Bjelovar

Passport validity requirements 

Croatia follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must:

• have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it might have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago, making it invalid for entry to the Schengen area
• have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to. 

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been lost or stolen. 

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.

Visa requirements 

You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Croatia, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This applies if you travel:

• as a tourist
• to visit family or friends
• to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events
• for short-term studies or training

The requirements for working in Croatia are different.

If you’re travelling to other Schengen countries make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day visa-free limit. Visits to Schengen countries in the 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days. If you overstay the 90-day visa-free limit, you may be banned from entering Schengen countries for up to 3 years.

At Croatian border control, you may also need to: 

• show proof of your accommodation, for example, a hotel booking confirmation or proof of address for a second home
• show proof of your travel insurance
• show a return or onward ticket
• prove that you have enough money for your stay – the amount varies depending on your accommodation

Staying longer than 90 days in a 180-day period 

To stay longer, you must meet the Croatian government’s entry requirements. Check which type of visa or work permit you need with the Croatian Embassy in the UK. See the Croatian Ministry of the Interior’s guidance on work permits.

If you’re in Croatia with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit. 

Read about entry processes if you live in Croatia.

New Schengen entry requirements 

The European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) is now being implemented across the Schengen area. 

This means that when you travel into the Schengen area for short stays, you may need to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo. There is no cost for EES registration. 

On your first visit into a Schengen country, you may be asked to register your details at a special booth before proceeding to the immigration desk. Follow directions from your travel operator or the staff at your port of entry. You may also need to provide either your fingerprint or photo when you leave the Schengen area. Children aged 11 or younger will not have their fingerprints scanned but can be required to have their photo taken. 

You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border on entry to the Schengen area, but EES may take each passenger extra time to complete so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border and to allow more time for immigration controls when you depart the Schengen area. If you are departing the Schengen area by plane, allow extra time to reach your departure gate as EES checks may take place before boarding.

EES is replacing the previous system of manually stamping passports when visitors arrive in the Schengen area for short stays. You may be asked to input biometric details every time you enter or exit.

If you enter the Schengen area through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or Eurostar at St Pancras International, any information will be taken at the border before you leave the UK. 

Your digital EES record is valid for 3 years.

Read more information on the EU Entry/Exit System and to understand which countries are in the Schengen area.

If you are long-term resident in a Schengen country, you are exempt from EES in all Schengen countries. The full list of EES exemptions is on the EU’s official Travel Europe website.

If you believe you have been incorrectly entered into EES or your record of time spent in the Schengen area is incorrect, approach border officials when you next cross the Schengen border and request a correction. If you are exempt, carry documentation confirming your status. If you believe your time spent in the Schengen area has been recorded incorrectly, raise this with border officials and be prepared to provide supporting evidence if requested.

Croatia-Slovenia border crossings 

There are checks at Slovenia’s borders with Croatia. If you are travelling from Croatia to Slovenia, check travel advice for Slovenia. 

Vaccine requirements 

For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Croatia guide.

Registering with the police 

Your accommodation provider must register your arrival in Croatia with the police within 48 hours. Your hotel will normally register you. If your accommodation provider is unable to do this for you, fill in and print form obrazac 16a (PDF). You must hand in the completed form at a police station. Alternatively, you should go to the nearest police station with the owner of the accommodation to register your address in Croatia. 

Customs rules 

There are strict rules about goods that can be brought into and taken out of Croatia. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. 

Taking food into Croatia 

You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions such as powdered baby milk, baby food and special foods or pet feed required for medical reasons.

Taking money into Croatia

Declare cash or travellers cheques if the value is 10,000 euros or more. You will get a certified declaration to show you brought it in with you. If you do not, your money could be seized when you leave.

Customs rules 

There are strict rules about goods that can be brought into and taken out of Croatia. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. 

Taking food into Croatia 

You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions such as powdered baby milk, baby food and special foods or pet feed required for medical reasons.

Taking money into Croatia

Declare cash or travellers cheques if the value is 10,000 euros or more. You will get a certified declaration to show you brought it in with you. If you do not, your money could be seized when you leave.

Emergency services in Croatia 

Telephone: 112 (ambulance, fire, police) 

Contact your travel provider and insurer 

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you’re involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do. 

Refunds and changes to travel 

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first. 

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including: 

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO 

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including: 

• finding English-speaking lawyers, funeral directors and translators and interpreters in Croatia
• dealing with a death in Croatia
• being arrested or imprisoned in Croatia
• getting help if you’re a victim of crime
• what to do if you’re in hospital
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO 

Help abroad

See how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency.

Help in the UK

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad. 

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)

Find out about call charges 

Get travel advice updates

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. 

Follow FCDO: 

• travel advice on X
• travel advice on Facebook

Risk information for British companies 

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating in Croatia on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.

Before you travel 

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: 

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

Travel insurance 

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. 

About FCDO travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.

Get travel advice updates

Sign up to get email notifications for Croatia when this advice is updated.

Follow FCDO: 

• travel advice on X
• travel advice on Facebook
• Travel Aware on Instagram

Laws and cultural differences 

Personal ID 

Always carry your passport or, if you’re a resident, your Croatian ID card. Keep a copy of your passport’s photo page in a safe place.

Antisocial behaviour 

In some Croatian town centres, including tourist destinations like Split and Dubrovnik, you can get on-the-spot fines for behaviour seen as inappropriate, including: 

• drinking alcohol or using drugs in public spaces
• sleeping in public spaces
• urinating or vomiting in public spaces
• walking through towns shirtless or in swimwear
• wearing clothing that promotes drug use
• climbing on monuments

You can also be fined up to 4,000 euros for public order disturbances, including: 

• fighting
• verbal abuse such as shouting or arguing
• drunken behaviour
• belittling or insulting police officers or other public officials

Illegal drugs

Illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties. Carrying cannabis for personal use has been decriminalised but if found on you or in your apartment, you will be asked to pay sometimes heavy fines.

You should expect a long jail sentence and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling illegal drugs, including when transiting through the airport.

Airports in Croatia have excellent technology and security for detecting illegal items. This is also used to scan the baggage of transiting passengers.

Unexploded mines  

If you travel outside the tourist resorts, beware of unexploded mines in previously war-affected areas, including: 

• Eastern Slavonia
• Brod-Posavina County
• Karlovac County
• areas around Zadar County
• more remote areas of the Plitvice Lakes National Park

For more information about mine-affected areas, visit the Civil Protection website (in Croatian) or contact the Civil Protection offices. 

If you’re travelling in these areas, do not walk on uncultivated land or step off the marked paths. If in doubt, get local advice.