GENERAL INFORMATION

Local currency

Croatian Kuna (HRK)

Crime and security

Тhere are no travel restrictions in Croatia and the crime rate is relatively low. Most of the crimes committed are theft of money, documents, property, etc. especially when traveling by train. Recently, there have been cases of theft of money and documents from personal cars during vacations in rest areas on the highways. We advise Bulgarian citizens to be vigilant and not to leave their cars and belongings unattended during stops for rest and sleep, as well as to avoid stopping and resting in uninhabited areas.

In case of theft or loss of Bulgarian personal documents, you should immediately inform the local police authorities about the event and receive a report, after which you should contact the Bulgarian Embassy in Zagreb for a temporary passport.

It is not recommended to visit the so-called nightclubs (gentlemen's clubs), as there is the possibility of billing in thousands of euros. There are known cases of harassment and threat of physical violence for non-payment.

In areas where there was hostilities until 1995, there is still a danger of mines. This was especially true of the front lines at the time. We advise Bulgarian citizens to avoid travel and, if necessary, to exercise extreme caution when traveling in the following areas:

•    Eastern Slavonia (30 to 50 km before the border with Serbia and the border with Hungary, especially around the towns of Vukovar and Vinkovci);
•    Western Slavonia (Daruvar, Pakrac, Virovitica districts);
•    The western and southwestern border area with Bosnia and Herzegovina (places south of the towns of Sisak and Karlovac, east of Ogulin, Otocac, Gospic, east of Zadar and inland between Sen and Split, and in the mountains southeast of Dubrovnik).

More information about the danger of mines can be found at:
https://welcome.cms.hr/index.php/mine-map/ 

Customs and excise regulations

Bringing in personal luggage

Bringing in personal luggage is exempt from paying import duties regardless of its value and applies to every traveller entering the EU customs area regardless of whether they are carrying their luggage personally or the luggage arrives separately.
 
Non-commercial goods in the personal luggage of travellers traveling from third countries are exempt from import customs duties, VAT and excise duties under condition that they are not intended for resale and do not exceed total value or volume eligible for exemption (see "Value limits for importing non-commercial goods in travellers' personal luggage").
 
Goods in travellers' personal luggage includes items (of reasonable quantity) for personal use, needed by travellers during their travelling and absence from place of permanent residence, such as shoes, apparel, personal care products and similar.
 
Non-commercial goods include occasional import of goods intended solely for personal use by travellers or their families and items intended as gifts, provided that the type and quantity of goods indicate that the goods are not intended for resale.

Value limits for importing non-commercial goods in travellers' personal luggage

Exemption from customs duties, VAT and excise duties applies to import of goods provided their total value does not exceed:

•    HRK 3,200.00 for air and sea travellers;
•    HRK 2,200.00 per traveller for other types of transport;
•    HRK 1,100.00 for travellers under the age of 15, regardless of the means of transport.

If the value of a single item exceeds these value limits, it is not allowed to split it up, instead required duties and taxes are charged based on the item's total value. It is similarly not allowed to combine tax and duty exemptions of several persons to cover the value of that single item.

Exemptions for excise duty goods

Notwithstanding the abovementioned value limitation on import, the exemption from customs duties, VAT and excise duties also applies to the following quantities of excise goods, while their value is not included in the value of other non-commercial goods.
 
For air passengers:
 
1. tobacco products:
- 200 cigarettes
- 100 cigarillos (where cigarillos are considered to be cigars with a net weight of up to 3 grams per piece)
- 50 cigars
- 250 grams of smoking tobacco
2. alcohol and alcoholic beverages, except still wine and beer:
- Alcohol and alcoholic beverages with an alcoholic strength of more than 22% vol or undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% vol or higher: 1 liter
- alcohol and alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of 22% vol. And less: up to 2 liters
3. still wine: 4 liters
4. beer: 16 liters
5. tobacco products referred to in Article 94 of the Excise Duties Act:
- 50 grams of heated tobacco product
- 10 milliliters of e-liquid
- 50 grams of new tobacco products referred to in Article 94, paragraph 2 of the Excise Act.
 

