Visa to Croatia

Until 2013, Russian citizens could travel to Croatia without a visa. But now an entry permit must be obtained not only for Russians, but also for residents of all CIS countries, except for Ukraine.

What are the Croatian visas

Since 2014, you can only come to Croatia with a Schengen visa. Although the country is a member of the EU, it is not included in the Schengen zone. However, holders of multi-Schengen, Bulgarian, Romanian and Cypriot visas do not need a Croatian permit.

Short term visas:

• Tourist;
• Private;
• Business;
• Guest;
• Transit.

Entry on a visa with a tourist, private, business, transit purpose makes it possible to stay on the territory of Croatia 90 days out of 180but does not grant a work permit or long-term training.

By the way. In addition to tourist, Croatia opens business and study visas. Grants permission to visit relatives and receive medical treatment. In addition, there is a transit permit option.

Visas can also be long-term: for one, two or more visits. This:

• Educational;
• Working;
• For treatment.

Travelers are allowed visa-free transit, but only if the following requirements are met:

• Both arrival and departure to a third country were carried out at the Zagreb airport;
• Docking time is no more than 48 hours.

In all other cases, it is necessary to obtain a transit visa.

Design methods

A Russian can obtain a visa in three ways.

1. Self-registration at the embassy;
2. Visiting the Visa Application Center;
3. Contacting a travel agency.

A Belarusian, a Kazakhstani and a citizen of another CIS country can apply to a visa center or travel agency, since Croatia does not have embassies in most of these countries. Only the Honorary Consulate is located in Belarus, which does not deal with visa issues. But concurrently, the embassy in Moscow works on visa issues for Belarus and Kazakhstan.

In theory, citizens of these states can come to the capital of Russia to apply for a visa. In fact, they have Croatian visa centers operating.

By the way. There is a Croatian embassy in Ukraine, but citizens of this republic do not need a visa to Croatia. They can enter without any permits if they have a biometric passport.

Croatian Embassy in Ukraine: ua.mfa.hr/ua

Where to contact

When self-obtaining a visa, citizens of the Russian Federation most often (if there is a geographical opportunity) go to the embassy.

Table. Places of submission of documents

Place of appeal	Explanations
Embassy	Its official website: ru.mvep.hr Address: Moscow, st. Ostozhenka 23, telephone number +7 (495) 785 39 49. The consular department works from 09:00 to 17:00, but only from Monday to Thursday, from 9:30 to 13:00, visa issues of citizens are resolved.
Visa Center	Visa centers besides Moscow are located in 17 Russian cities. List of Croatian Visa Application Centers in Russia: ru.mvep.hr In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the address of the center is Almaty, st. Timiryazeva 28B, tel. +77172788142. In Belarus, the address of the center is: Minsk, st. Railway 33, tel: +375173880244.
Travel agency	Travel agencies can submit passports of applicants, but only if they are from the accredited list posted on the embassy's website.

Important! You can submit documents to the visa center and consulate only in person. Reception by power of attorney from third parties is not conducted.

List of documents

Consists of only three points. Plus, the visa fee must be paid by the time of submission.

Table. Documents for a visa:

Document type	Requirements
The passport	The most important document for obtaining a visa stamp that allows you to cross the borders of Croatia is a passport. For Russian and Ukrainian citizens, it is foreign. For residents of other countries, for example Belarus, a single identity document. It must be valid, with a three-month supply after the expiration of the visa. And also issued within the last ten years. There are two blank pages in the passport in the "Visas" section.
The photo	You will need one photo, color, measuring 3.5x4.5 cm. On the embassy's website, the parameters of the photo are described in great detail. Even the distance between the eyes is 10 mm and the size of the head is no more than 36 mm. The head is in the center. And all the standard requirements for hats, glasses, etc. are relevant.
Application form	It can be completed online crovisa.mvep.hr or printed.

Filling out an application

The questionnaire form, which will be completed online or printed, does not differ from one another. You can download a sample of filling out an application for a visa to Croatia at this link.

Important! The application must be submitted no earlier than 3 months before the trip. Otherwise, he and the documents for a visa will not be accepted for consideration.

The form is filled in with capital block letters in the Latin alphabet. All fields must be fully marked. The form is signed by the applicant personally in two places.

Additional documents

In addition to the exit passport, photo and questionnaire, the applicant must have other documents that are presented on demand or attached to the package for other types of visas:

• Confirmation of the traveler's finances by providing a bank statement (50 euros must be recorded on the account on the day of stay);
• Round-trip tickets or other evidence of guaranteed travel (car trip, sponsored trip);
• Student card if the applicant is a student;
• Pension certificate for pensioners;

• An invitation from relatives living in Croatia;
• Marriage certificate for those with a Croatian spouse;
• A work contract for workers or a business contract for businessmen;
• A certificate from a Croatian university for those who decided to go to study;
• Hotel reservation or apartment rental agreement to guarantee accommodation;
• Medical insurance as for Schengen, for a period not less than the period of the intended stay in the country.

