COVID update: information regarding entering Croatia

Please note that this is the latest information as of April 1st, 2021. For further information, feel free to contact us directly or to find more information at the Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs. 

Below is the information from the Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs official website regarding conditions of entry to the Republic of Croatia. Please note that this is the info from April 1st, 2021 and is applicable to change. Make sure to double-check all information prior to entering Croatia.

Passengers travelling to the Republic of Croatia from an EU / EEA member state

*Passengers coming directly from the countries and / or regions of the European Union, i.e. countries and / or regions of the Schengen Area and Schengen associated countries, and who are currently in the so-called green list of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, regardless of their citizenship, will be allowed entry into the Republic of Croatia under the same conditions as before the onset of the COVID-19 disease if they show no signs of disease and they have not been in close contact with an infected person.

If the aforementioned persons transited to the border crossing points of the Republic of Croatia through other countries / regions without delay, at the border crossing point they should prove that they did not stay in transit areas and in that case, they will not be required to have proof of testing, a certificate of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 disease, proof of recovery, nor will they have to stay in self-isolation.

Graphic representation of countries by colour according to the risk of the COVID-19 disease can be found on the website of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

*All other passengers who come to the Republic of Croatia from EU / EEA member states / regions, and which are currently not on the so-called green list of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, must present one of the following documents:

• a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result for SARS-CoV-2 that is not older than 48 hours(counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point) and, in the case of a rapid antigen test and a stay longer than 10 days in the Republic of Croatia, the test must be repeated within ten days from the date of issuing that test;
• vaccination certificate for persons who received a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine more than 14 days prior. Exceptionally, in the case of a vaccine received in a single dose, a certificate of receipt of a single dose if the dose was received more than 14 days before crossing the state border;
• presentation of a positive PCR or rapid antigen test, confirming that the holder recovered from the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, which was performed in the previous 180 days, and older than 11 days from the date of arrival at the border crossing point or upon presentation of a certificate of recovery issued by a physician;
• or perform PCR testing or rapid antigen testing on SARS-CoV-2 immediately upon arrival in the Republic of Croatia (at their own expense), with the obligation to stay in self-isolation until the arrival of a negative test result. If testing cannot be performed, a measure of self-isolation is determined for a period of ten (10) days.

* The following categories are exempted from the above-mentioned obligations:

• workers or self-employed persons performing essential tasks, including healthcare workers, frontier and posted workers and seasonal workers as specified in the Guidelines concerning  the exercise of the free movement of workers during COVID-19 outbreak provided they do not stay in the Republic of Croatia or outside the Republic of Croatia for longer than 12 hours;
• pupils, students and interns who travel abroad every day;
• seafarers and workers in the transport sector or transport service providers, including heavy goods vehicle drivers transporting goods to be used in the national territory and those in transit only;
• diplomats, staff of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations and whose physical presence is necessary for the functioning of those organizations, military personnel and police officers, as well as humanitarian and civil protection personnel in the performance of their duties;
• persons traveling for necessary family or business reasons, including journalists in the performance of their duties;
• passengers in transit with the obligation to leave the Republic of Croatia within 12 hours from entry;
• patients traveling for necessary health reasons.

The provisions regarding frontier workers apply adequately to other categories of passengers who, due to the nature of their job or occupation, need to cross the state border frequently (e.g. athletes playing for clubs in a neighboring country).

Passengers who represent one of the previously mentioned exceptions are obliged to present credible documentation upon entering the Republic of Croatia in order to prove the reasons for the exemption.

Citizens of EU / EEA member states as well as members of their families traveling to the Republic of Croatia from third countries, i.e. those that are not members of the EU / EEA

Citizens of EU Member States (including Croatian citizens), i.e. Schengen Member States and Schengen Associated States, as well as members of their families and third-country nationals who are long-term residents under Council Directive 2003/109/EC of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents and persons entitled to reside under other EU directives or national law or who have national long-term visas coming from third countries, upon entering the Republic of Croatia must present one of the following documents:

• a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result for SARS-CoV-2 that is not older than 48 hours(counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point) and, in the case of a rapid antigen test and a stay longer than 10 days in the Republic of Croatia, the test must be repeated within ten days from the date of issuing that test;
• vaccination certificate for persons who received a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine more than 14 days prior. Exceptionally, in the case of a vaccine received in a single dose, a certificate of receipt of a single dose if the dose was received more than 14 days before crossing the state border;
• presentation of a positive PCR or rapid antigen test, confirming that the holder recovered from the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, which was performed in the previous 180 days, and older than 11 days from the date of arrival at the border crossing point or upon presentation of a certificate of recovery issued by a physician;
• or perform PCR testing or rapid antigen testing on SARS-CoV-2 immediately upon arrival in the Republic of Croatia (at their own expense), with the obligation to stay in self-isolation until the arrival of a negative test result. If testing cannot be performed, a measure of self-isolation is determined for a period of ten (10) days.

The exceptions to the above-mentioned obligations are the following categories:

• healthcare workers, health researchers and caregivers for the elderly;
• frontier workers (as well as e.g. athletes as stated in the exceptions for passengers within the EU / EEA);
• workers in the transport sector;
• diplomats, staff of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations and whose physical presence is necessary for the functioning of those organizations, military personnel and police officers, as well as humanitarian and civil protection personnel in the performance of their duties;
• passengers in transit, with the obligation to leave the Republic of Croatia within 12 hours from entering;
• persons travelling for study purposes;
• passengers travelling for necessary personal / family or business reasons or some other economic reason and do not stay in or out of Croatia longer than 12 hours.

