Change of https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-croatia
Change description : 2019-04-15 13:22:00: EU Exit update: added in latest information to passports and returning to the UK section [Brexit]
Showing diff : 2019-04-09 15:37:25 +00:00..2019-04-15 12:26:30 +00:00
Guidance
Official information British people moving to and living in Croatia need to know, including EU Exit guidance, residency, healthcare and driving.
You should:
To keep you up to date with information about EU Exit:
You may want to check the entry requirements for Croatia.
You must register as a Croatian resident if you plan to stay in Croatia for more than 3 months. Find out how to register your temporary residence with the local police station and what documentation is required. The Croatian government has more guidance on temporary residents.
You must register as a resident if you intend to stay in Croatia for more than 3 months.
You can read the Croatian Government guidance on the UK’s departure from the EU for UK nationals in Croatia.
In the event of changes to residency rules or registration processes after the UK leaves the EU, we will update this guidance as soon as information is available. You should sign up for our email alerts.
You can apply for or renew your British passport from Croatia. If you cannot get a passport in time for your trip, you may need to get an emergency travel document or ‘emergency passport’.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, new travel rules will apply. You should have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland).
If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.
You should check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip.
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If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, theUK Europeannationals Commissionwill has said you may not need visas for short stays elsewhere in the SchengenEU. area or the EU. You maywill be able to stay for up to 90 days in anyanother EU country, within a 180 day periodperiod. withoutYou should retain evidence of travel (e.g. train and plane tickets), in case these are requested by national authorities. If you hold a visa.residence permit from an EU Member State, you will be able to transit through other EU Member States to reach your country of residence. We will update this guidance as more information becomes available.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, nothing will change until the end of 2020. In this time you can continue to travel freely in the Schengen area with your UK passport. What happens after 2020 will form the next part of negotiations.
The Croatian government has more information on passports and travel after the UK’s departure from the EU.
You need to make sure you are correctly registered for healthcare as a resident in Croatia. The NHS has more information about healthcare for UK nationals living in and visiting Croatia.
If you live in Croatia and receive an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit, you may currently be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You will need to apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate.
If you are resident in Croatia, you should not be using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Croatia.
You can read the NHS’s guidance on healthcare and studying abroad.
You can find English-speaking doctors in Croatia. You should also check that your prescriptions are legal in Croatia.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your current rights on access to healthcare in Croatia will remain the same until 31 December 2020, as long as you remain a resident in Croatia.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, your access to healthcare may change. If you are a permanent or temporary resident you should review the status of your healthcare cover.
The Croatian Government is preparing a Draft Law Proposal on health insurance to provide healthcare arrangements after the UK leaves the EU to those who are residents in Croatia. We will update this guidance with further information as soon as it becomes available.
The UK has proposed maintaining current healthcare cooperation with Croatia for S1 form holders until the end of December 2020. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and there is no arrangement with Croatia to continue reciprocal healthcare, those receiving coverage through the S1 form will not be covered.
You should take action now to confirm your residency status and decide what steps you need to take to ensure access to healthcare if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. UK nationals will be able to return to UK for treatment.
Your EHIC may not be valid in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The UK has offered to maintain the EHIC scheme should the UK leave the EU without a deal, however this is reliant on Croatia continuing to accept UK EHICs.
You should read the NHS guidance on healthcare for UK nationals in Croatia and how it may change after UK leaves the EU.
You can read our guidance on working in another EU country. You may need to apply for a UK police certificate.
If the UK leaves with a deal, your right to work will not change until the end of the implementation period.
If you’re planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after the UK leaves the EU, further guidance can be found here.
The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Croatia to make sure that people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.
You should read the guidance on:
The Ministry of Finance has information about custom services and declarations of goods in Croatia.
We recommend you get professional advice on paying tax in Croatia. You can find an English-speaking lawyer in Croatia.
You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.
The UK leaving the EU will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Croatia. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double taxation relief to the relevant tax authority.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in the EU. Read more about using a bank card, insurance or other financial service in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
If you retire in Croatia, you can claim:
If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you must respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don’t.
