Temporary Stay for Other Purposes (Property Ownership)
💰 Minimum Income
€869
per month
60% of the previous year's average monthly net salary. For applications filed in 2026, the reference base is the 2025 average net salary of EUR 1,449, giving approximately EUR 869.40/month for a single applicant. A two-member family requires an additional 15% (approx. EUR 217.35), and each further family member adds 10% (approx. EUR 144.90). Established as a dedicated 'other purposes' threshold under Article 2(4) of the Subsistence Regulation by NN 3/2026 (in force 17 January 2026).
⏱️ Duration
Up to 1 year. Standard permits cannot be renewed back-to-back -- a new application may only be submitted after a 6-month gap following expiry. Exception: retired persons over 60 who own property (and their spouse/partner) may extend without the 6-month gap under the March 2025 Aliens Act amendments.
👪 Dependants
Yes
Spouses, common-law partners, life partners, and informal life partners of retired property owners over 60 may extend their residence under the same exception as the main applicant. Other family members (including minor children) are not covered by the extension exception and must apply independently under family reunification or another residence category.
🛂 Citizenship Path
No direct pathway
Time spent on 'other purposes' residence does NOT count toward the 5-year continuous residence requirement for permanent or long-term residence in Croatia, making this a purely temporary arrangement with no path to settlement for standard applicants.
Croatia's Temporary Stay for Other Purposes (Privremeni boravak u druge svrhe) is a residence permit for third-country nationals who own residential property in Croatia and wish to reside there without engaging in local employment. Established under Article 70 of the Aliens Act (Official Gazette No. 133/2020) and administered by the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) through local police administrations, it is designed for property owners, retirees, and financially independent individuals. The permit does not authorize any form of work in Croatia.
Two recent regulatory updates have shaped the program: the March 2025 Aliens Act amendments (NN 40/2025) introduced a continuous-renewal exception for retired property owners over 60, and the January 2026 amendment to the Subsistence Regulation (NN 3/2026) introduced for the first time a dedicated 60% threshold of the average monthly net salary for 'other purposes' residence, distinct from the 57% threshold applied to work-based and other categories.
Requirements
Own residential property in Croatia; the property must be zoned as residential and the applicant must actually reside in it
Nationality of a country with a reciprocity agreement with Croatia for property acquisition (most EU/EEA countries, the US, and many others qualify)
Minimum monthly financial means of approximately EUR 869.40 (60% of 2025 average net salary); increases for family members
Valid private travel health insurance at application; enrollment in Croatian state health insurance (HZZO) required within 8 days of permit approval
Clean criminal record from the country of origin or most recent country of residence (where stay exceeded 1 year)
No employment in Croatia is permitted under this category
Required Documents
Completed application form (Obrazac 1a)
Valid passport (minimum 3 months validity beyond the intended stay)
Land registry ownership certificate (vlasnicki list) for the residential property
Proof of financial means (bank statements, pension statements, tax rulings, or other evidence of passive income or savings)
Private travel health insurance (putno zdravstveno osiguranje)
Criminal record certificate with apostille from the country of origin or most recent country of residence (where stay exceeded 1 year), translated into Croatian
Passport-size colour photograph (30x35 mm)
Proof of paid application fee
Duration & Renewal
Permits are issued for up to 1 year. Standard permit holders face a 6-month waiting period after expiry before they can reapply -- the permit cannot be extended consecutively. Retired persons over 60 who own property, along with their spouse or partner, may apply for an extension without the 6-month gap (introduced by the March 2025 Aliens Act amendments). Extension applications must be submitted no later than 60 days before the current permit expires.
Time spent on this residence category does not count toward the 5-year continuous residence requirement for permanent or long-term residence, making this a purely temporary arrangement for standard applicants.
Family Members
Spouses, common-law partners, life partners, and informal life partners of retired property owners over 60 may extend their residence under the same exception. Minor children and other family members are not covered and must apply independently, typically under family reunification or another applicable category. Each additional family member increases the financial means requirement: 15% of average net salary for the second family member (approx. EUR 217.35 in 2026) and 10% for each subsequent member (approx. EUR 144.90).
Tax Implications
Holders who spend more than 183 days per year in Croatia may be considered tax residents under Croatian law. Croatian tax residents are subject to worldwide taxation. Double taxation treaties may apply depending on the holder's country of nationality.
Application Process
The application channel depends on nationality:
Visa-exempt nationals may apply in person at the police administration (policijska uprava) nearest to the property address in Croatia.
Visa-required nationals must apply at a Croatian diplomatic mission or consulate abroad before entering Croatia.
Upon approval, the applicant receives temporary proof of residence (white card). Within 8 days, the holder must:
Apply for the biometric residence card (boravisna iskaznica) at the local police station -- the card is typically ready in approximately 3 weeks.
Enroll in Croatian state health insurance (HZZO) and pay monthly premiums plus a one-time back-payment of premiums for the previous year if not previously covered by EU/EEA health insurance.
Register their temporary address within 3 days of arrival (if applying from abroad).
Application fees: EUR 46.45 for residence approval, EUR 31.85 for the standard biometric residence card (EUR 59.73 for expedited processing), plus EUR 9.29 for the biometric card issuance. Processing typically takes several weeks to months.
A further package of amendments to the Aliens Act was submitted by the Government to Parliament on 23 April 2026, proposing a maximum 90-day statutory processing deadline among other changes. As of mid-May 2026, this package is not yet in force and does not materially alter the property-ownership 'other purposes' basis.