For passengers in other modes of transport (road, rail, etc.):
 
1. tobacco products:
- 40 cigarettes
- 20 cigarillos (cigarillos being cigars with a net weight of up to 3 grams per piece)
- 10 cigars
- 50 grams of smoking tobacco
2. alcohol and alcoholic beverages, except still wine and beer:
- Alcohol and alcoholic beverages with an alcoholic strength of more than 22% vol or undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% vol or higher: 1 liter
- alcohol and alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of 22% vol. оr less: up to 2 liters
3. still wine: 4 liters
4. beer: 16 liters
5. tobacco products referred to in Article 94 of the Excise Duties Act:
- 50 grams of heated tobacco product
- 10 milliliters of e-liquid
- 50 grams of new tobacco products referred to in Article 94, paragraph 2 of the Excise Act.
 
The exemption from the above excise products may not apply to travellers under 17 years of age.
 
Fuel in standard tanks of each means of transport, as well as up to 10 litres of identical type of fuel in suitable portable tanks for reserve fuel, is exempt from import duties.

Total amount of excise duty goods allowed for import (with duties paid)

Total amount of excise duty goods that an individual physical person (older than 17) can bring into the country for their personal needs, while paying the required duties and taxes, is:
•    800 pieces of cigarettes,
•    400 pieces of cigarillos,
•    200 pieces of cigars,
•    1.0 kilogram of smoking tobacco,
•    10 litres of strong alcoholic beverages,
•    20 litres of alcoholic beverages of alcoholic strength between 1.2% vol and 22% vol,
•    90 litres of wine, including no more than 60 litres of sparkling wine,
•    110 litres of beer.
Bringing in quantities greater than stated above is not allowed. Quantities greater than these (if the traveller declared them) must be returned abroad. If the traveller fails to declare quantities greater than those allowed, he will be detained by the customs authority until the infringement is processed.

Import limits for non-commercial goods for border residents, workers on the border and transport personnel

Value and volume limit exemptions that apply to non-commercial goods imported by travellers from third countries in their personal luggage do not apply to persons living in the border areas of Croatia and neighbouring third countries, workers on the border or the border area of a neighbouring third countries, and transport personnel whose work involves travel between Croatia and neighbouring third countries.
 

Said persons may import up to HRK 300.00 worth of goods in their luggage exempt from customs duties per day, with exemptions from import duties applying to the following excise duties goods as well:  

•    tobacco products:
o    25 cigarettes, or
o    10 cigarillos (where cigarillos are cigars of a maximum weight of 3 grams each), or
o    5 cigars, or
o    25 grams of smoking tobacco, or
o    an appropriate combination of quantities of said tobacco products;
•    alcohol and alcoholic beverages, apart from still wine and beer:
o    alcohol and alcoholic beverages of an alcoholic strength exceeding 22% vol or undenatured ethyl alcohol of 80% vol and over: 0.25 litre, or
o    alcohol and alcoholic beverages of an alcoholic strength not exceeding 22% vol: up to 0.25 litre;
o    an appropriate combination of quantities of said beverages
•    still wine: 1 litre,
•    beer: 1.5 litre.

These value and volume limits will not apply if above defined persons show proof that they are travelling further than the border area or are not coming back from the border area of a neighbouring country, in which case the limits that apply to all other travellers will apply to them as well.

Imports of food of animal origin in travellers’ personal luggage and small consignments sent to natural persons
 
Customs officers carry out official controls on products of animal origin in personal luggage of passengers from third countries and in small consignments sent to natural persons by post or courier services.
 
Quantitative bans and restrictions on the import of food of animal origin in passengers’ personal luggage waived from official controls by the border veterinary inspection are listed in the table, noting that food import from Andorra, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland is free and does not apply restrictions listed in the table. These restrictions and prohibitions also apply to small consignments of goods sent to natural persons (by post or courier service) and are not intended to be placed on the market.

