Flag of Croatia

Croatia

Croatia is an EU member on the Adriatic, a crescent-shaped country whose long Dalmatian coast and more than a thousand islands face Italy across the sea, with Zagreb as its capital inland. Roman, Venetian and Habsburg history layered its walled towns, from Split, built into a Roman emperor's palace, to Dubrovnik. Since January 2023 it has been part of both the Schengen Area and the eurozone, so travellers enter on Schengen terms and pay in euros.

  • CapitalZagreb
  • CurrencyEUR €
  • TimezoneCET (UTC+1)
  • Population3.9M (2021)
  • Area56,594 km²
  • RegionEurope · Southern Europe
  • Phone code+385
  • Native nameHrvatska
  • Electricity230 V
  • Plug typesEuroplug · Schuko
  • Driving sideright
  • Internet domain.hr

Visa Requirements for Croatia

As of January 1, 2023, Croatia is a full member of the Schengen Area. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can enter with just a valid ID card or passport for unlimited stays. Citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and many other countries can enter visa-free for tourism or business stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The same Schengen rules now apply to Croatia. Those requiring Schengen visas should apply through Croatian embassies or consulates (or any Schengen country's mission), submitting completed application forms, passport photographs, travel itinerary, proof of accommodation, travel insurance meeting the Schengen minimum coverage (check the current threshold), proof of financial means, and purpose-specific documents. Croatia's integration into Schengen has eliminated border controls with neighboring Schengen countries.

Visa types

Up to 90 days within any 180-day period; applies to entire Schengen Area including Croatia; passport must be valid 3 months beyond departure.

For tourism, business, conferences, visiting friends/family for US, UK, Australia, Canada, and other eligible nationalities.

Guides

Croatia packs an extraordinary range into one long coastline, from Istria's hilltop towns in the north to Dubrovnik's walls near the Montenegrin border. Most trips run along that coast rather than across the country: Dubrovnik and Split anchor the south with islands a ferry ride offshore, while Zagreb and Plitvice sit inland. Because the coast connects by one highway and a separate ferry network, the order of the stops matters more than the list of them.

Croatia travel guide →

The full guide — the Adriatic counties, the lake country, ferry logic and the spine-and-branches route.

Money in Croatia →

Euros, cards and the seasonal swing — the practical money guide.

Eating in Croatia →

Pag cheese's salted grazing, peka's iron bell and pršut cured by the bura wind.

Getting around Croatia →

The coastal ferry network as the second road system, the one motorway spine and when driving wins.

Cities & planning

DubrovnikZagreb

Regions

Embassies & missions

Frequently asked questions

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can enter with just a valid ID card or passport for unlimited stays. Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and many other countries can enter visa-free for tourism or business for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Everyone else needs a Schengen visa.

It limits visa-free (or Schengen-visa) stays to a maximum of 90 days within any rolling 180-day period, and since Croatia's full Schengen accession in January 2023, it applies across the entire Schengen Area — time spent elsewhere in Schengen counts against the same 90 days.

Croatia adopted the Euro (EUR) on January 1, 2023, replacing the Croatian Kuna. Prices throughout the country are now quoted in Euros.

This overview comes from Visaja's worldwide missions database (visaja.com), checked against official government sources; for binding answers, the mission itself always has the final word.