Living in Croatia

You can also:

• attend future events for UK nationals across Croatia; check previous events
• read the Croatian government’sMinistry guidanceof Foreign and European Affairs latest information on Brexitstatus
• read Living in the EU: prepare for Brexit

Visas and residency

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 from the Croatian government how to register your temporary residence with the local police station and what documentation you need.

Residency and visas after Brexit

IfYou youmust areregister as a resident if you intend to stay in Croatia beforefor themore endthan of3 months.

Read the implementationCroatian periodgovernment guidance on 31the DecemberUK’s 2020departure youfrom willthe beEU ablefor toUK stay.nationals in Croatia.

If there are changes to residency rules or registration processes after Brexit, we will update this guidance as soon as information is available. Sign up for our email alerts for this page.

Passports and travel

You can apply for or renew your British passport from Croatia.

See our travel advice for Croatia and sign up to email alerts for up-to-date travel information on local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.

Passports and travel after Brexit

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You’ll need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

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Healthcare

State healthcare: S1

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 must apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are resident in Croatia, you must not use a EHICEuropean Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Croatia.

When you travel from Croatia for a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, you can use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare in that country. During that short stay.

• the EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home
• an EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance
• for more information you can read our travel advice pages and advice on foreign travel insurance

If you are a student, read the NHS 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.

Healthcare after Brexit

ThereIf willthere beis noa changesdeal, your current rights on access to healthcare in Croatia will remain the same until the end of the implementation period, as long as you remain a resident in Croatia.

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If you currently have your healthcare costs paid for by the UK government, we can help if you are livingasked into Croatiapay orfor movetreatment thereduring permanentlythe beforefirst 316 Decembermonths 2020,after you’llBrexit. haveTo life-longorganise a payment, you must give your healthcare rightsprovider’s details to the NHS Business Services Authority’s Overseas Healthcare Services.

You should read the NHS guidance on healthcare for UK nationals in Croatia asand youhow doit now,may providedchange after Brexit.

The UK has offered to continue paying the country you remainlive resident.in for your healthcare in the event of no deal, just as it does now. The government has proposed maintaining current healthcare cooperation with Croatia for S1 form holders until the end of December 2020. If there’s no deal, and there is no arrangement with Croatia to continue reciprocal healthcare, those receiving coverage through the S1 form will not be covered.

Your EHIC may not be valid if there’s no deal. The UK has offered to maintain the EHIC scheme if there’s no deal. However, this is reliant on Croatia continuing to accept UK EHICs.

Working in Croatia

You can read our guidance on working in another EU country. You may need to apply for a UK police certificate.

Working in Croatia after Brexitthe UK leaves the EU

YourIf there is a deal, your right to work will staynot change until the same,end asof longthe asimplementation youperiod.

Read remainthe residentguidance on providing services after Brexit if you’re planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in Croatia.a regulated profession after the UK leaves the EU.

Money and tax

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:

• telling HMRC if you leave the UK to live abroad
• tax on your UK income if you live abroad
• paying income tax in Croatia

The Ministry of Finance has information about custom services and declarations of goods in Croatia.

You should get professional advice on paying tax in Croatia. You can find an English-speaking lawyer in Croatia.

National Insurance

Find out if you can pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

If you are employed or self-employed in the EU or EEA and you have a UK-issued A1/E101 form, you will remain subject to UK legislation until the end date on the form.

If the end date on your form is after 31 October 2019, you should contact the relevant EU, EEA or Swiss authority to confirm whether you need to start paying social security contributions in that country after 31 October, as well as UK National Insurance contributions.

Find out more about social security contributions after a no-deal Brexit.

Money and tax after Brexit

Brexit will not change existing double-taxationdouble taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Croatia. Send your questions about double taxation to the relevant tax authority.

Pensions

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Pensions

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If you retire in Croatia, you can claim:

• your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension. Contact the International Pensions Centre to claim
• your Croatian pension through your local social security office (in Croatian)
• pensions from working in other EU countries, if you have worked in other EU countries.