Visa for children

If the trip is a family trip with children, you should take into account that you will have to apply for a separate visa for minor children.

To obtain it, they additionally provide:

• Child's birth certificate;
• The original of his passport;
• One parent must have a power of attorney for removal from the other;
• A traveler with a child (not a parent) must have a power of attorney for the removal of a minor from both parents.

Car ride

Many people prefer to travel around Croatia with their own car. For a successful and comfortable trip, you need to take care of the following documents.

• International driving license;
• Documents for the car (including a power of attorney if the car belongs to another person);
• "Green Card", which can be bought both in your own country and at the border;
• Medical insurance policy for the driver and all passengers.

Fingerprinting procedures

Taking fingerprints, biometric photos, medical examinations and other procedures prior to obtaining a visa in other EU countries, Croatia does not obligatory from foreign tourists.

Timing and readiness check

The minimum visa processing time is 3 days. But this is urgent, if there is no time to wait with the "last minute" tour or tickets. Usually, the decision on issuing a visa is made by the employees of the consulate within ten days. Two or three days need to be added for the delivery of documentation if the submission was carried out at a visa application center or an accredited travel company.

You can find out about the status of readiness on the website of the visa center with which the agreement has been concluded. To do this, the applicant is authorized in the system, indicating the number of the issued receipt and full name.

How to get a

A passport with a pasted-in visa can be collected by yourself at the consulate or visa center. It is possible to order courier delivery to your office or home. In Moscow, the service costs about 1500 rubles... and it turns out within a day.In the area, the rates are higher and the delivery time can be extended up to three days.

There are no sanctions for late receipt, but the passport is kept in the visa center for a month, then transferred to the embassy.

Price

A visa request requires payment of consular services in the amount of 35 euros for Russians in the usual time mode and 70 euros - urgent.

For residents of other countries, the cost of a Croatian visa is 60 euros. Urgent receipt is not provided (only in exceptional cases the decision is made by the consul).

The visa fee is not charged from the following categories of applicants:

• Relatives of Croatian citizens (spouses and children);
• Children under 12;
• Business trip participants with diplomatic passports;
• Teachers and students leaving for the purpose of teaching;
• Participants in programs that do not have a commercial component;
• Disabled persons and accompanying persons;
• Going for treatment;
• Relatives going to the funeral.

The duty in Moscow is paid according to a receipt taken from the embassy, ​​from Unicredit and Raiffeisenbank. If a visa is issued at the center, you can pay the cost there or at a tour company.

Important! If a questionnaire with documents is submitted to the VFS.Global Computing Center, an additional fee is charged from the applicant at 26 euros... Travel agencies charge arbitrary amounts that are indicated in their rates.

Dates and renewals

The visa is opened in the overwhelming majority of cases for the period specified in the tour voucher or invitation. But by this time the consulate adds 15 days... More 90 days from 180 a tourist will not be able to stay in Croatia, even if the visa is extended.

The extension can be carried out on Croatian territory upon the provision of evidence:

1. The occurrence of force majeure;
2. The emergence of humanitarian reasons;
3. Personal or objective serious reasons.

In the first two cases, there is no renewal fee. In the latter, it is 30 euros.

The visa is extended by the police before the expiration of the valid one. You will need:

• Medical insurance for an additional period of stay;
• Means for living;
• The presence of a place of residence.

If an extension is denied, an appeal can be made.

Refusal to receive

There are practically no refusals to Russians and residents of the CIS who travel for tourism purposes. Of course, if the tourist did not provide a photo, did not pay the fee, or provided a passport that expires in a month, the visa will not be issued. But if all the documents are in order, don't worry.

In the event of a refusal or cancellation of a visa, the reasons must be justified, and the applicant receives a decision on the form in person.

Within 15 days after that, if the applicant considers the decision to be incorrect, he can appeal (the language of the document is Croatian or English). Submission is carried out at the consulate and is subject to payment of a fee 34 euros... The review takes place within 60 days.

Reviews

Michael:A wonderful country, a loyal consulate, favorable conditions for obtaining a visa. A minimum of hassle and paperwork. We have been resting in Croatia for several years already. For the first time, they asked to present additional documents guaranteeing the return (we are a young family without children). It turned out that there were enough return tickets.

Anna:Traveled with a small child. Visas were opened through the visa center in Moscow in five days (tickets were purchased for the next date). They did not take money for the urgency. The husband is a freelancer. I'm on maternity leave. They presented a bank statement. No questions arose either at the center or at the consulate.

Croatia is a country with flexible visa policy. A national visa is required to visit it, but you can also use the Schengen visa. Obtaining a visa is not fraught with difficulties and obstacles. There are practically no refusals for tourists.