Travelling to Croatia in 2021: coronavirus update

Although tourism in Croatia started to recover, the new touristic season 2021 doesn’t look promising.

We will try to keep you updated about latest information regarding travelling to Croatia in 2021.

The newest information on July 16th 2021: there have been 131  new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. There are 112 people are in hospitals. Currently there are 685 active cases.

Croatia is open to tourists, but there are several restictions and safety measures that need to be followed.

You can find a chart that represents EU countries by color according to the risk of the COVID-19 disease on the website of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

EU/EEA Member States

Passengers coming directly from European Union – Member States of the Schengen Area and Schengen Associated Countries, regardless of their citizenship, can enter the Republic of Croatia if they possess a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate.

That means they do not need to present a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 nor are they assigned the measure of self-isolation. This is in case they show no signs of disease and they have not been in close contact with an infected person.

Those who do not yet possess an EU Digital COVID Certificate, will be allowed entry into the Republic of Croatia if they have the following: 

• negative PCR test result or rapid antigen test result – RAT
• certificate that they have received vaccine used in the EU Member States not older than 210 days (one dose of vaccine (Janssen/Johnson&Johnson) / two doses of vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, AstaZeneca, Gamaleya, Sinopharm))
• certificate showing that they have received the first dose (22 to 42 days from receiving the vaccine, or 22 to 84 days from receiving the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine)
• certificate showing that they have recovered from COVID-19 and have received one dose of vaccine within six months from contracting the disease
• positive PCR test result or rapid antigen test result, which was performed in the previous 180 days and which is older than 11 days from the date of arrival at the border crossing point, or  a medical certificate of recovery
• or if they perform PCR testing or rapid antigen testing – RAT for SARS-CoV-2 immediately upon their arrival in the Republic of Croatia (at their own expense) – self-isolation is obligatory until obtaining a negative test result. In case a person cannot get tested, she/he has to self-isolate for ten (10) days.

The following categories are exempt from possessing a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate or from the above mentioned obligations:

• workers or self-employed persons performing essential tasks provided they do not stay in the Republic of Croatia or outside the Republic of Croatia for longer than 12 hours
• pupils, students and interns
• seafarers and workers in the transport sector or transport service provider,s transporting goods to be used in the national territory, and those in transit only
• diplomats, staff of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations and whose physical presence is necessary for the functioning of those organizations, military personnel and police officers, as well as humanitarian and civil protection personnel in the performance of their duties
• persons traveling for family or business reasons, including journalists in the performance of their duties
• passengers in transit with the obligation to leave the Republic of Croatia within 12 hours from entry
• patients traveling for health reasons.

Citizens of EU / EEA member states as well as members of their families traveling to the Republic of Croatia from third countries

These visitors upon entering the Republic of Croatia  must present a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate when entering the Republic of Croatia.

Exceptionally, the above mentioned category of passengers who do not yet possess an EU Digital COVID Certificate will be allowed entry into the Republic of Croatia if they have the documents mentioned above (tests, certificate of vaccination).

Third-country nationals (not members of the EU / EEA)

They  will be granted entry in the Republic of Croatia only in cases of necessary travel.

Exceptions:

• healthcare workers, health researchers and caregivers for the elderly; frontier workers;workers in the transport sector; diplomats, staff of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations; military personnel and police officers, as well as humanitarian and civil protection personnel; passengers in transit, with the obligation to leave the Republic of Croatia within 12 hours from entering; persons travelling for study purposes; seafarers who intend to stay in the Republic of Croatia for longer than 12 hours;

• persons who travel for tourist reasons and have a certificate of paid accommodation in a hotel, camp, private renter or rented vessel and other form of tourist accommodation or are owners of houses or vessels in the Republic of Croatia – entry into the Republic of Croatia will be allowed upon presentation of one of the previously mentioned documents (test, certificate of vaccination);

• persons traveling for necessary personal / family or business reasons (if they intend to stay in the Republic of Croatia longer than 12 hours) will be allowed to enter the Republic of Croatia upon presentation of one of the previously mentioned documents (test, certificate of vaccination);

• persons for whom a positive decision of the competent authority has been made, based on their application for residence / work, including digital nomads will be allowed to enter the Republic of Croatia upon presentation of one of the previously mentioned documents (test, certificate of vaccination).

Visitors need to respect all required safety and hygiene measures, as well as social distancing.

All additional information on travelling in Croatia, you may find here.