---
title: "Croatia Spouse of a resident requirements 2026: 2-year stay"
url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/family/
lang: en
updated: 2026-10-11
---

Croatia · Spouse visas

# Croatia Spouse of a resident

**First stay:** 2 yrs

Temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification (spouse or common law partner)

First checked against official sources on 11 Oct 2026 [Record corrected 11 Oct 2026](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/corrections/#change-hr-family) [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/)

- **First stay:** 2 yrs (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.)
- **Who can apply:** Most passports
- **Work:** Yes (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.)

## Key facts

Spouse of a resident is a spouse visas route for Croatia. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.

- **Government fees:** €46.45 ≈ $52 · €31.85 ≈ $36
- **First stay:** 2 yrs

## Cost, time and long term

**Government fees: €46.45 ≈ $52 · €31.85 ≈ $36**

- EUR 46.45 (≈ $52) Administrative fee for temporary stay when the application is filed at a police administration or station.
- 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.

**Renewal: Renewable**

Temporary stay lasts up to two years but not beyond the sponsor's own permit.

[Ministry of the Interior of Croatia](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/temporary-stay-for-the-purpose-of-family-reunification/281662?big=0)

**Permanent residence: After 5 years of residence**

Long-term residence requires 5 uninterrupted years of temporary stay before applying, plus Croatian language and Latin script knowledge. Absences must not exceed 10 months in total or 6 months at one time.

[Ministry of the Interior of Croatia](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/long-term-residence-and-permanent-stay/281682)

**Presence rules: Away max 6 months**

Long-term residence allows total absences of at most 10 months in the 5 years, and no single absence over 6 months.

[Ministry of the Interior of Croatia](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/long-term-residence-and-permanent-stay/281682)

## Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports

### What you'll need

#### Who can apply

- Applicant is the spouse or common law partner of a Croatian national or of a qualifying third-country national.
- The sponsor is a Croatian national, or a third-country national with permanent stay, temporary stay, long-term residence or protection.
- A sponsor on a stay and work permit under Art. 97 must already have held temporary stay for two uninterrupted years.
- The two-year wait does not apply to a minor child whose parents (or single parent) hold such permits.
- Family reunification is not granted to families of seasonal workers, posted workers, service providers or other-purpose stays.
- Applicant meets the general conditions for temporary stay: valid travel document, own funds, health insurance, no entry ban.
- Applicant has funds to support themselves and has health insurance.

#### 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.
- **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.

#### Documents

- Extract from the marriage register as proof of marriage; family of Croatian nationals do not provide it as it is obtained ex officio.
- A common law partner proves the partnership with a child's birth extract or proof of three years living together.
- Proof of no final criminal conviction in the home country or country of residence for over a year, on a first application.

#### Steps

1. Apply at a Croatian mission; visa-exempt nationals and family of Croatian citizens can apply at the police.

#### After you arrive

- Register the temporary residence address with the police within three days of entry.
- The stay is withdrawn if the spouses do not live in a real marriage or partnership.
- The permit lasts as long as the sponsor's permit, up to two years.
- 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.

## What happens at day 183

How Croatia decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

- **Stay on this route:** **Up to 2 years at first, renewable**
- **Tax residence:** - **At least 183 days in one or two calendar years** Owning an apartment or having one at disposal for at least 183 days in one or two calendar years establishes permanent residence for tax; actual stay is not required.
- **Foreign-source income:** Worldwide income of tax residents; Croatian-source income of non-residents.

