Croatia

1 programme · EUR · Croatian

Dubrovnik · red-roofed old town by the sea

Showing Croatia's requirements for Chinese citizens. Other passports:🇺🇸 US 🇬🇧 UK 🇿🇦 ZA 🇨🇦 CA 🇦🇺 AU 🇮🇳 IN 🇧🇷 BR All passports

Last updated July 2026Sources:mup.gov.hr,mup.gov.hr,citizenremote.com,fragomen.com

and 71 more

Digital Nomad Permit

Official nomad visa

What this visa gets you

Visa
Entry document
Temporary residency
2 years initially, up to 2 years total
Permanent residency
Not via this programme
Citizenship
Not via this programme

Nomads report that Split and Croatia generally are more expensive than expected, especially compared to Bulgaria, Romania, or Turkey. One user noted winter apartment prices were around $700/month in a decent location near Old Town, but warned summer prices can triple. Restaurants are described as touristy and not cheap, though not outrageous either.

Nomads report that Split and Croatia generally are more expensive than expected, especially compared to Bulgaria, Romania, or Turkey. One user noted winter apartment prices were around $700/month in a decent location near Old Town, but warned summer prices can triple. Restaurants are described as touristy and not cheap, though not outrageous either.
r/digitalnomad ↗
Community members report that locals in Croatia generally have no resentment toward remote workers, unlike sentiments seen toward expats in Portugal. However, several Croatian commenters note that integration is difficult without learning the language, and nomads tend to end up socialising mainly with other foreigners. One Russian nomad in Zagreb noted bureaucracy is slow but the overall vibe is relaxed.
r/croatia ↗

Anecdotal: what nomads report, not official guidance.

Income requirement: 3.622,50 EUR mjesecno (najmanje 2,5 prosjecne mjesecne neto isplacene place za prethodnu godinu); alternativno usteda od 43.470,00 EUR za 12 mjeseci ili 65.205,00 EUR za 18 mjeseci
Application fee: €56
Family allowed: Yes

Nomads report the application process is handled at the local police administration office — not purely online — and can involve many trips and long queues. One user described it as 'dozens of trips' and 'hours spent in line,' though experiences reportedly vary by region. Patience with bureaucracy is a recurring theme across multiple threads.

Nomads report the application process is handled at the local police administration office — not purely online — and can involve many trips and long queues. One user described it as 'dozens of trips' and 'hours spent in line,' though experiences reportedly vary by region. Patience with bureaucracy is a recurring theme across multiple threads.
r/expats ↗r/croatia ↗
Several users mention that health insurance is a required part of the application. One nomad reports using SafetyWing travel insurance to satisfy the requirement initially (describing it as cheap but limited), and later transitioning to a more comprehensive annual policy costing roughly $2,100 for the year once approved.
r/expats ↗

Anecdotal: what nomads report, not official guidance.

How do Chinese citizens apply for the Croatia Digital Nomad Permit?

Can Chinese citizens apply from inside Croatia?

Generally no: most applicants apply from outside Croatia before they travel.

The "fly in on a tourist stamp and convert" route is a widespread misconception and does not work for this visa. If you already hold legal residence in Croatia on another permit, different rules may apply, so confirm with the authorities.

How long does the Croatia Digital Nomad Permit really take for Chinese citizens?

12–22 weeks (≈ 3–5 months)

Police clearance (verified)1w
Apostille (typical)1w
Consular appointment (typical)4w
Processing 6–16w official6w
Post-arrival registration (typical)2w

Official processing: 6–16 weeks. The rest is doc gathering + waiting in a queue, none of which the consulate counts.

Avoid these

What do people get wrong about the Croatia Digital Nomad Permit?

The tourist-stamp convert myth. Flying to Croatia on a tourist stamp and converting it into the residence visa from inside the country is not possible for Digital Nomad Permit. Almost every application story that goes badly starts with this misconception.
Underestimating timing by a factor of 2–3. The "60-day processing" line is real, but it's only the consulate's processing window. The door-to-door reality includes police clearance, apostille, consular appointment lead, and post-arrival registration, so most applicants land between 4 and 7 months.
Skipping or mis-formatting the apostille. Apostille is the single most cited rejection reason. Every supporting document from your home country needs an apostille from the right authority, and they expire. Don't apostille more than 4 months before submission.