Quantities exceeding the quantities specified in the table are subject to veterinary examination and must be accompanied by a veterinary certificate and can only be entered in the Republic of Croatia/EU through border crossing points where the Border Veterinary Inspection operates (Bajakovo, Stara Gradiška, Nova Sela, Karasovići, Luka Rijeka, Luka Ploče, Zagreb Airport) with a mandatory prior application for official control submitted to the competent border veterinary inspection.

Products of animal origin that do not meet the above conditions shall be considered non-compliant and shall be compulsorily confiscated from passengers for their destruction. Also, the failure to explicitly declare them to customs officials constitutes an offence sanctioned by a fine.
 
You can find additional information on the following links:

https://carina.gov.hr/featured/information-for-passengers-natural-persons/relief-from-duties-and-restrictions/6715
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/meat-dairy-animal/index_en.htm

Cash transfer across the border (new rules of 3 June 2021)

Transfer of cash in the Union and from the Union is free and without limitation to the sum for all-natural persons, but along with a report to the customs officer for a value of EUR 10.000,00 or more.

The Cash definition comprise: banknotes and coins which circulate as a means of payment or were circulating as a means of payment but still being replaced through financial institutions or central banks; other means of payment – for example: cheques, traveller's cheques, promissory notes or money orders which do not indicate the user’s name and for the first time as of 3 June 2021 coins with a share of gold of at least 90 % and gold bars, gold nuggets or clumps containing at least 99.5 % of gold.

Cash transfer in passenger traffic

Any natural person entering the EU or leaving the EU who beside himself, in his luggage or in means of transport carries cash of a value of EUR 10,000.00 or more, or in other currencies in the equivalent value, is obliged to declare that cash to the customs officer at the border customs office. 
To declare cash, the Cash Declaration Form is used, which can be electronically filled in and sent to the e-mail address: [email protected] or it can be printed and submitted to the customs officer at the border customs office. The Cash Declaration Form can also be filled in at the border office. If the space available on the application form is not sufficient, an additional sheet which is considered an integral part of it shall be used. The form can be completed and submitted in Croatian or English.
 
Sending Cash in postal, courier or cargo shipments
 
For cash being sent in postal, courier or cargo shipments in a value of EUR 10,000 or more, the customs officer may require the sender or the recipient or representative of the sender or of the recipient to submit cash declaration for unaccompanied cash within 30 days.
For this purpose the Cash Disclosure Declaration Form is used and can be electronically filled in and sent to the e-mail address: [email protected] or it can be printed and submitted to the customs officer at the border customs office.
Cash Disclosure Declaration Form can be filled in at the border office. If the space available on the application form is not sufficient, an additional sheet which is considered an integral part of it shall be used. The form can be completed and submitted in Croatian or English.
 
Cash entering or leaving the Republic of Croatia to another Member State

The Foreign Exchange Act (Official Gazette no. 96/03-52/2021) introduces the national controls of the movements of cash into the Republic of Croatia from another Member State or from the Republic of Croatia to another Member State, and the Customs Administration and the Ministry of the Interior are given control powers in that subject matter.

At the request of an authorised customs officer or border police officer, natural persons are obliged to register cash they carry in the amount of EUR 10,000 or more, in writing on the Cash Declaration Form-Article 40.a, when they enter the Republic of Croatia from another Member State or leave the Republic of Croatia to another Member State. If the space available on the application form is not sufficient, an additional sheet which is considered an integral part of it shall be used. The form can be completed and submitted in Croatian or English.
 
For the request of an authorised customs officer or border police officer, a natural person will fill in the Cash Declaration Form pursuant to Article 40a of the Foreign Exchange Business Act, individually.
 
Information on the rights of persons with regard to personal data protection can be found in the personal data protection statement, available at the link: https://carina.gov.hr/pristup-informacijama/zastita-osobnih-podataka-6521/6521
 
Cash Declaration
EN1. Cash Declaration
EN2. Cash Disclosure Declaration
EN3. Cash Declaration – Additional Sheet
EN4. Cash Dislosure Declaration – Additonal Sheet.
 
