Croatia digital nomad visa & residency (2026)

Despite being called a 'digital nomad visa' colloquially, the instrument is a temporary stay permit under the Law on Foreigners, applied for online via MUP's dedicated portal (digitalnomadscroatia.mup.hr) or at a Croatian diplomatic post for nationals who require a visa to enter Croatia.

Open only to third-country nationals (non-EU/EEA/Swiss). Applicants must be employed or self-employed via communication technology for a company or their own company that is not registered in Croatia and must not provide services to employers in Croatia.

The minimum income requirement is set in law at 2.5× the average Croatian net monthly salary, reviewed annually. As of January 2026, the average net salary reached ~€1,511, placing the threshold at approximately €3,623/month (or ~€43,476 shown as lump-sum savings for 18 months).

The permit is issued for up to 18 months (increased from 12 months by the March 2025 amendment). It is non-renewable consecutively: a new application may only be submitted after at least 6 months have elapsed since the prior permit expired. Family members may join via family-reunification rules.

Digital nomad permit holders are not subject to Croatian personal income tax on income earned from foreign sources (foreign employers or own foreign-registered companies), because Croatian tax law ties liability to local economic activity. Holders should verify their home-country obligations independently.

Croatia has no formal residency-by-investment (golden visa) programme. Non-EU nationals can obtain temporary residence by forming a Croatian company (minimum registered capital ~€2,650; in practice advisers cite ~€25,000 for substance), which can lead to permanent residence after 5 years and citizenship after 8 years. Property ownership alone does not automatically confer residency.