COVID-19 travel restrictions for non-EU citizens in Croatia

1. Requirements for entry from EU and non-EU countries

With regard to persons traveling to Croatia, a Decision temporarily prohibiting and restricting persons from crossing all border points of Croatia has been adopted. However, in accordance with the guidelines of the competent authorities, some exceptions have been made.

Those exceptions also include third-country nationals, who are not family members of Schengen area nationals and Schengen associated states, traveling on business trips. They will be allowed (if they intend to stay in Croatia for longer than 12 hours) to enter Croatia upon presenting, inter alia, one of the following documents:

  • negative PCR test not older than 72 hours, or a rapid antigen test (provided that respective test is being recognised among EU member states) not older than 48 hours;
  • certificate (no older than 210 days) that they have received two doses of the vaccine, provided that 14 days have passed from the time they received the second dose or from the time they received the first dose if the vaccine is administered in a single dose (in case third-country nationals are coming directly from EU Member States, i.e. Schengen area and Schengen associated countries it is not mandatory for 14 days to pass when presenting a certificate that the person has received two doses of the vaccine);
  • certificate showing that they have recovered from COVID-19 and have received one dose of vaccine within six months from contracting the disease, provided that the vaccine was administered less than 210 days before their arrival at the border crossing point;
  • presentation of a positive PCR or rapid antigen test, confirming that the holder recovered from the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, which was performed within the previous 180 days, but is older than 11 days from the date of arrival at the border crossing point, or upon presentation of a medical certificate of recovery.

Furthermore, in case a person is coming directly from EU Member States, i.e. Schengen area and Schengen associated countries, in addition to above it is possible to enter Croatia in between 22 to 42 days from receiving one dose of Pfizer, Moderna or Gamaleya vaccine, i.e. 22 to 84 days from receiving one dose AstraZeneca.

2. Requirements for proof of vaccination

The form of those documents is not specified by any official document, but it has been confirmed to us unofficially by a competent authority that they can also be in a form of non-EU vaccination passport (equivalent to EUDCC), provided that one of the above stated grounds for the issuance thereof is visible from the vaccination passport.

With regard to vaccines, all vaccines “being used in EU” are accepted (at this moment: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Gamaleya, Sinopharm and Johnson & Johnson/ Janssen). However, some changes may occur shortly, since the above Decision is only in force until 30 June 2021. (It is expected that the rules mentioned here will be prolonged). Regarding EUDCC issuers / apps: in Croatia, a fully vaccinated person, a person who has recovered from COVID-19 or a person with a negative PCR or rapid antigen test can – under certain conditions - acquire an EUDCC either through the government-run e-Citizens portal, or through the office of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute. Currently, there is only one app that verifies EUDCC in Croatia. This app, CovidGo, has been developed by the Ministry of Health in Croatia.