Note: Last update of this article occurred on December 15th.
On 30 November 2020, the Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia issued a Decision temporarily prohibiting, i.e. restricting the crossing of persons across all border crossing points of the Republic of Croatia in order to protect the population of the Republic of Croatia from the COVID-19 disease. However, in accordance with the guidelines of the competent authorities, some exceptions have been put in place.
1. Passengers travelling to the Republic of Croatia from an EU / EEA member state (regardless of their citizenship)
*Passengers coming directly from the countries and / or regions of the European Union, i.e. countries and / or regions which are Member States of the Schengen Area and Schengen Associated Countries, and which are currently in the so‑called green list of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, regardless of their citizenship, will be allowed entry into the Republic of Croatia under the same conditions as before the onset of the COVID-19 disease (they do not need to present a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 nor are they assigned the measure of self-isolation) if they show no signs of disease and they have not been in close contact with an infected person.
If the aforementioned persons transited to the border crossing points of the Republic of Croatia through other countries / regions without delay, they should prove at the border crossing point that they did not stay in transit areas and in that case, they will not be required to have a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 not older than 48 hours, nor stay in self-isolation.
Graphic representation of countries by colour according to the risk of the COVID-19 disease can be found on the website of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
*All other passengers who, regardless of their citizenship, come to the Republic of Croatia from EU / EEA member states / regions, and which are currently not on the so-called green list of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, must present a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 that is not older than 48 hours (counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point) or have the PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 done immediately upon arrival in the Republic of Croatia (at their own expense), with the obligation of self-isolation until they receive a negative test result.
*Exceptionally, the PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 is not obligatory for the following categories of passengers traveling from EU / EEA member states / regions on the so‑called red list:
- Workers or self-employed persons performing essential tasks, including healthcare workers, frontier and posted workers and seasonal workers as specified in the Guidelines concerning the exercise of the free movement of workers during COVID-19 outbreak, provided they do not stay in the Republic of Croatia or outside the Republic of Croatia for longer than 12 hours;
- Pupils, students and interns who travel abroad every day, provided that they do not stay in the Republic of Croatia or outside the Republic of Croatia for longer than 12 hours;
- Seafarers and workers in the transport sector or transport service providers, including heavy goods vehicle drivers transporting goods to be used in the national territory and those who only transit;
- Diplomats, staff of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations whose physical presence is necessary for the functioning of those organizations, military personnel and police officers, as well as humanitarian and civil protection personnel in the performance of their duties;
- Persons traveling for necessary family or business reasons, including journalists in the performance of their duties;
- Passengers in transit with the obligation to leave the Republic of Croatia within 12 hours from entry;
- Patients traveling for urgent health reasons.
The provisions regarding frontier workers apply adequately to other categories of passengers who, due to the nature of their job or occupation, need to cross the state border frequently (e.g. athletes playing for clubs in a neighbouring country).
2. Citizens of EU / EEA member states as well as members of their families traveling to the Republic of Croatia from third countries, i.e. those that are not members of the EU / EEA
Citizens of EU Member States (including Croatian citizens), i.e. of Schengen Member States and Schengen Associated States, as well as members of their families and third-country nationals who are long-term residents under Council Directive 2003/109/EC of 25 November 2003 concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents and persons entitled to reside under other EU directives or national law or who have national long-term visas coming from third countries, upon entering the Republic of Croatia must present a negative PCR testresult for SARS-CoV-2 that is not older than 48 hours regardless of their citizenship (counting from the time of taking the swab to arriving at the border crossing point) or have the PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 done immediately upon arrival in the Republic of Croatia (at their own expense), with the obligation of self-isolation until they receive a negative test result.
Exceptionally, for the abovementioned persons, a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 not older than 48 hours will not be obligatory at the border crossing point for healthcare workers, health researchers and caregivers for the elderly, frontier workers, workers in the transport sector, diplomats, staff of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations whose physical presence is necessary for the good functioning of those organizations, military personnel and police officers, as well as humanitarian and civil protection personnel in the performance of their duties, passengers in transit and persons travelling for schooling purposes.
