30 days; in our experience you receive it within a few days.
Who does what
What we handle – what you need to do
We
- pre-screening
- personalised document checklist
- formal check of the employer's letter or company documents
- arranging translation and legalisation
- preparing and submitting the application
- contact throughout the procedure
- arranging the Croatian address and the police appointment
- arrival guide
You
- original documents proving your income and remote work
- obtaining a police clearance certificate in your own country
- appearing in person at the consulate, then at the police
Afterwards
After the permit
- at the start Digital nomad permit for up to 18 months (permit)
- year 1.5 The permit expires (end of the permit)
- year 2 New application after a 6-month break (permit)
Does not lead to settlement – it is meant for a temporary stay.
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Extension
if the permit was issued for less than 18 months, it can be extended once; apply no later than 60 days before expiry.
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New application
after expiry, a 6-month break; then a new digital nomad application can be submitted.
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Family
family members can apply for residence through family reunification; the proof of income can also be a bank balance.
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Next step
for longer plans in Europe we recommend the Spanish digital nomad permit or the Hungarian programmes – these can also lead to settlement.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I work for Croatian clients?
No. The permit requires you to work only for an employer outside Croatia or your own company abroad.
Do I have to pay tax in Croatia?
Under digital nomad status, income from a non-Croatian employer is exempt from income tax in Croatia. Your tax obligations at home are not affected – discuss them with your tax adviser.
Are savings enough instead of income?
Yes: a bank balance of EUR 43,470 for 12 months or EUR 65,205 for 18 months is accepted.
How long must my passport be valid?
At least 3 months beyond the planned stay. For an 18-month permit, that means almost 2 years of validity at submission.
Can I travel in the Schengen area?
Yes, with the Croatian residence card, under the Schengen rules.
Does this lead to settlement?
No. EU long-term resident status requires 5 years of uninterrupted authorised residence, and a 6-month break between digital nomad permits is mandatory. If you are seeking settlement, we recommend another programme.
News
Related news
Sources
Sources and updates
Last checked:
- Croatian Ministry of the Interior – Temporary stay of digital nomads (opens in a new tab)
- Croatian Ministry of the Interior – calculating the subsistence amount (opens in a new tab)
- Aliens Act (Zakon o strancima) amendment, NN 40/2025 (opens in a new tab)
- Online application – digitalnomadscroatia.mup.hr (opens in a new tab)
- Aliens Act – NN 133/2020, full text (opens in a new tab)