Long-Term Residence and Permanent Stay in Croatia
Eligibility: Long-term residence can be granted to third-country nationals who have lived legally in Croatia for five uninterrupted years, including temporary stay, asylum, or subsidiary protection.
- Absence Limit: Absence from Croatia must not exceed 10 months in total over the five years or 6 months in one period.
- Temporary Stay Requirement: Applicants must have valid temporary stay status (or asylum/subsidiary protection) at the time of applying.
- Exclusions: Certain types of stay do not count towards the five-year requirement, such as:
- Seasonal work permits
- Service provider or posted worker permits
- Volunteers or trainees
- Stay for university studies (only half the duration counts)
- Time spent serving a prison sentence
- Requirements:
- Valid travel document
- Sufficient funds for support
- Health insurance
- Basic knowledge of Croatian language and Latin script
- No security or health risks
- Language Exam: Applicants must pass a language and script exam, except for:
- Preschool children
- Those with Croatian education
- Individuals over 65 (unless employed)
- Withdrawal of Long-Term Residence: It can be revoked if:
- Applicant is banned from entry or has stayed outside the EEA for too long (12+ months).
- Asylum/protection status is revoked.
- National security, public policy, or health reasons require it.
Permanent Stay
- Eligibility: Permanent stay can be granted to third-country nationals in specific circumstances:
- Family members or life partners of Croatian citizens, if they’ve had 4 years of temporary stay.
- Ethnic Croats or stateless individuals returning with the intent to reside permanently, having had 3 years of temporary stay.
- Refugees or minor children of permanent residents who’ve had 3 years of uninterrupted temporary stay.
- Those born in Croatia who have lived here since birth but did not regulate their status for valid reasons.
- Absence Limits: Absence from Croatia cannot exceed 6 months in a 4-year period for family members, or 4 months for other categories.
- Requirements: Applicants must have a valid travel document and not pose a threat to public policy, national security, or health.
- Withdrawal of Permanent Stay: It can be withdrawn if:
- Applicant is banned from entry or stays abroad for over one year.
- Public policy, national security, or health reasons require it.
Administrative Fees
- Permanent Stay and Long-Term Residence:
- 83.62 EUR for the decision
- 31.85 EUR for biometric residence permit (standard procedure)
- 59.73 EUR for accelerated procedure
- 13.94 EUR for a certified copy of the decision
- Payments can be made through a bank transfer or online, with the specified reference number for each individual.
This process outlines the criteria for obtaining long-term residence and permanent stay in Croatia, including the required residence period, necessary documentation, and applicable fees.
For more information, please visit official website of the Ministry of the Interior (in English):
