Passport Panics? Entry Requirements for Croatia...

Description:

Entry Requirements for Croatia

How long have you got left on your passport? How long do you need to have left on your passport in order to be allowed in?! There is quite a bit of conflicting information out there on the internet about this sort of thing - especially about Croatia as the law changed in February 2008 on the subject. So to prevent last minute pre-holiday panics and mad dashes to the passport office for a same day replacement, we have compiled a Guide2 all the most up to date Entry Requirement information. And well, if you do have a last minute panic, at least you will know who to call:

Passport Validity
According to official advice given on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website:
All British passport holders require a valid passport. Since February 2008 you require three months' remaining validity on your passport to enter Croatia.

Obtaining/Renewing your Passport
The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) is responsible for issuing UK passports and recommends that people go to the Passports section of the Direct.Gov Website for detailed information on how to obtain a passport. However, here is a summary of the basics:

-Standard applications

Applications can be made via the Post Office and the IPS tries to process applications in around three weeks from the time they arrive at a Passport Office. This does not include postage time, and applications can take longer at busy times of the year.

IPS recommends you use the Check & Send service offered by certain Post Office branches. The service includes checking your application form and supporting documents before they are sent off. It is usually faster than a standard postal application.

-Urgent applications

If you need to renew your passport within two weeks, you should use the IPS Fast Track one-week service or the Premium one-day service. These services are by appointment only. To use them, you will need to call the Passport Adviceline 0300 222 0000 7 days a week between the hours of 7am and 11pm to make an appointment at a Regional Passport Office.

Children need their own passports!
Contrary to popular belief, children can no longer be added to a parent's passport but need one of their own to travel abroad. Check which passport is right for your child, how to apply and when you should do so. Before 5 October 1998 babies and children could be included on a parent or guardian's passport. In line with standard international practice and as a precaution against child abduction, children must now have their own passports to travel abroad. A child passport is valid for five years. When it runs out you can renew it for another five years, and so on.
Child passports catch people out and result in emergency dashes to the passport office from the airport so make sure you check you have everything correct with your childs passport to ensure the whole family gets on that flight! For advice, call the Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000 7 days a week between the hours of 7am and 11pm or go to the Direct.Gov Website.

Visa Requirements
According to official advice given on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website:
You may need a visa to enter Croatia.  As a British national you do not require a visa for tourist and business trips of less than three months.  However, a visa may be required for other types of visit or stay. Additional information on entry and registration requirements, including those for yachts, their crews and passengers, may be obtained from the Consular section of the Croatian Embassy; 21 Conway Street, London, W1P 5HL;  (tel:  020 7387 1144).  
When entering Croatia, you may be asked to produce evidence of the financial means necessary to cover subsistence during your stay and return to the UK or transit to a third country.  The daily subsistence rate is fixed at one hundred Euros per day - this rate applies if your stay is at a hotel.  If you are staying in Croatia as the guest of a Croatian national, you will be asked to provide proof or residence.  The daily subsistence rate for staying at a private residence is fifty Euros per day.  Credit/bank cards, bank statements, cheques are accepted as proof that you have sufficient means to cover subsistence for the duration of your stay.

British nationals living in Croatia who wish to extend their stay for more than 90 days must obtain a temporary residence permit.
The first temporary residence permit must be obtained from the Croatian Embassy in London.

Information regarding residency and work permits can be obtained from the Croatian Embassy in London.

Registration Rules for Arrival in Croatia
According to official advice given on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website:
Unless staying at a hotel or official tourist accommodation, you are required to register with the local police or the local town tourist centre within 48 hours of arrival (in Zagreb you should register at the Police Station at Petrinjska 30, if outside Zagreb, you should register at the nearest main Police Station). Failure to do so may result in a fine or possible removal from Croatia (which may include a restriction on your ability to return to Croatia for a certain period). When staying at a hotel or official tourist accommodation, it is usual for the hotel or property owner to take your passports and register you.