Croatia’s digital nomad visa is a temporary residence permit for non-EU citizens who work remotely for a foreign employer or for their own company registered outside Croatia. It allows a stay of up to 18 months. As of October 2026, you need to show at least €3,622.50 a month in income, or a lump sum of €43,470 in the bank for a 12-month stay.
The program also has a tax feature that few other countries offer. Croatia’s Income Tax Act lists income earned under digital nomad status, from an employer not registered in Croatia, as income that is not subject to Croatian income tax.
We checked the figures in this guide on the Croatian Ministry of the Interior’s digital nomad page in October 2026. The ministry updates the income figures each year, based on the average net salary.
Key takeaways
- The permit is for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss citizens who work remotely for a foreign employer or their own foreign company.
- The income bar is 2.5 times Croatia’s average monthly net salary for the previous year: €3,622.50 a month in 2026.
- The stay is up to 18 months. After the permit ends, you must wait six months before you apply again as a digital nomad.
- Close family members can join you after your own permit is granted.
- Income from digital nomad work for a non-Croatian employer is not subject to Croatian income tax, but your home country may still tax it.
How Croatia defines a digital nomad
The ministry defines a digital nomad as a third-country national who works through communication technology for a company, or their own company, that is not registered in Croatia. The person must not work for, or provide services to, employers in Croatia.
That definition covers two groups. The first is remote employees of foreign companies. The second is people who run their own company abroad and work through it. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not use this permit, because they already have free movement rights.
Income requirements in 2026
Croatia ties the threshold to the average monthly net salary for the previous year, published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. You can prove your means in one of two ways.
| Method | What you show | Amount in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Regular income | Bank statements of regular income, or six months of payslips | At least €3,622.50 a month |
| Savings for 12 months | Funds in your bank account | €43,470 |
| Savings for 18 months | Funds in your bank account | €65,205 |
Each family member or partner who joins you raises the bar by 10% of the average net salary. Based on the figures the ministry uses, that is about €145 a month per person. Because the threshold resets every year, people who apply early in a new year check the ministry page for the updated amount.
Documents you need
The ministry asks for the following:
- A valid passport, valid for at least three months beyond your planned stay.
- Health insurance that covers Croatia for the whole stay. Travel or private insurance is accepted.
- Proof that you are a digital nomad. Employees show an employer statement and an employment or service contract. Business owners show company registration documents and proof that they work through that company.
- Proof of means, either bank statements or six months of payslips.
- A criminal record certificate from your home country and from any country where you lived for more than a year before arriving. It must be legalized. It is not needed when you apply for an extension.
- An address in Croatia. A hostel or hotel booking can serve as a temporary address.
Documents must be in Croatian or English. Translations must come from an authorized translator and must state the currency of any funds. Files uploaded online are limited to 2 MB each.
Where and how to apply
There are three ways to apply, depending on your nationality and where you are.
- Online. You can apply through the ministry’s digital nomad portal. The application then goes to the police administration or station for your planned address in Croatia.
- At an embassy or consulate. If your nationality needs a visa to enter Croatia, you must apply at a Croatian diplomatic mission. Applications filed at a police station by visa-required nationals are rejected.
- At a police station in Croatia. If you do not need a visa and are legally in Croatia, you can apply at the competent police administration or station.
After approval, you register your address with the police and collect a biometric residence card in person. The deadlines for these steps are short, so check them in your approval documents.
Fees
These are the fees listed by the ministry, as of October 2026.
| Where you apply | Item | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Embassy or consulate | Temporary stay | €55.74 |
| Embassy or consulate | Long-term D visa, if you need one | €93.00 |
| Embassy or consulate | Biometric residence card | €41.14 |
| Police administration or station | Temporary stay | €46.45 |
| Police administration or station | Biometric residence permit | €9.29 administrative fee plus €31.85 card fee (€59.73 for the accelerated procedure) |
Length of stay, extensions and reapplying
Croatia grants the permit for up to 18 months, and sometimes for less. If you want to extend, you must apply no later than 60 days before your permit expires, and an extension is granted for at most six months.
When the permit ends, you cannot simply start a new one. A new digital nomad application can only be filed six months after the previous permit expires. The same six-month gap applies if you want temporary stay in Croatia for another purpose.
Bringing your family
Close family members can join a digital nomad who has already been granted temporary stay. This includes a spouse and a common-law partner. Croatia treats an unmarried couple as common-law partners if they have lived together for more than three years, or for less if they have a child together.
The order matters. If a family member applies before the digital nomad’s own permit is granted, the ministry rejects the family application.
Croatia’s income tax exemption for digital nomads
Article 9 of Croatia’s Income Tax Act lists income that is not subject to income tax. Item 26 covers receipts of individuals from employment or self-employment for an employer not registered in Croatia, earned on the basis of digital nomad status. In short, the work income that the permit is built around is outside Croatian income tax.
The exemption has limits. It covers that work income only. Other income with a Croatian source, such as rent from a Croatian property, is a separate question. The exemption also says nothing about your home country. Many countries keep taxing residents or citizens who are abroad, and some tax treaty questions only arise if two countries both treat you as resident. Our explainer on tax treaty tie-breaker rules covers how that conflict is usually resolved.
Travel in Europe on a Croatian permit
Croatia joined the Schengen area in 2023. A Croatian residence permit lets you live in Croatia, and the general Schengen rules for residence permit holders apply when you visit other Schengen countries. Short visits elsewhere are normally limited to 90 days in any 180-day period. Our guide to the Schengen 90/180 rule explains how the count works.
How Croatia compares with Spain and Portugal
Croatia sits between its two best-known southern European rivals on income, but it is shorter and simpler.
| Country | Minimum income, 2026 | Maximum stay | Tax angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Croatia | €3,622.50 a month | 18 months | Qualifying work income exempt from Croatian income tax |
| Spain | About €2,849 a month (200% of the minimum wage) | Visa up to 1 year, then residence for up to 3 years, renewable | Normal Spanish tax rules, with a special regime for some arrivals |
| Portugal | €3,680 a month (4 times the minimum wage) | Residence permit of 2 years, renewable for 3 | Normal Portuguese tax rules |
For details, see our guides to the Spain digital nomad visa and the Portugal D8 visa. Hungary’s program is another option in the region, covered in our guide to the Hungary White Card. For the full global picture, see digital nomad visas in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much income do I need for the Croatia digital nomad visa?
As of October 2026, at least €3,622.50 a month, which is 2.5 times the previous year’s average net salary. Instead of monthly income, you can show €43,470 in savings for a 12-month stay or €65,205 for 18 months. Each family member adds 10% of the average net salary.
Do digital nomads pay income tax in Croatia?
Croatia’s Income Tax Act lists income from employment or self-employment for a non-Croatian employer, earned under digital nomad status, as not subject to income tax. Other Croatian income and your home country’s tax rules are separate questions.
Can I extend the Croatian digital nomad permit?
You can apply for an extension at least 60 days before your permit expires, and the extension is granted for up to six months. After the permit ends, you must wait six months before a new digital nomad application.
Can I work for Croatian clients as a digital nomad?
No. The ministry’s definition excludes work for, or services to, employers in Croatia.
Can I apply from inside Croatia?
Yes, if your nationality does not need a visa for Croatia and you are legally present. You can apply online or at the competent police station. Visa-required nationals must apply at a Croatian embassy or consulate.
Important: This article is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Rules change often and depend on your personal circumstances. Speak with a qualified professional in each relevant country before you act.