Application of national controls under the Foreign Exchange Act
EN5. Cash Declaration Form-Article 40.a
EN6. Cash Declaraton Form-Article 40.a – Additional Sheet

For more information, please visit:

https://carina.gov.hr/en
https://carina.gov.hr/featured/information-for-passengers-natural-persons/bringing-cash-and-goods-across-the-border/6711
https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/individuals/cash-controls_en

Additional important information

The country's legislation obliges foreign nationals traveling to Croatia or in transit to declare the currency they carry in excess of 10,000 euros for each foreigner individually upon entering the country (Croatian customs authorities require each traveler to carry only their own money, not one traveler to carry the money of other travelers).

We strongly suggest that all Bulgarian citizens entering the territory of Croatia require customs declarations prior to entering in which to fill in the amount of currency they carry, checks exceeding the amount of 10,000 (ten thousand) euros or their equivalent in another currency for each person individually.

Croatian customs officials have the right to check passengers, their luggage and vehicles. They also have the right to confiscate unreported money.
The practice continues that some customs officers do not always provide customs declarations for arriving, passing passengers and tourists to complete them, misleading that this is not necessary. The absence of a completed customs declaration for the transferred items or funds in foreign currency, which are subject to declaration, upon mandatory inspection upon leaving the country, leads to their withdrawal by the customs authorities. In addition, fines ranging from 2,000 to 20,000 Croatian kuna are imposed.

Mobile customs teams have also been set up in the Republic of Croatia, which can also stop you for checks inland.

It should be borne in mind that the declaration of the border between Bulgaria and Serbia is not respected by the customs authorities in Croatia and it will be required again at the customs point between Serbia and Croatia (a completed Serbian customs declaration is not recognized)

Road traffic

Bulgarian driving licenses are recognized.

Toll taxes are paid in Croatian kuna, in cash or by bank card.

Strictly follow the traffic rules on the road.

In Croatia, the mandatory use of seat belts, including rear seats, dipped headlights during daylight hours and 0 (zero) per mille for alcohol when traveling by motor vehicle has been introduced. It is mandatory for drivers to have reflective vests.

It is not possible to spend the night in the places for parking and recreation by the highways, if there is no motel or camping.

Traffic police officers in some cases drive cars without police identification signs.

The fines are high, starting at 400 Croatian kuna (50 euros) and up.

In the event of a traffic accident, the drivers of the injured car should leave the protocols for assessing the damage received by the police when leaving the territory of Croatia.
Prior to traveling to the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends getting acquainted with the content posted on the following link: https://www.hak.hr/en#traffic-flow-and-road-conditions where comprehensive  data on passenger traffic and conditions for road traffic in Croatia, border control, ferry and rail timetables and other useful information.

Violations of traffic rules and legislation are severely sanctioned. Below you can find the amount of some types of fines and their amounts:

Sanctions from 10,000 to 20,000 Croatian kunas (from 1,300 euros to 2,600 euros) for:
1. Exceeding the permissible speed for movement in a settlement by more than 50 km / h.
2. Reverse or prohibited driving.
3. Intentional crossing of a red traffic light.
4. Refusal to take a test to check for alcohol or drugs in the body.
5. Driving under the influence of alcohol above 1.5 promile and driving under the influence of drugs.
6. Operation of a vehicle before obtaining a driver's license.
7. Use of a vehicle when the driver's license has been revoked due to accumulated negative violations.
8. Driving a vehicle when the driving license has been revoked or the driver is not entitled to drive the vehicle.
Violations are accompanied by mandatory punitive measures: a ban on driving a motor vehicle for at least six months in the case of a second offense, and for a period of 12 months - if the violation has been committed three or more times. The police may temporarily seize the vehicle for all of the above violations.

Sanctions from 10,000 to 20,000 kuna (from 1,300 euros to 2,600 euros) when leaving the scene of the accident, in cases of deaths and injuries.

Fines of 1,000 kuna (140 euros) for:

1. Driving without a seat belt.
2. Improper transportation of children in the vehicle.
3. Improper use of mobile phones while driving.
4. Driving a vehicle with an expired driver's license.

