Sunday, November 11, 2012

Croatian Visa Requirements: Business, Tourist and Transit


Visa information for travel to Croatia, including types of visas, individual country requirements and essential facts when applying for a Croatian visa.
Dubrovnik, Pearl of the Adriatic - Japus (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dubrovnik-panorama-day.JPG)
For a country known for its bureaucracy, Croatian visa requirements are quite straightforward. There is even a uniform price for visas: $51, 36 euro or 260 kuna if paying in Croatian currency. Here are some things to bear in mind when applying for a Croatian visa.
Types of Croatian Visa
There are four types of Croatian visa, of which the Travel Visa is the most common. A travel visa is issued for a maximum stay of one year and is available for single, double and multiple entry, with the proviso that visitors are limited to a maximum of ninety days' uninterrupted stay in the first six months.
Transit visas are issued for single or double entry for no more than a six month period, although it is possible to arrange multiple entry with extenuating circumstances. Proof of onward travel to a third country in the form of visa or ticket must be shown and a five day stay in country is permitted.
Citizens of several countries are required to obtain an Airport Transit Visa if transiting through a Croatian airport. The shelf life of an airport transit visa is limited to three months and is available for one, two or multiple entry.
Finally, for organised tours, a cost-effective Visa in a Common Document is available for groups of between five and fifty people. One visa is issued to the passport of the group leader, who is responsible to ensure that the group enters, stays and leaves Croatia together. The cost is the same as the other visas, with a small additional charge of 8 kuna per passenger.
Croatian Visa Requirements
The following documentation is required when applying for a Croatian visa:
  • Completed application form
  • One passport photograph
  • Passport valid three months after the expiry of the visa
  • Supporting documentation outlining reasons for travel, accommodation arrangements and financial position.
  • Letter of invitation and proof of health insurance
Health Insurance and Letters of Invitation
Visa applications for private and business travel should be supported by a letter of invitation from a Croatian national, foreigner with residency or Croatian company. A standard form can be downloaded from the official website (link below). Visitors are also required to show they have current and adequate health insurance, with adequate defined as cover to a minimum value of 30,000 euro.
List of Countries Requiring Croatian Visas
Here is a list of countries whose citizens require a visa to enter Croatia:
South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, East Timor, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe, and Yemen.
Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands and Somalia.
India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco and Mozambique.
China, Columbia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Republic of Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana and Haiti.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic and Chad.
It should be noted that while British citizens do not require a visa, British overseas citizens, protected persons and subjects who do not have right of abode in the UK are not exempt from the Croatian visa requirement.
The Exception to the Rule: Russia
The only country where documentation but no visa is required is Russia. Russian citizens are free to enter the country, but only on production of either a letter of invitation or a pre-paid voucher from a travel agency.
List of Countries Requiring Airport Transit Visas
Here is a list of countries who require airport transit visas:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Republic of Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka, although this requirement is not necessary if they have residence in the EEA, America, Switzerland, the Vatican, Andorra, Monaco or San Marino.
Simple really! As ever, laws change and the information above is correct at time of writing, but is subject to change. Croatian visa requirements were relaxed for Albanians in the summer of 2010, for example, in an attempt to boost the tourist season, only to be reimposed on October 1.

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