Croatia Schengen Visa

For individuals planning to travel to Croatia, a few questions may pop up like “Can I go to Croatia with a Schengen visa?” or “Does Schengen visa cover Croatia”. While the answer is a ‘no’ at the moment, that is expected to change from January 2023 onwards, with Croatia being set to be officially declared as a part of the Schengen zone.

Coming back to the current scenario, despite being a non-Schengen country, the visa eligibility and requirements for Croatia are almost the same as those of the Schengen countries. This is also relevant for travellers from the UAE, considering the visa-free entry arrangements and more.

Do You Need Schengen Visa for Croatia?

Individuals travelling to Croatia from the UAE for less than 90 days in a 180-day period don’t require a visa to enter the country, owing to the visa-free agreement between the two countries. However, those who wish to stay for more than 90 days or those who live in the UAE but are nationals of a country that doesn’t have a visa-free arrangement with Croatia must obtain a short-stay visa or a long-stay visa as per their requirements.

Requirements to Apply for Croatia Schengen Visa

In order to proceed with your Croatia visa application process, make sure you have all the following documents –

• Visa application form: Correctly fill out the Croatia application form without making any mistakes and sign it at the end
• Original valid passport: Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you arrive in the UAE. Moreover, you should make sure that your passport has at least 3 blank pages.
• Photographs: Individuals must have two exact passport-sized photographs that are not older than 3 months
• travel insurance documents: If you need a Croatia visa to visit the region, you would need to get your trip secured with a travel insurance policy and would need to present its documents. The requirements, similar to Schengen travel insurance requirements, would be discussed later here.
• Cover letter: This type of document must contain all the necessary information regarding your purpose of visit to Croatia, your flight and accommodation details, and more.
• Travel itinerary: It is fundamentally a document consisting of your flight details. Make sure that the exact date and time of your flight arrival in Croatia from the UAE and back are mentioned clearly.
• Valid proof of financial support: Keep your past 3 or 6 months’ bank statements handy to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay in Croatia.
• Documented proof of accommodation: You must present an official document containing details regarding your accommodation. This can have details of the hotel, hostel, rental apartment, or even the residential address of the host inviting you to the country.
• Employment status proof: Individuals must have proof of their current employment status. The requirements for different categories of employment are as follows -

For salaried individuals

• Employment contract
• Leave permission from the current employer
• Your bank account statement for the previous six months 

For self-employed individuals

• A valid copy of the business licence
• Past six months’ bank account statements of the company 

Apart from the essential documents mentioned above, you would need to carry some extra documents as per your purpose of visit to the country. For these documents, you can check out the points below:

For Minors for Croatia Schengen visa

• Minor’s birth certificate
• A document of family court order: in case one of the guardians has full child custody
• Croatia visa application form with both parents’ signatures
• Valid copies of passport or other ID of both parents
• A notarized parental authorisation: in case the minor is travelling alone

For Students for Croatia Schengen Visa

• An enrolment certificate from the university or school the student will attend
• A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the enrolled university or school in Croatia
• An official internship agreement (if applicable) 

For Croatia Schengen Visa for Visitors

An invitation proof, i.e., a valid document stating that the applicant has been invited to the Schengen country by their friends or relatives would be required. Such documents can be any of the following –

• An invitation letter signed by the person residing in Croatia
• A valid copy of any ID card or passport of the host

For Croatia Schengen Visa for Business and Work Purposes

• An invitation letter from the concerned Croatian organisation with the detailed address, contact number, and visiting dates
• A certificate from your employer mentioning the purpose of your visit
• A valid ID of the inviter and/or their signature on the invitation letter 

For Croatia Schengen Visa for Medical Purposes

• A medical report assigned from the hospital in your home country mentioning your requirement for medical treatment in Croatia
• A valid confirmation report from the hospital in Croatia related to your appointment 

For Croatia Schengen Visa for Culture, Religious, and Sports Events

• Event details – invitation letter, tickets, and details of the event
• Documents of past participation in festivals, events, sports, and others 

For Croatia Schengen Visa for Official Delegations Members

• Official copy of the invitation
• Verbal note from the official authority in your home country stating that you are a member of its delegation  

How to Apply for Schengen Visa for Croatia?

You can refer to the set of instructions mentioned below to understand the process of applying for a visa to Croatia from the UAE –

• Choose the type of visa you wish to avail of depending on your purpose of visit to the country and the duration of your stay in Croatia
• Figure out different visa application modes available in UAE to travel to the country. You may apply at the Croatian embassy in the UAE, an authorised visa centre, or a consulate. In the UAE, you can apply for a Croatia visa via VFS Global.
• Get a visa application from the respective visa authority, i.e., a visa centre, embassy, or consulate. You can also download the form and print it from the official visa authority website.
• Fill out the visa application form slowly and carefully and make sure that you don’t miss out on any section of the form or enter incorrect details
• Keep all the essential documents handy and organise them systematically
• Schedule your Croatia visa interview by selecting a convenient date and time slot, and pay the application fees
• Attend the interview as per the chosen time and date and submit your Croatia visa application form along with the necessary documents
• After you complete all these steps, wait for the Croatia Schengen visa processing. Once your visa application gets reviewed, the concerned visa authority will notify you whether your visa has been approved to Croatia from the UAE.

Do I Need Travel Insurance for Croatia Schengen Visa?

As mentioned above, it is mandatory to get travel insurance when travelling to Croatia from the UAE with a visa. As per the guidelines, individuals must obtain a travel insurance plan of at least EUR 30,000 medical coverage.