The law introduces mandatory precautionary measures and deprivation of control points for:

1. Actions contrary to an order of a police officer or other authorized person.
2. Exceeding the permissible speed for movement from 30 to 50 km.
3. Exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km per hour.
4. Infringements related to deprivation of the right of way of passing vehicles.
5. Crossing a red traffic light.
6. Improper overtaking of vehicles.
7. Improper overtaking and bypassing of vehicles.
8. Crossing in a tunnel, on a bridge, before a turn or in a turn when the visibility of the road is insufficient.
9. Improper crossing of a pedestrian path.
10. Driving under the influence of alcohol from 1.0 to 1.5 per mille.

In connection with incoming daily signals, during an inspection by the customs border authorities at the border checkpoint in the Republic of Croatia, regarding the detection of illegally hiding migrants in the trucks / trailers / of Bulgarian carriers, we inform you that local legislation provides for severe sanctions fines of around 38,000 Croatian kuna (5,000 euros) and up.

The fine must be paid within 24 hours of the finding of the infringement, in which case it will be 2/3 of the total amount. Otherwise, the offender undertakes to pay the full amount.

In case the fine is not paid, the local legislation provides for the driver to be arrested / imprisoned / and the truck to be detained at the border checkpoint until the case is clarified.

In the event of such a situation, the driver has the right to request an immediate appeal against the amount of the fine, notifying in writing in Bulgarian that he is not guilty of the fine. Under local law, an on-site customs commission is convened within a few hours to review the amount of the fine.

According to the law, the established violation can be appealed within 8 days of its establishment, by hiring a local lawyer. For the convenience of Bulgarian citizens, we provide a link to the site with practicing lawyers in the Republic of Croatia and their contact details: http://www.hok-cba.hr/hr/imenik 

In order to avoid and prevent such incidents, it is recommended that carriers do not take breaks in the transit zone between the border checkpoints of the Republic of Serbia and the border checkpoints of the Republic of Croatia.

Healthcare

The epidemiological situation in Croatia does not differ from that in the Republic of Bulgaria.
Emergency medical care in Croatia includes only life-saving procedures and, upon presentation of a European Health Insurance Card, is covered by the Health Insurance Fund. After the threat to the patient's life has disappeared, the subsequent medical treatment and hospital stay until full recovery and discharge from the hospital / medical institution is paid extra and is extremely high.

The provision of any non-life-saving and / or additional hospital and medical services in the Republic of Croatia is expensive.

We advise all Bulgarian citizens who pass in transit or reside on the territory of Croatia to take out compulsory and additional health insurance, with the help of which unforeseen payments in the health system of the country can be avoided in case of urgent hospital treatment and stay.

Climate

The climate in the interior of Croatia is temperate-continental, in the mountains - mountainous, and on the Adriatic coast - Mediterranean (with slightly colder winters and warmer summers). With an average of 2,600 hours of sunshine per year, the Adriatic coast is one of the sunniest in the entire Mediterranean, and the sea water temperature in summer is from 25ºC to 27ºC.

For Croatia, Bulgarian citizens travel with a passport, ID card, temporary passport or seaman's passport of a crew member sailing at sea. The personal document with which Bulgarian citizens travel to Croatia should be valid until leaving the country.

There is a visa-free regime for Bulgarian citizens in Croatia. Upon entering Croatia, the requirements of a European Union country apply.
When traveling with children under 18 alone or accompanied, it is necessary to present at the request of the Croatian border authorities a notarized and hand-signed declaration of consent, translated into Croatian and / or English by both parents.

When Bulgarian citizens travel through Croatia in a car not owned by the driver, it is recommended to have a power of attorney from the owner, translated and certified in Croatian and / or English for presentation during inspections by the Croatian police authorities.

Remember that abroad you should comply with local laws and customs. During your stay there, you fall under their jurisdiction. We recommend that you find out about them in advance and follow them. Penalties for violating the law can be much more severe than in Bulgaria for the same violations.