[All tax rules for Croatia](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/tax/) Tax records checked 12 Oct 2026

**Full official text**

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. (sources 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. (source 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. (source 2)

#### Requirements

- Applicant is the spouse or common law partner of a Croatian national or of a qualifying third-country national. (source 1)
- The sponsor is a Croatian national, or a third-country national with permanent stay, temporary stay, long-term residence or protection. (source 1)
- A sponsor on a stay and work permit under Art. 97 must already have held temporary stay for two uninterrupted years. (source 3)
- The two-year wait does not apply to a minor child whose parents (or single parent) hold such permits. (source 3)
- Family reunification is not granted to families of seasonal workers, posted workers, service providers or other-purpose stays. (source 1)
- Applicant meets the general conditions for temporary stay: valid travel document, own funds, health insurance, no entry ban. (source 2)
- Applicant has funds to support themselves and has health insurance. (source 2)
- Extract from the marriage register as proof of marriage; family of Croatian nationals do not provide it as it is obtained ex officio. (source 1)
- A common law partner proves the partnership with a child's birth extract or proof of three years living together. (source 1)
- Proof of no final criminal conviction in the home country or country of residence for over a year, on a first application. (source 2)
- Apply at a Croatian mission; visa-exempt nationals and family of Croatian citizens can apply at the police. (source 2)
- Register the temporary residence address with the police within three days of entry. (source 2)
- The stay is withdrawn if the spouses do not live in a real marriage or partnership. (source 2)
- The permit lasts as long as the sponsor's permit, up to two years. (source 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. (sources 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](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/temporary-stay-for-the-purpose-of-family-reunification/281662?big=0) · Ministry of the Interior of Croatia · checked 2026-10-11
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. [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
4. [Work of third-country nationals](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/work-of-third-country-nationals/281663) · Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia · checked 2026-10-10
5. [Long-term residence and permanent stay](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/long-term-residence-and-permanent-stay/281682) · Ministry of the Interior of Croatia · checked 2026-10-10

## Spouse of a resident and its alternatives

| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Spouse of a resident | – | 2 yr | Yes |
| [Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/portugal/spouse-of-citizen/) Portugal | – | – | – |
| [Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/spain/family-reunification/) Spain | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes |
| [Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/georgia/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| [Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/italy/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) Italy | Needs income of €11k+ a year ≈ $12k | – | Yes |

## Questions people ask

### How much money do I need for the Spouse of a resident?

A fee of EUR 46.45 (≈ $52). Administrative fee for temporary stay when the application is filed at a police administration or station. 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.

### How long can I stay on the Spouse of a resident?

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.

### Can I work on the Spouse of a resident?

Yes. 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.

### Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a resident?

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

### Who can apply for the Spouse of a resident?

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.

### Does the Spouse of a resident lead to permanent residence in Croatia?

Time on the Spouse of a resident counts toward permanent residence in Croatia, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence.

### How are Spouse of a resident holders taxed in Croatia?

No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a resident. The standard rules apply: Income tax is set by local authorities at 15-23% up to EUR 60,000 (≈ $67,000) a year and 25-33% above (20% and 30% where no local decision exists); 23% and 33% are the Zagreb maximum, and municipalities, towns and large cities have lower caps.

## More in Croatia

[Digital nomad stay](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/digital-nomad/) [Own-company owner permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/own-company-51pct/) [Blue Card](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/blue-card/) [Work permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/work-permit/) [Researcher permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/researcher-art74/) [Student stay](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/study/) [Croatian citizenship for emigrant descendants](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/citizenship-emigrant-descendants/) [Graduate job search](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/croatia/graduate-job-search-art76/)

## Spouse and partner visas elsewhere

[🇬🇷 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/greece/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇫🇷 Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/france/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) [🇬🇧 Fiancé visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-kingdom/fiance-visa/) [🇳🇱 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/netherlands/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇨🇾 Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/cyprus/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) [🇦🇱 Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/albania/spouse-of-permanent-resident/)

≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

## How this was checked

**Checked on 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources.** Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

1. [Temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/temporary-stay-for-the-purpose-of-family-reunification/281662?big=0) · Ministry of the Interior of Croatia · checked 2026-10-11
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. [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
4. [Work of third-country nationals](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/work-of-third-country-nationals/281663) · Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia · checked 2026-10-10
5. [Long-term residence and permanent stay](https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/long-term-residence-and-permanent-stay/281682) · Ministry of the Interior of Croatia · checked 2026-10-10

Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.