Long-Term Residence (Dugotrajno boravište)

To apply for dugotrajno boravište (long-term residence), you must submit your application in person at the local Policijska uprava (Police Administration) or Policijska postaja (Police Station) responsible for the area where you live. This status is available to third-country nationals who have lived in Croatia for a continuous period of five years.

Step 1: Verify Your "Continuous Stay"

Before applying, you must ensure you meet the five-year residency requirement. Your five-year clock starts from the start date of your first temporary residence permit. To qualify, your absences from Croatia must not exceed:

• 6 months in a single trip.
• 10 months total over the entire five-year period.

Note on counting time: If you held a student residence permit, only 50% of that time counts toward the five years. Time spent on a "digital nomad" permit or as a seasonal worker generally does not count toward this requirement.

Step 2: Pass the Language Exam

Unless you are exempt, you must prove you can speak the Croatian language and use the Latin script. You should book an exam at an authorized institution, such as the Filozofski fakultet (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) in Zagreb, Split, Osijek, or Rijeka.

• Exemptions: You do not need the exam if you are under 15, over 65 (and unemployed), or if you completed primary, secondary, or higher education in Croatia.

Step 3: Gather Your Documents

Prepare the following documents. Any document not in Croatian must be translated by a stalni sudski tumač (court interpreter).

• Form 1a: The official application form, available at the police station.
• Valid Passport: Must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned stay.
• Proof of Funds: Bank statements, employment contracts, or pension slips from the previous year showing you can support yourself.
• Health Insurance: A certificate from HZZO (Croatian Health Insurance Fund).
• Criminal Record Check: An official certificate from your home country (and any country you lived in during the last 5 years) proving you have no criminal convictions.
• Proof of Housing: A registered rental contract or a vlasnički list (title deed) if you own property.
• Language Certificate: The certificate received after passing your exam.

Step 4: Submit the Application

Visit your local police station to hand in your file. An official may conduct an interview with you at this time to verify your details. Once submitted, your file is sent for a mandatory security background check by the SOA (Security and Intelligence Agency).

Step 5: Receive the Decision and ID Card

If approved, you will receive a written decision. You must then return to the police station to apply for your biometric residence card. You will need to provide a photo and have your fingerprints scanned.

Item	Cost
Administrative Fee for Decision	€83.62
Biometric Residence Card (Regular)	€31.85
Croatian Language Exam	€100.00 – €200.00

Total Estimated Cost: Approximately €215.47 – €315.47. This does not include costs for court interpreters (translations), apostilles, or passport-sized photos for the ID card.

• Official Decision Window: The Ministry is legally required to reach a decision within 6 months.
• Real-World Timeline: Due to administrative backlogs and security checks, expect the process to take between 6 and 18 months.
• Document Validity: Most supporting documents (like criminal record checks and bank statements) should not be older than 6 months at the time of submission.
• Card Validity: While your long-term residence status is permanent, the physical biometric card must be renewed every 5 or 10 years.

Important Note: If your current temporary residence permit expires while your application is being processed, you are allowed to remain in Croatia legally, provided you submitted your long-term residence application before your previous permit expired.