3. Third-country nationals not covered by the abovementioned points
Third-country nationals not covered by the above-mentioned points may enter the Republic of Croatia from third countries if they are:
- Healthcare workers, health researchers and caregivers for the elderly;
- Frontier workers (as well as e.g. athletes as stated in the exceptions for passengers within the EU / EEA);
- Workers in the transport sector;
- Diplomats, staff of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations whose physical presence is necessary for the good functioning of those organizations, military personnel and police officers, as well as humanitarian and civil protection personnel in the performance of their duties;
- Passengers in transit;
- Persons travelling for schooling purposes;
- Seafarers (supported by the PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 not older than 48 hours or by PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 immediately upon arriving to the Republic of Croatia and by self-isolating until they receive a negative test result);
- Persons travelling for urgent personal / family reasons, business reasons or other economic interest (supported by the PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 not older than 48 hours or by PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 immediately upon arriving to the Republic of Croatia and by self-isolating until they receive a negative test result).
Passengers covered by Annex I to Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction
Passengers (regardless of their citizenship) coming from countries currently covered by Annex I to Council Recommendation (EU) 2020/912 on the temporary restriction on non-essential travel into the EU and the possible lifting of such restriction, namely Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Uruguay, China and special administrative regions of the People’s Republic of China – Hong Kong and Macao, do not have to present a negative test result for SARS-CoV-2 nor are they subject to self-isolation if they have not been in close contact with an infected person and show no signs of disease. During their stay in the Republic of Croatia, they are obliged to adhere to the general and special recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of Public Health. At the border crossing point, the aforementioned persons, who transited to the border crossing points of the Republic of Croatia through other countries / regions without delay, should prove that they did not stay in transit areas and in that case, they will not be required to have a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 not older than 48 hours nor stay in self-isolation.
In order to shorten the procedure at the border crossing point, we advise all foreign passengers, regardless of their citizenship, to fill the announcement in advance at Enter Croatia
General note: if the passenger’s validity of the PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 of 48 hours expired during the border control at the entrance to the Republic of Croatia or they do not have the PCR test at all and they meet other conditions of entry, they will be allowed to enter the Republic of Croatia, provided that they immediately get tested in the Republic of Croatia at their own expense, with the obligation to stay in self-isolation until they receive a negative test result.
Lifting the measure of self-isolation (imposed on the border crossing point) after the receipt of a negative PCR test result:
In such cases, passengers will receive a leaflet at the border crossing point with instructions on the actions to be taken after they receive a negative molecular PCR test result (rapid antigen tests or serological tests will not be accepted).
The leaflet will include an e-mail address of the border crossing point where the passenger was imposed the measure of self-isolation, to which he/she can send the negative test result obtained from the medical facility where the test was taken, so that the imposed measure can be lifted (removed).
Please note that passengers are obligated to take the test at the place of their temporary or permanent residence, where they have all of the necessary conditions for self-isolation until their negative PCR test result arrives.
Persons who have recovered from COVID-19 within the past three months are exempt from the obligation to provide a negative PCR test result and to self-isolate.
In order to prove their recovery, passengers need to have a positive PCR test result or antigen test result, or a positive neutralisation test (NT) result obtained within the last three months and older than 14 days, or a certificate of recovery issued by a doctor.
Persons who have a negative PCR test result made in the Republic of Croatia due to a short trip to our neighbouring or another country and return to the Republic of Croatia within less than 48 hours from the day of testing, i.e. within the period of test validity, will not be required to present a new PCR test from the country in which they have been staying for a short time, but will be allowed to enter upon presenting the test made in the Republic of Croatia.
When staying in the Republic of Croatia, all passengers, regardless of their category and country from which they came, are obliged to follow the general and special instructions and recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health.
More information can be found here
