Croatia Extends Digital Nomad Stay to 18 Months

Croatia has lengthened how long digital nomads can stay. Under the 2025 amendments to the Foreigners Act (gazette NN 40/2025, published 7 March 2025), the maximum stay for the temporary stay of digital nomads rises from 12 to 18 months.

What changed for the length of stay

The amended Article 61(1) sets the validity of the stay at up to 18 months, and one extension is possible within that window. Where the initial grant was for a shorter period, an extension of up to 6 months may be requested within 60 days before the stay expires, as long as the total stays inside the 18-month cap.

A new cooling-off rule also applies. Once a digital nomad stay expires, a 6-month period must pass before reapplying. The same 6-month wait applies after a stay held as a digital nomad’s family member or life partner (Article 57(4)).

Income and savings figures for 2026

The income requirement is tied to the average net salary in Croatia. For 2026, the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) states the threshold as EUR 3,622.50 per month, which is 2.5 times the previous year’s average monthly net salary. Income can come from salary, your own company, or freelance work for an employer that is not registered in Croatia.

Instead of monthly income, applicants can show savings. The figure is EUR 43,470 to cover a 12-month stay, or EUR 65,205 for an 18-month stay. Each accompanying family member, life partner, or informal life partner adds 10 percent of the average monthly net salary to the required amount.

Fees and what stays the same

When applying at a police administration in Croatia, the approval fee is EUR 46.45 (with separate administrative and biometric-card charges on top). Applications can be lodged online, at a Croatian diplomatic mission, or at a police administration, depending on whether your nationality is visa-required or visa-free.

The amendment did not change the core nature of the stay: work for Croatian employers remains excluded, and digital nomads are not registered in Croatia’s compulsory public health insurance, so a private or travel policy covering Croatia for the full stay is required. See our overview of health insurance for nomads in Croatia for what an eligible policy needs to cover.

For the full income, insurance, tax, and application requirements, plus the official MUP sources, see the Croatia digital nomad visa guide.