Persons who represent one of the previously mentioned exceptions are obliged to present credible documentation upon entering the Republic of Croatia in order to prove the reasons for exemption from having one of the above-mentioned tests / having to self-isolate.

Third-country nationals

Third-country nationals who are not family members of citizens of Schengen Member States and Schengen Associated States nor are long-term residents under Council Directive 2003/109/EC of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents and persons entitled to reside under other EU directives or national law or who have national long-term visas, apart from persons referred to in point 1 of this Decision will be granted entry in the Republic of Croatia only in cases of necessary travel.

Exceptions to the above-mentioned necessary travel are the following categories:

1.  healthcare workers, health researchers and caregivers for the elderly;

2. frontier workers (as well as e.g. athletes as stated in the exceptions for passengers within the EU / EEA);

3. workers in the transport sector;

4. diplomats, staff of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations and whose physical presence is necessary for the functioning of those organizations, military personnel and police officers, as well as humanitarian and civil protection personnel in the performance of their duties;

5. passengers in transit, with the obligation to leave the Republic of Croatia within 12 hours from entering;

6. persons travelling for study purposes;

7. seafarers (if they intend to stay in the Republic of Croatia for longer than 12 hours, entry will be allowed with a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result for SARS-CoV-2  which is not older than 48 hours (counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point). If a rapid antigen test result is presented and the stay in the Republic of Croatia is longer than 10 days, the test must be repeated within ten days from the date of issuing that test; presenting a certificate of vaccination against COVID-19 for persons who have received the second dose of the vaccine more than 14 days prior. Exceptionally, if the vaccine is taken in only one dose, presentation of a positive PCR or rapid antigen test, confirming that the holder recovered from the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, which was performed in the previous 180 days, and older than 11 days from the date of arrival at the border crossing point or upon presentation of a certificate of recovery issued by a physician; or the person is obliged to perform PCR or rapid antigen testing on SARS-CoV-2 immediately upon arrival in the Republic of Croatia (at their own expense), with the obligation to stay in self-isolation until the arrival of a negative test result. If testing cannot be performed, a measure of self-isolation is determined for a period of ten (10) days;

8. persons who travel for tourist reasons and have a certificate of paid accommodation in a hotel, camp, private renter or rented vessel and other form of tourist accommodation or are owners of houses or vessels in the Republic of Croatia, entry into the Republic of Croatia will be allowed upon presentation of a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result on SARS-CoV-2 which is not older than 48 hours (counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point) and, in case of a rapid antigen test and a stay longer than 10 days in the Republic of Croatia, the test must be repeated within ten days from the date of issuing that test; vaccination certificate for persons who received a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine more than 14 days prior. Exceptionally, in the case of a vaccine received in a single dose, a certificate of receipt of a single dose if the dose was received more than 14 days before crossing the state border; presentation of a positive PCR or rapid antigen test, confirming that the holder recovered from the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, which was performed in the previous 180 days, and older than 11 days from the date of arrival at the border crossing point or upon presentation of a certificate of recovery issued by a physician; or perform PCR or rapid antigen testing on SARS-CoV-2 immediately upon arrival in the Republic of Croatia (at their own expense), with the obligation to stay in self-isolation until the arrival of a negative test result. If testing cannot be performed, a measure of self-isolation is determined for a period of ten (10) days;

9. persons traveling for necessary personal / family or business reasons, or who have other economic interest (if they intend to stay in the Republic of Croatia longer than 12 hours) will be allowed to enter the Republic of Croatia upon presentation of: a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result on SARS-CoV-2 which is not older than 48 hours (counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point) and, in case of a rapid antigen test and a stay longer than 10 days in the Republic of Croatia, the test must be repeated within ten days from the date of issuing that test; vaccination certificate for persons who received a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine more than 14 days prior. Exceptionally, in the case of a vaccine received in a single dose, a certificate of receipt of a single dose if the dose was received more than 14 days before crossing the state border; presentation of a positive PCR or rapid antigen test, confirming that the holder recovered from the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, which was performed in the previous 180 days, and older than 11 days from the date of arrival at the border crossing point or upon presentation of a certificate of recovery issued by a physician; or perform PCR or rapid antigen testing on SARS-CoV-2 immediately upon arrival in the Republic of Croatia (at their own expense), with the obligation to stay in self-isolation until the arrival of a negative test result. If testing cannot be performed, a measure of self-isolation is determined for a period of ten (10) days;

10. persons for whom a positive decision of the competent authority has been made, based on their application for residence / work, including digital nomads.

Passengers who represent one of the previously mentioned exceptions are obliged to present credible documentation upon entering the Republic of Croatia in order to prove the reasons for the exemption of having one of the stated test results / having to self-isolate.

Passengers from the countries covered by the list of countries of the Croatian Institute of Public Health to which special epidemiological measures apply are obliged to present a negative PCR test result not older than 48 hours and they have to stay in self-isolation for 14 days. The duration of self-isolation can be shortened if the person, at the earliest on the seventh day of self-isolation, gets a PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 at their own expense in an institution authorised to conduct testing and if the test result is negative.

Passengers covered by Annex I to Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction

Passengers (regardless of their citizenship) directly coming from countries covered by currently valid amendments to Annex I to Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction, can travel to the Republic of Croatia without restrictions and they will not be asked to present a test or vaccination certificates, proof of having recovered from the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, nor will they be obliged to self-isolate.
During their stay in the Republic of Croatia, they are obliged to adhere to the general and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health. The aforementioned persons, who transited through other countries/regions to the border crossings of the Republic of Croatia without delays need to prove at the border crossing point that they did not stay in the transit areas.

Stay safe and safe travelling to Croatia! Please contact San Antoino team for any further information you may need.