Documents

What Chinese applicants typically submit

Documents needing an apostille (Chinese authorities):

Notarial Certificate of No Criminal Record (无犯罪记录公证书) issued by a Chinese Notary Public Office. MUP requires the proof of non-conviction to be 'a legalised document', and Croatian mission checklists spell the chain out as police clearance plus apostille plus certified Croatian translation.
Notarial certificates of marriage and of birth where a spouse or children are included in the application

Worth knowing: Croatia has been issuing Schengen visas since 1 January 2023, and MVEP's own visa overview lists Chinese ordinary passports as visa-required (diplomatic and service passports are exempt, and Hong Kong and Macao SAR passports are exempt). That single fact reshapes the programme for you. The route everyone else describes, fly in on a visa-free 90 days and file at a police station in Split or Zagreb, is closed: MUP states that if a visa national submits the digital nomad application at a police administration or station, the application will be rejected. Your file goes to the Croatian Embassy in Beijing, the only Croatian mission covering mainland China, and only after temporary stay is granted do you apply for the Category D visa to enter. The Category D visa is issued for up to six months of validity but authorises a stay of only 30 days, so it is a door key: you enter, register your address within 3 days, and collect the biometric residence card that carries the actual 18 months. On paperwork, China's accession to the Apostille Convention on 7 November 2023 helps, and Croatia is on China's list with no objection, so one MFA or FAO stamp replaces the old consular legalisation, but the certificate still needs a sworn translation into Croatian or English and must be under 6 months old at filing. The programme's bar on Croatian employers and Croatian clients is rarely the binding constraint for a Chinese applicant; showing that a domestic Alipay, WeChat Pay and Chinese bank income trail meets EUR 3,622.50 a month in a form a case worker recognises usually is.

Tax

How is Digital Nomad Permit income taxed for Chinese citizens?

Foreign-source income earned from remote work is exempt from Croatian personal income tax for the duration of the digital nomad permit. This is a statutory exemption tied to the digital nomad status, not a special reduced-rate relocation regime. The exemption covers active remote work income; passive income (capital gains, rents, dividends, pensions) and any Croatian-source income are not covered. Time on this permit does not count toward Croatian tax residency automatically, but living more than 183 days or forming a centre of vital interests can trigger residency, which requires case-by-case analysis. Family members do not automatically receive the same exemption.

Tax treaty with ChineseYes

Social-security totalisationNo

Money, roughly (sourced)

Regime: Digital nomad status, foreign work income tax-exempt (Art. 9(1)(26) PITA), about 0% effective tax on €60k/yr.

DNV exemption is for foreign work income only and is tied to holding the permit (max 18 months, non-renewable); passive income, Croatian-source income, and full tax-resident worldwide liability fall outside it. The exemption does not require avoiding residency, but the 18-month cap effectively limits exposure.

Capital gains: 12%. Headline individual CG rate on disposal of financial assets is 12% (a local surtax/prirez component can apply via city). Gains are exempt if the asset is held more than 2 years from acquisition, or for assets acquired before 1 Jan 2016. CG is not subject to social security.

Living comfortably to well in Split runs about €1,500–€2,100/mo for one person, incl. rent. Roughly 10% more than the same living in Shanghai, which runs about ¥10,550/mo (≈ €1,365).

Estimate your take-home in the tax calculator →

Worth a specialist's time. A short call before you commit usually pays for itself, especially for US citizens (FEIE/FATCA), existing UK ties, or unwinding SA tax residency.

Community members warn that the widely-reported 'no income tax' framing is misleading. Nomads note that only foreign-sourced employment income is exempt — passive income like dividends is still taxable — and that applicants must still comply with tax obligations in their home country. The US–Croatia tax treaty (signed relatively recently) is flagged as relevant context for American nomads, though its practical implications are described as still being worked out.

Community members warn that the widely-reported 'no income tax' framing is misleading. Nomads note that only foreign-sourced employment income is exempt — passive income like dividends is still taxable — and that applicants must still comply with tax obligations in their home country. The US–Croatia tax treaty (signed relatively recently) is flagged as relevant context for American nomads, though its practical implications are described as still being worked out.
r/digitalnomad ↗r/croatia ↗

Anecdotal: what nomads report, not official guidance.

Recommended for your move

FAQ

Croatia Digital Nomad Permit: common questions

Can Chinese citizens get the Croatia Digital Nomad Permit?

Yes. The Digital Nomad Permit is open to Chinese passport holders as non-EU nationals. The main requirement is proof of income of at least €3,623 per month.

Can I apply for the Croatia Digital Nomad Permit from inside Croatia?

Generally no. Chinese applicants normally apply at the Croatia consulate responsible for their region before travelling. Note this is about converting a short tourist stay; if you already hold legal residence in Croatia on another permit, different rules may apply, so confirm with the authorities.

How long does the Croatia Digital Nomad Permit take for Chinese applicants?

Official processing is 6–16 weeks. Door-to-door, including police clearance, apostille, consular appointment lead time, and post-arrival registration, most Chinese applicants take about 6–16 weeks (roughly 1–4 months).

Do I need an apostille for the Croatia Digital Nomad Permit?

Yes. Supporting documents issued in China (such as your police clearance) must be apostilled by the competent China authority before submission. Apostilles can expire, so don't obtain them more than a few months ahead of applying.

How much does the Croatia Digital Nomad Permit cost?

The government application fee is about €56. The consular fee paid in China is approximately 734 CNY. Budget separately for police clearance, apostille (if required), translations, and required health insurance.

Can I bring my family on the Croatia Digital Nomad Permit?

Yes. Spouses and dependent children can generally be included as dependants, usually with a higher combined income requirement and their own supporting documents.

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Expatlas provides information for orientation only and is not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with official government sources and consult an immigration lawyer for your specific case.