Before you travel
No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to:
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.
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This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of the current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in Croatia set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Croatian Embassy in the UK.
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 may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
- have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area
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.
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.
Make sure you get your passport stamped on entry and exit.
If you’re a visitor, border guards will look at your entry and exit stamps to check you have not overstayed the 90-day visa-free limit for the Schengen area.
If your passport is missing a stamp, show evidence of when and where you entered or left the Schengen area (for example, boarding passes or tickets) and ask the border guards to add the date and location in your passport.
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 passport stamping if you live in Croatia.
New Schengen entry requirements
Plans for the introduction of the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) for all non-EU nationals, including British nationals, travelling in or out of the Schengen area has been delayed. Information will be updated when available.
Read more information on the EU Entry/Exit System.
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.
Terrorism
There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.
Terrorism in Croatia
Terrorist attacks in Croatia cannot be ruled out.
Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners.
Crime
Crime levels are low and violent crime is rare.
Protecting yourself and your belongings
Tourists have been overcharged at certain ‘gentlemen’s clubs’, sometimes by thousands of euros, and threatened with violence if they refuse to pay.
Pickpockets operate in tourist areas. Avoid carrying large sums of cash, do not leave valuables unattended and use hotel safes if possible.
Attacks and sexual assaults in taxis
There have been reports of sexual assaults in taxis in Croatia. To reduce risk and help prevent potential assaults:
- take a photo of the inside, where the number of the taxi is visible, and send it to a friend or someone else
- share your ride status on the taxi app
- make a call while in the taxi telling someone which taxi it is and where you are going
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 and prison sentences
Drug offences are punished with fines and prison sentences.
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.
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
Hiking and mountaineering
If you’re hiking in the mountains, get expert advice from local guides, however tame the mountain might seem. Weather in the Croatian mountains can change quickly, even in summer. Temperatures can get very low overnight.
There is a risk of getting lost in the mountains when out hiking alone and using unmarked paths. Read the Croatian Mountain Rescue tips on mountaineering, follow their X at Hrvatska GSS and see their maps. If you get into trouble, call the emergency number 112 for help from the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service.
Transport risks
Road travel
If you’re planning to drive in Croatia, see information on driving abroad and check the rules of the road in RAC’s Croatia guide. The guide lists driving regulations and other legal requirements you need to be aware of, such as:
- having your headlights on and dipped when driving a car from 1 November until 31 March, even during daytime
- driving with dipped headlights year-round on scooters and motorcycles
- using winter tyres between 15 November and 15 April
- carrying a fluorescent vest in the car, not in the boot – you must wear the vest while attending to a breakdown
You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Croatia for up to one year. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence or get the correct version of the international driving permit (IDP) as well.
The Croatian Automobile Association lists current traffic hazards.
Drink-driving is a serious offence in Croatia. If you’re found with more than 0.05% of alcohol in your blood (in England it’s 0.08%) you will get a fine, and you may lose your licence and get a prison sentence. The alcohol limit is zero for drivers under the age of 24.
Sea travel
Do not drink alcohol if you’re in charge of a yacht or boat. There are heavy penalties for being caught drunk in charge of a boat and a zero-tolerance approach.
You must sail by the most direct route to a port of entry when entering Croatian territorial waters.
Authorities can arrest you for entering a non-designated entry port without telling them. If you cannot use the correct entry port, contact the local harbour master or the police before entering Croatia.
If you are in Croatia, including on a boat, your presence in Croatia must be registered with the police. If you’re travelling with a tour operator, they should do this for you. Otherwise, you must fill in and print form obrazac 16a (PDF) and hand it in at a police station.
All captains must have an International Certificate of Competence.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
Find out what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards.
Wildfires
Wildfires are common during Croatia’s hot and dry summers. Take care when visiting or driving through woodland and forest areas. If you see a fire, call the emergency services on 112. If you’re affected, follow the advice of local authorities.
From 1 June to 31 October it is illegal to set outdoor fires and barbecues except in designated areas. Intentionally causing a fire is illegal in Croatia and you could be fined 2,000 to 20,000 euros, or even given a prison sentence.
You could also be fined for unintentionally causing a fire. Properly extinguish cigarette ends and do not leave any rubbish behind, particularly empty bottles, as these are known to start fires. Fines in these cases have ranged from 260 to 1,200 euros.
Earthquakes
Earthquakes in Croatia can be strong and cause deaths and damage to infrastructure. In recent years, there have been earthquakes in Zagreb and in Petrinja, near Sisak in central Croatia. Both caused extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure and loss of life. Heavily damaged buildings, which are not always signposted, may be unstable.
Small tremors also happen several times a month throughout the year. Most pass without consequence. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency website has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
Floods
Flash floods can happen with very little warning and lead to dangerous water flows and disruption to transport and other networks. There is the highest risk of flooding in central Croatia, between Karlovac and Slavonski Brod. Monitor Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service forecasts and follow the advice of local authorities.
Before you travel check that:
- your destination can provide the healthcare you may need
- you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation
This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.
Emergency medical number
Dial 112 and ask for an ambulance.
Contact your insurance or medical assistance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.
Vaccine recommendations and health risks
At least 8 weeks before your trip:
See what health risks you’ll face in Croatia, including:
- dengue
- biting insects and ticks
Medication
The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.
Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro.
Healthcare in Croatia
FCDO has a list of medical facilities in Croatia, where some staff will speak English.
Health insurance cards
To get medically necessary state healthcare in Croatia, you need a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
The NHS’s getting healthcare abroad webpage has details about:
- how to apply for a GHIC
- how to get temporary cover if you lose your card or it does not arrive in time
- who qualifies for a new EHIC instead of a GHIC
- what treatment counts as medically necessary
A GHIC or EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. In Croatia there is always a charge for treatment, which can be up to 530 euros. You may have other costs your GHIC or EHIC does not cover, including:
- changes to travel and accommodation bookings
- additional standard costs for treatment
- medical repatriation to the UK
- treatment that is ruled non-urgent
- private healthcare
- private clinics
There is also guidance on healthcare if you’re living in Croatia.
Travel and mental health
Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also mental health guidance on TravelHealthPro.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.
Emergency services in Croatia
Telephone: 112 (ambulance, fire, police)
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:
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
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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.
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