The UK government will uprate your UK state pension for the fiscal year 2019/2020 in any scenario.
The UK government will continue to pay the UK State Pension to those eligible after the UK leaves the EU. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you can read our guidance on pensions.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Croatia, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Croatian pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, The Croatian Government, Ministry of Labour and Pensions has stated that if you have regulated your residence in Croatia before the UK leaves the EU, you will continue to have Croatian pension rights after the UK leaves the EU. We will update this guidance when there is a formal agreement on this.
You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Croatia. You should:
If you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks, many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you.
You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.
You may be entitled to Croatian benefits. To find out if you are entitled to Croatian benefits and how to claim, check Croatian social security benefits.
The UK government will continue to pay child benefits, and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Croatia, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Croatian contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Croatian Government has proposed that those with permanent residence in Croatia will be able to continue to receive social benefits. We will update this guidance when there is a formal agreement on this.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you can read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.
You should exchange your UK licence for a Croatian driving licence before the UK leaves the EU, as your UK licence may no longer be valid after the UK leaves the EU. You can still use your Croatian licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.
You should exchange your driving licence at the nearest police station. You can do this if you have either an approved temporary or permanent residence in Croatia.
To exchange your licence, you will need the following:
Other documentation may be required.
For information on driving in Croatia, you should read the guidance on:
Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.
You can read the European Union’s guidance on car registration and taxes in Croatia. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.
UK driving licences will be valid in Croatia for up to one year from the day the UK leaves EU. After that, you will have to exchange it for a Croatian licence and also submit a certificate of medical fitness to drive.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, driving licence rules will stay the same during the implementation period.
Please read our guidance on driving in the EU after the UK leaves the EU here.
You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:
If you’re resident in Croatia, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections.
Once the UK leaves the EU, UK nationals will no longer be eligible to vote in local and European Parliament elections.
If your child is born in Croatia, you will need to register the birth abroad.
If someone dies in Croatia you can:
Find out how to get married abroad.
Find out about notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Croatia.
Read our guidance on buying a property abroad.
When the UK leaves the EU, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret but the rules will change. You can read guidance on pet travel to Europe after the UK leaves the EU.
While the UK is still a Member State you’ll be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport. If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time you’ll have to visit your vet to get a pet passport.
Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK. For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.
You can dial the European emergency number on 112 or Croatia uses:
Find the full list of emergency numbers in Croatia.
If you’re the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy Zagreb.
You may also need:
To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.
Tell the UK and Croatian authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently. To help prove you are now living in the UK, you should deregister:
Check if your tax status will change if you return to the UK.
Read our guidance on bringing your pet to the UK and importing vehicles to the UK.
If you get healthcare in Croatia through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.
This information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Croatian authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is not liable for any inaccuracies in this information.
2025-11-28 11:42
Rewrote guide to make it easier to read and understand.
2024-08-13 12:44
Information on visas and residency if you were living in Croatia before 1 January 2021 and on passports and travel has been updated.
2022-03-11 08:00
Important information in the Working in Croatia, and National insurance sections if you work in Croatia, even it if it is for an employer based in the UK.
2022-02-28 14:33
Updated ‘Visas and residency if you were living in Croatia before 1 January 2021’ section with information about the appeals process if your application for the ‘dozvola boravka’ is refused.Updated the ‘Driving in Croatia’ section with information about how to register a vehicle in Croatia.
2021-05-21 12:57
Updated information for accommodation and buying property
2021-02-23 15:10
Coronavirus section updated with a link to guidance on vaccines
2020-09-07 13:04
Passports and travel section updated to include information on passport validity and entry requirements when travelling to other European countries from January 2021
2020-01-23 13:18
Brexit update: includes further details on passport validity, healthcare rights and State Pension uprating if the UK leaves the EU with a deal.
2019-09-23 17:09
Brexit update: healthcare section updated to reflect transitional arrangements announcement
2019-09-03 17:05
Brexit update: Pensions section updated to include further details on State Pension uprating.
2019-04-15 13:22
EU Exit update: added in latest information to passports and returning to the UK section
2019-04-09 16:30
EU Exit update: New information in Living in Croatia guide