--- title: "Malta Nomad Residence Permit vs Croatia Digital nomad stay" url: https://settleanywhere.com/compare/malta-nomad-residence-permit-vs-croatia-digital-nomad/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- Head to head # Malta Nomad Residence Permit vs Croatia Digital nomad stay Two remote-work routes side by side: money, stay, family, fees and tax, from the official sources. The official authority decides every application. ## Key differences - **Money** Malta Nomad Residence Permit asks for income of €42k+ a year ≈ $47k; Croatia Digital nomad stay for income of €3,623+ a month ≈ $4,050. The two figures cover different periods. - **First stay** The first stay is 1 yr on Malta Nomad Residence Permit and 1 yr 6 mo on Croatia Digital nomad stay. - **Renewal** Malta Nomad Residence Permit: renewable, 4 years max. Croatia Digital nomad stay: renewable, 18 months max. - **Work** Remote only on both. - **Government fees** The first government fee listed is €300 ≈ $340 for Malta Nomad Residence Permit and €55.74 ≈ $62 for Croatia Digital nomad stay; the table lists every fee. ## Side by side | | Malta [Nomad Residence Permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/malta/nomad-residence-permit/) | Croatia [Digital nomad stay](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/digital-nomad/) | | --- | --- | --- | | **Country:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit [Malta](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/malta/) | *2* Digital nomad stay [Croatia](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/) | | **Type:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit Nomad / Remote work | *2* Digital nomad stay Nomad / Remote work | | **Money needed:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **Needs income of €42k+ a year ≈ $47k** | *2* Digital nomad stay **Needs income of €3,623+ a month ≈ $4,050** | | **First stay:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **1 yr** | *2* Digital nomad stay **1 yr 6 mo** | | **Renewal:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **Renewable, 4 years max** Details The permit lasts one year and can be renewed three times, up to four years in total, if you lived in Malta at least 5 cumulative months in the previous 12. [Residency Malta Agency, Government of Malta](https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/new-faqs/) | *2* Digital nomad stay **Renewable, 18 months max** Details Temporary stay of up to 18 months; if granted for less, one extension of up to 6 months can be requested at least 60 days before expiry, and a new application is possible 6 months after expiry. [Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/temporary-stay-of-digital-nomads/286833) | | **Work:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **Remote only** Details Remote work for foreign employers or clients only; no local employment. | *2* Digital nomad stay **Remote only** Details Remote work for foreign employers or clients only; no local employment. | | **Government fees:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **€300 ≈ $340** Details €300 ≈ $340 Non-refundable application fee per person; EUR 100 (≈ $110) per person for the residence card issued by Identita. | *2* Digital nomad stay **€55.74 ≈ $62** Details €55.74 ≈ $62 Fee for granting temporary stay when the application is filed at a consulate (EUR 93.00 (≈ $100) more for the D visa and EUR 41.14 (≈ $46) for the residence card). Filed at a police administration or station in Croatia the fee is EUR 46.45 (≈ $52), plus EUR 31.85 (≈ $36) for the biometric residence card (EUR 59.73 (≈ $67) in the accelerated procedure) and a EUR 9.29 (≈ $10) administrative fee. | | **Permanent residence:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **Time here doesn't count** Details The Nomad Residence Permit does not lead to long-term residence. [Residency Malta Agency, Government of Malta](https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/new-faqs/) | *2* Digital nomad stay | | **Citizenship:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **Time here doesn't count** Details Time on the Nomad Residence Permit does not count toward citizenship. [Residency Malta Agency, Government of Malta](https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/new-faqs/) | *2* Digital nomad stay | | **Processing:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **30 working days** Details Processing is expected to take 30 working days from receipt of the fee, and cards take 3 to 4 weeks to issue after approval. [Residency Malta Agency, Government of Malta](https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/new-faqs/) | *2* Digital nomad stay | | **Where to apply:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **Abroad or in-country** Details Apply online from abroad or from Malta; if you are already in Malta on a valid visa covering 30 days or more, no separate entry visa is needed. [Residency Malta Agency, Government of Malta](https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/new-faqs/) | *2* Digital nomad stay **Abroad or in-country** Details Apply at a Croatian embassy or consulate if you need a visa to enter; if you do not, apply in person at the police station for your intended residence or online. [Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/temporary-stay-of-digital-nomads/286833) | | **Employer needed:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **No** | *2* Digital nomad stay **No** | | **Tax residence test:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit | *2* Digital nomad stay **At least 183 days (one or two calendar years)** This route allows up to 1 yr 6 mo in total. | | **Foreign-source income:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit **Remittance basis (non-dom)** Details For a person who is not ordinarily resident or not domiciled in Malta, income arising outside Malta is taxed only on the amount received in Malta and capital gains arising outside Malta are not taxed; Maltese-source income is taxed normally. | *2* Digital nomad stay Worldwide income of tax residents; Croatian-source income of non-residents. | | **Tax note:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit [10% tax · Nomad Residence Permit authorised-work income tax rules](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/malta/tax/) | *2* Digital nomad stay [Tax relief · Income tax exemption for digital nomads](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/tax/) | | **Official source:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit [Residency Malta Agency, Government of Malta](https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/new-faqs/) | *2* Digital nomad stay [Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/temporary-stay-of-digital-nomads/286833) | | **Checked against official sources:** | *1* Nomad Residence Permit First checked 11 Oct 2026 | *2* Digital nomad stay 12 Oct 2026 | ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. **Official sources** ### Malta Nomad Residence Permit 1. [New FAQs – Nomad Residence Permit (updated 17 April 2026)](https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/new-faqs/) · Residency Malta Agency, Government of Malta · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Nomad Residence Permits (Income Tax) Rules S.L. 123.210: Guidelines (12 March 2026)](https://mtca.gov.mt/docs/default-source/documents/personal-tax/legal-and-technical/guidelines/nomad-guidelines---12-03-2026.pdf?sfvrsn=f0cc9971_6) · Malta Tax and Customs Administration · checked 2026-10-10 3. [EU member countries — current official 27-country list](https://european-union.europa.eu/easy-read_en) · European Union · checked 2026-10-10 4. [EFTA members and EEA/EFTA membership distinction](https://www.efta.int/eea-relations-eu/eea-institutions-two-pillar-structure/eea-efta-states) · European Free Trade Association · checked 2026-10-10 5. [The European Free Trade Association and its four member states](https://www.efta.int/about-efta/european-free-trade-association) · European Free Trade Association · checked 2026-10-10 ### Croatia Digital nomad stay 1. [Digital nomads — Ministry of the Interior](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/temporary-stay-of-digital-nomads/286833) · Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Temporary stay of third-country nationals](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/temporary-stay-of-third-country-nationals/281661) · Ministry of the Interior of Croatia · checked 2026-10-11 3. [General information on income: income not subject to income tax, rates and bands](https://porezna-uprava.gov.hr/en/opcenito-o-dohotku/4774) · Tax Administration of Croatia · checked 2026-10-11 4. [Aliens Act, consolidated text with euro amounts (NN 133/20, 114/22, 151/22, 40/25, 55/26), Article 113](https://www.zakon.hr/z/142/Zakon-o-strancima) · Zakon.hr (consolidated Narodne novine texts) · checked 2026-10-11 ## More head-to-heads