Pay special attention and follow local rules for possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages and psychotropic substances.

Put all medicines in their original packaging and check that some of them are not considered illegal drugs abroad. If you use such substances, bring a copy of a doctor's prescription confirming this fact.

Avoid carrying items to third parties when crossing the border.
Make sure in advance that the validity of your personal documents has not expired.
Do whatever it takes to familiarize yourself with local traffic rules. In many countries, heavy fines are imposed for violating traffic rules, which are paid at the place of the offense, whether you are a local or a foreign national.

f for any reason you are detained by the local authorities, request that you be contacted by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Zagreb. A consular officer will contact you as soon as possible. If you have language difficulties, ask for an interpreter.

Avoid signing documents whose content is in a language you do not understand.

In case of theft or loss of your personal documents, money, travel tickets, immediately notify the nearest police station in Croatia in person and in writing and request a copy of the protocol for establishing the event. Contact the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Zagreb to take steps to obtain the necessary documents to continue your trip or return home.
Before leaving the Republic of Bulgaria or immediately after your arrival in Croatia, write down the address and telephone numbers of the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Zagreb, the coordinates of the hotels you are staying in, the tour operators arranging your trip and the local police. If necessary, it is good to have this data.

We advise you to conclude a contract for health, travel, travel or other insurance in advance.
Regarding the frequent cases of Bulgarian citizens detained on the territory of Croatia on suspicion of transporting illegal migrants, it should be borne in mind that local legislation treats such cases as serious criminal acts, which, according to Art. 326 of the Croatian Criminal Code are punishable by 1 to 8 years in prison.

We recommend Bulgarian citizens passing through the territory of Croatia not to transport people they do not know, hitchhiking or on any other occasion, as well as to check their car / truck while staying on the territory of Croatia, in order to avoid illegally getting on or taking advantage of from the temporary absence of the driver persons.
The Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Zagreb is not responsible for changes in the current legislation of the Republic of Croatia that are not reflected on the site.

Legalizations and certifications

The Republic of Croatia is a party to the Hague Convention on the Elimination of the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Acts (1961)
The different interpretation by the Croatian institutions of the scope of the Treaty on Legal Aid between Bulgaria and the SFRY (1957) and of the European legislation in this field is from the point of view of the affixing of an "apostille". For this reason, the embassy advises citizens to obtain an "apostille" on official public documents, which should take effect in one of the two countries. The document formed in this way should be translated and the translation certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria.

In the consular section at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Zagreb you can get a wide range of services and certifications certifying various circumstances on the documents - signature, content, date, transcript, will, etc.

Bulgarian personal documents

Every Bulgarian citizen residing in Croatia can apply at the consular office at the embassy for a passport, ID card and temporary passport.
When submitting an application for the issuance of the first ID card, a birth certificate must be presented, and in case of loss, theft, damage or destruction of the ID card and / or passport, a police document for these circumstances must be presented.

A local birth certificate and the presence of both parents are required to issue a temporary passport for children born in Croatia.
For the issuance of a temporary passport for return to Bulgaria in case of lost / stolen documents, a protocol must be submitted by the police to state the circumstances (theft, robbery, forcible seizure, etc.).

Civil status

In many cases, the competent Croatian civil status authorities send to the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria ex-officio the birth, marriage and death certificates of Bulgarian citizens drawn up in Croatia. The civil status acts thus obtained are sent by the consular section in due course to the competent Bulgarian civil status authorities for entry in the Bulgarian registers.
It is possible, after obtaining the relevant local certificate of civil status, to present it in person at the consular office, translated and certified in the prescribed manner, for referral to the municipality of residence in Bulgaria for registration of birth, civil marriage before local authorities or death.

When someone can and wishes to carry out the registration by him/herself or through an authorized person, he/she should present the relevant local certification document, translated and certified in accordance with the established procedure, in the respective municipality in Bulgaria:

• birth - at the permanent address of the mother, if she is a foreigner - the father;
• civil marriage - before the local authorities at the permanent address of the Bulgarian spouse;
• death - at the permanent address of the deceased