Self-employed worker in Croatia

The general rule is that the application for stay and work permit has to be submitted by the third-country national 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, depending on the place of residence/intended residence of a third-country national/headquarters of an employee/or the place of work of a third-country national.

An application for the issuance of a stay and work permit may be submitted by a third-country national or by the employer at a police administration or a police station according to the intended place of stay or work of the third-country national, or the employer’s head office.

Administrative fee for issuing a decision on stay and work permit (HRK 560,50 approx. EUR 75) and additional fee of HRK 70 (approx. EUR 9.5) for issuing biometric residence permit.

Fee for the biometric residence permit: HRK 240 (approx. EUR 32).

Accelerated procedure fee for the biometric residence permit: 450,00 kuna (approx. EUR 60).

The following must also be submitted along with the application (Form 2a): 

• a copy of the third-country national’s valid travel document,
• a colour photograph, 30x35 mm,
• evidence of adequate means of supporting himself/herself,
• evidence of health insurance,
• enclose 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 (for first permit, dully legalised), 
• an employment contract or other relevant contract (not applicable to sole trade business owner).

Additional documents:

I. For self-employed third-country nationals in their own companies or in a company in which they own more than 51% of shares:

1. copies of employment contracts as well as registrations for pension insurance and statutory health insurance for at least three Croatian nationals,

2. a list of shareholders certified by the Commercial Court or a notary's certificate of the shareholders certified by the Commercial Court,

3. receipts and other evidence showing investments in tangible and intangible assets in the minimum amount of 200,000.00 HRK:

1. real property/buildings and equipment/machinery are qualified as tangible assets, of which the value of real property may not exceed 50% of the total value of tangible assets
2. intangible assets, i.e. eligible investment costs may include certain categories of intangible investments (patents, licences, know-how etc.)
3. tangible and intangible assets that constitute investment costs shall meet the following conditions:

• they shall be used exclusively in the company,
• they shall be regarded as amortisable assets,
• they shall be included in the assets, i.e. reported in the balance sheet.

When obtaining the first residence and work permit, gross wages may be proven by presenting the concluded employment contract. In the case of an extension, they may be proven by presenting six payslips for the period immediately preceding the application.

II If self-employed in own proprietor trades: 

1. copies of employment contracts as well as registrations for pension insurance and statutory health insurance for at least three Croatian nationals,

2. receipts and other evidence showing investments in tangible and intangible assets in the minimum amount of 200,000.00 HRK:

1. real property/buildings and equipment/machinery are qualified as tangible assets, of which the value of real property may not exceed 50% of the total value of tangible assets,
2. intangible assets, i.e. eligible investment costs may include certain categories of intangible investments (patents, licences, know-how etc.),

3. tangible and intangible assets that constitute investment costs shall meet the following conditions:

    

• they shall be used exclusively in a sole trade,
• they shall be regarded as amortizable assets,

3. a list of long-term assets – Form DI for obtaining an extension of the residence and work permit.

When submitting an application for their first residence and work permit for work in a newly established sole trade, third-country nationals are not required to submit proof of meeting the conditions referred to in point 1.

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-term visa (visa D) in a diplomatic mission/consular office of the Republic of Croatia, or it 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 the territory, a third-country national needs to register his/her short-term stay and provide an address in a police station/police administration. 

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

In the event of termination of an employment contract or other relevant contract and when the conditions on the basis of which a residence permit was granted no longer exist, the third-country national has to inform the police administration or the police station, within 15 days from the date of the occurrence of these circumstances.

Relevant legislative act: Aliens Act (OG,130/20, 114/22), English version

Ordinance on the residence of third-country nationals in the Republic of Croatia (OG,20/2022) in Croatian (here).

Third-country nationals holding a residence and work permit shall be entitled to the following rights:

1. working conditions, including the salary and termination of a contract of employment, as well as safety requirements for the workplace,
2. general and vocational education,
3. recognition of educational and professional qualifications in line with the legislation governing the recognition of foreign professional qualifications,
4. branches of social security, as defined in Regulation (EC) No 883/2004,
5. tax benefits, insofar as the worker is deemed to be resident for tax purposes in the Republic of Croatia,
6. access to goods and services and the supply of goods and services made available to the public, including the procedures for granting subsidised accommodation in line with the special legislation governing these areas, without prejudice to the freedom of contract in accordance with Union law and the law of the Republic of Croatia,
7. freedom to associate and affiliate with or to become a member of organisations which represent workers or employers, or organisations whose members perform specific professions, including the remunerations by those organisations, 
8. advice services afforded by public employment services. 

The rights referred to shall be exercised in line with the legislation of the Republic of Croatia governing the specific areas.

A third-country national may perform in the Republic of Croatia only those activities for which he/she has been issued with a stay and work permit or a work registration certificate, and only with the employer for whom he/she was issued a stay and work permit or a work registration certificate and with whom he/she has entered into an employment relationship. 

Should third-country nationals change their employment/workplace, they must submit a new application for a stay and work permit for their intended workplace/or new employer. 

Change of status

An application for residence for other purposes can be submitted, if submitted at the latest 30 days before the expiration of validity of the residence and work permit. 

Should third-country nationals be granted permanent stay status, they may work in the Republic of Croatia without a stay and work permit.