Permanent residence status in Croatia
The permanent residence programme is intended for foreign nationals who are ready to live in Croatia for a long time and meet certain requirements. The status can be obtained on various grounds: as a family member of a Croatian citizen, as an ethnic Croat, as a person with international protection or as a child born in Croatia. The status is valid indefinitely and allows you to work without additional permits. With permanent residence, family members can also be reunited. The procedure involves filing an application with the police administration and a decision by the Ministry of the Interior.
Categories of foreign nationals who obtain permanent residence
Permanent residence status is granted to foreign nationals on various grounds. Each category has its own requirements as to the preceding period of residence and the documents.
Family members of Croatian citizens
- Spouses of Croatian citizens
- Minor children of Croatian citizens
- At least 4 years of continuous temporary residence for reunification is required
Ethnic Croats and their descendants
- People belonging to the Croatian nation
- Emigrants and their descendants from abroad
- At least 3 years of continuous temporary residence is required
People with international protection and children
- Refugees with international protection status
- Minor children of a parent who holds permanent residence
- Refugee status and at least 3 years of temporary residence are required
When the programme is not a fit
You are not married to a Croatian citizen and have no children who are Croatian citizens
Consider the long-term residence or the temporary residence programme
You do not belong to the Croatian nation and do not hold refugee status
Look into the other grounds for obtaining a residence permit in Croatia
You have not lived here long enough on the required ground
First obtain temporary residence and build up the required period
What it costs
| Administrative fee for the permanent residence decisionPayable when the decision is issued | 83,62 EUR |
|---|---|
| Biometric card under the standard procedure | 31,85 EUR |
| Biometric card under the accelerated procedure | 59,73 EUR |
| Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. the “Biometric card under the accelerated procedure” branch replaces the “Biometric card under the standard procedure” line — 143,35 EUR. Charges with no official price list are in the list below. | 115,47 EUR |
Paid separately
- Translator's services — If documents need to be translated, this is paid for separately
- Certificate of no criminal record — May carry a fee depending on the country of issue
Documents to gather
The following documents must be provided to file an application for permanent residence:
- Form 1a (obrazac 1a) — the application for permanent residence
- A valid passport or another recognised travel document
- A certificate of no criminal record from the country of citizenship (no more than 6 months old)
- A marriage certificate (if the ground is reunification with a Croatian citizen)
- A birth certificate (for children or as proof of kinship)
- A certificate of belonging to the Croatian nation or proof of ethnic origin (for ethnic Croats)
- Documents confirming the period of temporary residence in Croatia
- The decision granting refugee status or subsidiary protection (where applicable)
How the process runs
The procedure for obtaining permanent residence involves the following stages:
- 1
Prepare the documents
up to 2 weeksCollect all the required documents, including form 1a, your passport, a certificate of no criminal record and the documents proving your ground (marriage, the birth of a child, belonging to the Croatian nation or refugee status).
- 2
File the application with the police administration
the day of filingFile the application in person at the police administration (policijska uprava) for your place of stay in Croatia. Bring all the original documents and copies with you.
- 3
Review by the Ministry of the Interior
up to 60 daysThe Ministry of the Interior will review your application and documents. During this period you may be invited to an interview or asked for additional documents.
- 4
Receive the decision and the biometric card
up to 14 days after the decisionAfter a positive decision you will receive a notification. You then have to pay the administrative fee and the fee for the biometric card. The biometric card is issued at the police administration.
Timelines and rights
Work
With stalni boravak you work without a dozvola za boravak i rad and without a potvrda o prijavi rada.
Who you can bring with you
With permanent residence, a foreign national may apply for the reunification of their family members:
A spouse or civil partner
Minor children
Parents of minor children
Trips, renewal and the grace period
The language and education requirements that apply to long-term residence do not apply to permanent residence. You need a valid travel document and to pose no security threat
Permanent residence status (stalni boravak) is valid indefinitely and does not need to be renewed. However, the status may be withdrawn in the following cases: if you have moved abroad and live there; if you have been outside Croatia for more than 12 months in a row; if you have been entered on the alert list of the Schengen Information System (SIS); if you have asked for the status to be cancelled yourself. If you are planning a long absence abroad, it is advisable to notify the local police administration in advance.
What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship
Route to permanent residence
Grounds: 4 years of a continuous residence permit for reunification with a Croatian citizen, 3 years of a residence permit for Croatian emigrants, their descendants and stateless persons, 3 years of a residence permit of a minor child living with a parent who holds permanent residence or dugotrajno boravište, 10 years of refugee status plus 3 years of a residence permit.
Route to citizenship
A Croatian passport is granted through naturalisation: from the age of 18, after 8 years of continuous registered residence and holding stalni boravak status. You take Croatian at level B1 and a test of 15 questions on culture and social organisation — 10 correct answers are required. Release from the previous citizenship is required. After the age of 60 language and culture are not tested.
Frequently asked questions about Permanent residence status
How long is permanent residence status valid for?
What happens if I live abroad for more than 12 months in a row?
Do I need a work permit if I hold permanent residence status?
How do I reunite my family if I hold permanent residence?
Other ways to move to Croatia
- Residence and work permitWork
- Seasonal work permitSeasonal work
- Study residence permitStudy
- Family reunificationFamily
- EU Blue Card for highly qualified specialistsHighly qualified work
- EU long-term residenceLong-term residence
- NaturalisationCitizenship
- Citizenship by descent and by belonging to the Croatian nationCitizenship by descent
Every route in one list — migration programmes: Croatia.
The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.