Croatia Spouse of a resident

For the spouse or common law partner of a Croatian citizen, or of a third-country national with permanent stay, temporary stay, long-term residence or protection. It gives a temporary stay of up to two years on a biometric residence permit. ^{1 2 3 4}

What you must show and pay

• A fee of EUR 46.45 (≈ $52) · Administrative fee for temporary stay when the application is filed at a police administration or station. ²
• A fee of EUR 31.85 (≈ $36) · Production of the biometric residence permit (EUR59.73 (≈ $67) for the accelerated procedure); an additional EUR9.29 (≈ $10) is paid for its issuance. ²

Requirements

• Applicant is the spouse or common law partner of a Croatian national or of a qualifying third-country national. ¹
• The sponsor is a Croatian national, or a third-country national with permanent stay, temporary stay, long-term residence or protection. ¹
• A sponsor on a stay and work permit under Art. 97 must already have held temporary stay for two uninterrupted years. ³
• The two-year wait does not apply to a minor child whose parents (or single parent) hold such permits. ³
• Family reunification is not granted to families of seasonal workers, posted workers, service providers or other-purpose stays. ¹
• Applicant meets the general conditions for temporary stay: valid travel document, own funds, health insurance, no entry ban. ²
• Applicant has funds to support themselves and has health insurance. ²
• Extract from the marriage register as proof of marriage; family of Croatian nationals do not provide it as it is obtained ex officio. ¹
• A common law partner proves the partnership with a child's birth extract or proof of three years living together. ¹
• Proof of no final criminal conviction in the home country or country of residence for over a year, on a first application. ²
• Apply at a Croatian mission; visa-exempt nationals and family of Croatian citizens can apply at the police. ²
• Register the temporary residence address with the police within three days of entry. ²
• The stay is withdrawn if the spouses do not live in a real marriage or partnership. ²
• The permit lasts as long as the sponsor's permit, up to two years. ³
• The family member may work without a stay and work permit when the sponsor is a Croatian citizen, holds long-term residence, permanent stay or protection, or holds an EU Blue Card or intra-corporate transferee permit. ^{3 4}

Stay

• Temporary stay for up to two years, but not beyond the sponsor's own permit, issued as a biometric residence permit; the travel document must be valid at least 3 months beyond the permit.
• First stay: up to 24 months, decided case by case.

Nationality

Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.

Work

May work without a stay and work permit when the sponsor is a Croatian citizen, holds long-term residence, permanent stay, asylum or subsidiary protection, or holds an EU Blue Card or intra-corporate transferee permit.

Family

Minor children of the spouses and parents of a minor Croatian or settled child are also close family members.

Checked 2026-10-11

Official sources

1. Temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification · Ministry of the Interior of Croatia · checked 2026-10-11
2. Temporary stay of third-country nationals · Ministry of the Interior of Croatia · checked 2026-10-11
3. Aliens Act, consolidated text with euro amounts (NN 133/20, 114/22, 151/22, 40/25, 55/26), Article 113 · Zakon.hr (consolidated Narodne novine texts) · checked 2026-10-11
4. Work of third-country nationals · Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia · checked 2026-10-10
5. Long-term residence and permanent stay · Ministry of the Interior of Croatia · checked 2026-10-10