Besides compliance with regulations, a travel insurance plan also ensures the utmost financial security while travelling to another country. With a Croatia travel insurance plan, you can get the following coverages –

• Emergency medical expenses: Injuries, accidents, or illnesses are always possible while you are on a trip. Getting medical treatment for them can lead to significant expenses, especially when you are in another country. In such a circumstance, claiming your travel insurance proves to be beneficial as your provider can cover all your treatment costs. 
• Personal liability cover: If you are responsible for any loss to a third party during your trip to Croatia, your insurance company can help you fulfil third-party compensation obligations and cover your legal fees, if required.
• Trip curtailment or trip cancellation: If an emergency arises during your trip, you may have to cut short or even cancel it. In such cases, the travel insurance company can reimburse the non-refundable amount to you.
• Loss of personal belongings: Personal belongings like luggage, ID proofs, and others can get stolen or lost while you are on the trip. However, if you file a claim for your travel insurance, your insurance company can provide you with financial support in such cases. Using this, you can get the duplicate copies of the lost documents or replacement items.
• Delayed/cancelled flight: If your flight may get delayed or cancelled due to any reason, you may incur considerable financial losses. Filing a claim for your travel insurance here will not only reimburse the non-refundable amount but get you temporary accommodation as well.
• COVID-19 coverage: Most insurance companies nowadays include COVID-19 coverage under travel insurance plans. So if you suffer from the disease and need medication, treatment, quarantine facility, and more, your insurance provider can cover the costs of all these services.

Types of travel insurance plans available when travelling to Croatia from the UAE:

• Single-Trip Travel Insurance: Single-trip travel insurance covers only one trip to Croatia, with the plan expiring after the end of the trip or its validity period. Obtaining another travel insurance plan is necessary if the policyholder wishes to make any further trips to the country. Single-trip travel insurance is chiefly preferred by individuals who travel to the country once or twice a year.
• Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance: By opting for annual multi-trip travel insurance, you can get all the trips to Croatia made in a year covered. If you are a frequent traveller and often visit Croatia, it is advisable to select this type of travel insurance plan.

Note that the coverages and plans offered by providers for both travel insurance types are the same.

Processing Time for the Schengen Visa

The usual processing time for a short-stay Croatia visa is 15 days, whereas a long-stay Croatia visa application may take around a month to get processed. However, various aspects such as errors in applications, criminal records, a high number of applications received, and others can affect your visa application processing duration. In such circumstances, processing may take up to 45 to 60 days.

When Should You Apply for Schengen Visa to Croatia?

The most suitable time to apply for a short-stay visa to Croatia is 1 month prior to the date of the journey. However, individuals can also start their applications 3 months before their travel date. It must be remembered that the last day to submit a visa application for Croatia is 15 days prior to the departure from the UAE.

Schengen Visa to Croatia Fees

The following table lists the fees required for different categories of travellers travelling to Croatia –

Croatia Visa Travellers	Fees Required (In Euros)
Adults	80
Children in the age group of 6-12 years	40
Children aged below 6 years	Free

How Long is Your Croatia Schengen Visa Valid?

As discussed earlier, Croatia has identical visa rules to Schengen countries despite being a non-Schengen country. So even after it officially becomes a Schengen country, there would not be any significant changes in the validity of the Croatian visa.

As per the existing guidelines, the validity of the Croatia visa depends on the type of visa you have –

Type C Croatia Visa

This type of visa, allowing a stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period in Croatia, is further categorised into 3 sections:

• Single entry visa: Individuals with a single entry visa can arrive and depart from the country only once. If they wish to travel again, they would need to apply for a fresh visa.
• Double entry visa: With a double entry visa, travellers can enter and exit Croatia twice, after which their visa will expire.
• Multiple entry visa: The multiple entry visa allows individuals to enter and exit the country as many times as they wish within the visa validity period. It must be noted that the 90-day rule would still apply with this visa. 

Type D Croatia Visa

As the name suggests, these visas are for individuals looking for a stay of more than 90 days in Croatia. They are generally obtained by students or professionals planning a prolonged stay in the country.

Is it Possible to Extend a Croatia Visa?

If you plan to stay in Croatia for more than the specified duration, you may apply for a long-stay visa and a Croatian residence permit. However, the question arises whether or not it is allowed to extend a Croatian visa. Although it is possible to do so, visa authorities would need a valid reason to grant you a long-stay visa.

Enlisted below are some cases under which you might be able to apply for a visa extension -

Humanitarian reasons

• A critical and valid personal reason
• An unusual situation during your stay in Croatia in which something happens in your home country and you are prone to danger if you go back

In order to extend your stay, you need the following documents -

• Croatia visa application form
• Valid proof of financial support
• Valid proof of health insurance covering your visa extension duration
• Valid passport
• A document explaining your purpose for visa extension in Croatia

Key Takeaways

While Croatia is set to be a part of the Schengen region from next year onwards, its current visa eligibility and requirements are mostly the same as Schengen countries. The Croatia visa application process is quite convenient and can be completed without facing any major hassles. However, keep in mind to fill out the visa application correctly and arrange all the essential documents per the guidelines of the concerned visa authority. Travel insurance documents are one of the mandated documents to be presented to obtain a Croatia visa.

Selecting the best travel insurance for Croatia can be difficult and confusing, considering the large number of options out there. This difficulty can be avoided by getting Croatia travel insurance from our website policybazaar.ae. You can find a wide range of travel insurance products on our platform as per your requirements. With just a few clicks, you can access our quotes page, compare all the available plans, and proceed with the application process.

If you come across any issue while selecting or buying the insurance plan, feel free to connect with our customer support team which is available round the clock to assist you. You can get in touch with us by calling 042472904 or dropping a mail at communication@policybazaar.ae.

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