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

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.

Pensions after Brexit

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IfPension you are living in the EU, EEA or Switzerland by 31 December 2020 you will getbe your UK State Pension uprated everyin yearApril for2020, as2021 longand as2022 you continue to live there. This will happen even if you startlive claimingin yourthe pensionEU, onEEA or after 1 January 2021, as long as you meet the qualifying conditions.Switzerland.

If youthere areis livinga indeal Croatiaand by 31 December 2020, you will be able to count future social security contributions towards meeting the qualifying conditions for your UK State Pension.

If 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.

Benefits

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Read leavingour theguidance EU.on pensions if there’s no deal.

Benefits

You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Croatia. You should:

• read our guidance on which benefits you can claim if you live abroad
• use our tool to check which benefits you can claim while you’re abroad

Many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.

Croatian benefits

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.

Benefits after Brexit

If there is a deal and you arework livingand pay social security contributions in theCroatia, EU,your EEAUK orsocial Switzerlandsecurity bycontributions 31will Decemberbe 2020,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 there’s no deal, the Croatian government has proposed that those with permanent residence in Croatia will be able to continue to receive anysocial UKbenefits. We will update this guidance when there is a formal agreement on this.

Read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.

Driving in Croatia

If you alreadyare receive.resident Thisin willCroatia, continueyou should exchange your UK licence for asa longCroatian asone before Brexit. 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 therein 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:

• your original UK driving licence and meettranslation
• payment allslip
• administrative otherfee
• a eligibility35 requirements.x 45 mm photograph

Other documentation may be required.

IfFor information on driving in Croatia, you workshould andread paythe socialguidance securityon:

• what contributionsyou need to drive abroad
• road travel in Croatia,Croatia
• driving yourlicence renewal and exchange

Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Croatia

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.

You socialcan securityread contributionsthe 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.

Driving after Brexit

UK driving licences will be takenvalid intoin accountCroatia whenfor applyingup to 1 year from the day the UK leaves EU. After that, you will have to exchange it for a Croatian contributions-basedlicence benefits.and Thisalso willsubmit happena evencertificate ifof youmedical claimfitness contributions-basedto benefitsdrive.

If afterthere is a deal, driving licence rules will stay the endsame ofduring the implementation period.

Read our guidance on driving in the EU after Brexit.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter if you would like to vote

If you’re resident in Croatia, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections.

Voting after the Brexit

After Brexit, youUK nationals will no longer be eligible to vote in local and European Parliament elections.

Births, deaths and getting married

If your child is born in Croatia, you will need to register the birth abroad.

If someone dies in Croatia you can:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
• find English-speaking funeral directors in Croatia
• read guidance for UK nationals on bereavement information for Croatia

Find out how to get married abroad.

Find out about notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Croatia.

Accommodation and buying property

Read our guidance on buying a property abroad.

Pets

CurrentYou petwill still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret after Brexit, but the rules will staychange. Read the sameguidance untilon 31pet Decembertravel 2020.to Europe after Brexit.

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 timetime, youyou’ll musthave to visit your vet to get a pet passport.

Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK.

For moving pet travelhorses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.

Emergencies

You can dial the European emergency number on 112 or Croatia uses:

• 192 for police
• 193 for fire brigade
• 194 for ambulance
• 195 for search and rescue at sea
• 1987 for road assistance

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:

• English-speaking translators and interpreters in Croatia
• English-speaking lawyers in Croatia
• notary and documentary services in Croatia

Returning to the UK

• access to benefits and services in the UK in a no deal
• bringing your family to the UK
• access to higher education, 19+ further education and apprenticeship funding
• importing vehicles back to the UK
• bringing your pet back to the UK
• checking your tax status after returning to the UK

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 de-register:

• temporary or permanent residence in Croatia at the local police station
• from your local health centre

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

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.

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.

Disclaimer

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.