Croatia Country Profile

Passport
For more details visit Croatia Passport Ranking
  • Passport Grade
    A
  • Passport Ranking
    40/198
  • Passport Score
    173.5/198
  • Visa-free Countries
    151
  • Visa-required Countries
    47
  • Access to the World's GDP
    74%
  • Access to the World's Surface Area
    57%
  • Access to the World's Population
    43%
  • Access to the Unesco Sites
    78%
Citizenship and Naturalization
Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
  • Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
    No
    No provisions
Naturalization - Standard Conditions
  • Minimum residency period
    8 years
  • Physical presence requirement
  • Language test
    Yes, Croatian. Not required if older than 60
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    Yes, but exceptions are possible
  • Can minor children naturalize?
  • Can naturalized parents pass citizenship to a child born abroad?
  • Can you lose naturalization due to prolonged absence/ naturalization elsewhere?
Naturalization - Your Spouse is a Citizen
  • Living IN the country: Residency/marriage requirement
    5 years / 0 years
    May apply immediately after marriage, assuming you hold permanent residency, which takes 5 years to obtain.
  • Living ABROAD: Marriage requirement
    Not allowed
  • Language test
    No
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    No
Naturalization - Other Beneficial Provisions
  • Your child is a citizen
    No provisions
  • Citizens of specific countries
    No provisions
"–": The provision has not been analysed.
Visas and Residencies
Visas and Residencies
Taxation
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Taxation Type
    Residence-based
A tax resident of a country with a RESIDENCE-BASED tax system pays taxes on their WORLDWIDE income. However, if you lose tax residency status there (e.g., by moving out), the country will generally stop taxing you.
Schiff Sovereign's Take on Croatia
If you're a fan of Game of Thrones, HBO’s popular series, then you’re likely a fan of Croatia.

The show famously features King’s Landing in Dubrovnik. Further north along the Croatian coast lies Split, home to the 1700-year old Diocletian’s Palace, and the Klis Fortress, both locations that feature in the series as well. 

Dubrovnik and Split are typical Croatian coastal towns. The coastline is just spectacular, and these little towns are incredibly well preserved. In fact, we would argue that Croatia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

It is also relatively inexpensive. All of this makes Croatia a nice place to visit, and a lovely place to live. (Refer to the case study we did on an American expat happily living in Croatia.) 

If you can find pockets where English is widely spoken, spending time in Croatia can work fantastically well for you, too. And fortunately, spending longer periods of time in Croatia is not as hard as it used to be. 

The country has introduced a Digital Nomad Visa, which allows you to spend up to 12 months there without having to pay taxes on your earned income.

For business and economic opportunities, however, Croatia puts up some major barriers. There’s still plenty of corruption and red tape. Navigating through government bureaucracy can be extremely hard, especially if you do not speak Croatian.

Keep this in mind if you plan to start a local business there, for example. 
Schiff Sovereign's Rolodex
Service Providers available in Croatia
  • Immigration (residency, citizenship)
  • Full relocation services (real estate search, bank account opening, driver's licence, etc.)
  • Tax advice (attorneys and/or accountants)
  • Corporate services (company formation, etc.)
  • Real Estate (agents, lawyers)
  • Banking contact
  • Citizenship by Ancestry
Obtain access to our Rolodex by signing up for Sovereign Confidential Join Sovereign Confidential Today

Sovereign Global Explorer

Benefiting from over a decade of our team’s boots-on-the-ground experience, Global Explorer is where your international journey begins.
Croatia Overview
  • Region
    Europe
  • Capital City
    Zagreb
  • Largest City
    Zagreb
  • Currency
    Euro
  • Languages
    Croatian
  • Population
    3.9 million (130th)
  • Life Expectancy
    77.2 years (90th)
  • GDP (Nominal)
    $69.4 billion (83rd)
  • GDP/Capita
    $17,842 (64th)
Useful Data
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Cost of Living
    Inexpensive (3/7)
  • Climate
    Comfortable (2/5)
  • Safety
    The Safest (1/7)
  • Pollution
    Very clean (1/5)
  • English Proficiency
    High (2/5)

Sovereign Global Explorer

Benefiting from over a decade of our team’s boots-on-the-ground experience, Global Explorer is where your international journey begins.

Ready to fire-proof your future? Learn how here...

Subscribe to our FREE Sovereign Letters series below. Packed with powerful, immediately actionable Plan B strategies, signing up for this newsletter is one of THE best steps you can take, right now, to safeguard your freedom and maximize your sovereignty.

SIGN UP NOW TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR FUTURE

Found a mistake or have a suggestion with Croatia Country Profile? Let us know by filling out the form below.