Croatia extends digital nomad stays to 18 months for 65,205 euro in savings

Croatia's digital nomad temporary stay now runs up to 18 months, with the Ministry of the Interior confirming refreshed savings thresholds and a health insurance carve-out for 2026 applicants.

18-month stays at 65,205 euro in savings

The permit lets third-country nationals live in Croatia while working remotely for a foreign employer or their own company registered abroad, per the Ministry of the Interior (MUP). Applicants file at a Croatian embassy abroad or at a local police station after arrival.

Financial proof is pegged to 2.5 times Croatia's average net monthly salary from the prior year, updated through the Regulation on means of subsistence (Official Gazette nos. 14/21 and 3/26). For 2026, applicants must show one of the following:

• Monthly income of at least 3,622.50 euro ($3,930), evidenced by six months of payslips or bank statements
• Lump-sum savings of 43,470 euro ($47,160) for a 12-month stay
• Lump-sum savings of 65,205 euro ($70,740) for an 18-month stay
• An additional 10% of the average net salary per dependent family member or partner

Passports must remain valid at least three months beyond the intended stay. A clean criminal record certificate from the country of origin, translated into Croatian or English, is also required.

Private insurance only, no state health enrollment

Digital nomads are explicitly exempt from Croatia's compulsory state health insurance under amendments to the Law on Compulsory Health Insurance and Health Protection of Foreigners, adopted in 2024-2025. Instead, applicants must hold private or travel health insurance covering Croatian territory for the full permit period, in Croatian or English.

The tradeoff sits in the law itself: nomads pay out of pocket for any care received from Croatian providers. That's the catch worth pricing before applying. Private coverage satisfies MUP but shifts the cost of any hospital visit onto the permit holder, unlike foreigners on work permits who enroll in the state system. Budget accordingly, especially for families using the 10% dependent uplift on the savings threshold.

Register your address within 3 days

Approved applicants receive a biometric residence permit card carrying fingerprints and photo, which must be carried as proof of legal stay. Third-country nationals must register their Croatian address with the police within 3 days of entry or of any address change, a rule that continues to apply in 2026.

The 18-month permit doesn't renew in place. Nomads who want to stay longer must leave and reapply after a cooling-off period, a limit worth planning around before signing a long lease. More on residency mechanics is in the Croatia guide.