Croatia Business Visa - Definitive Guide

As a business person with investments in different countries, there are times when you would have to travel abroad for certain business errands. If you have a business to look after in Croatia, you will have to issue a business visa to Croatia in order to be able to do business-related activities in the country. With this permit, you will be able to attend business conferences, a business meeting for a branch of your own organization or a sister company, or attend client meetings and other business errands. It is a type of short term visa and the validity offered by this particular type is visa varies from 90 days to 180 days initially which can later be extended as well as per the need. Although, the stay allowed per visit is 90 days.

In order to apply for Croatia business visa, you need to make sure that you have all the requirements for the application. The eligibility criteria must be met and the documents should be complete. You need to have a valid passport and other documents demanded by the embassy. You must check if your purpose matches the requirements put forth by the Croatia Embassy. The process for the application is mainly offline. It involves various sub-procedures before finally obtaining the visa. The procedure is listed as follows:

1. Visit the official website of the Embassy of Croatia.
2. Go to the visa section on the site and choose the online application form for a Croatia business visa.
3. Fill out the application form according to the details on your documents and the passport.
4. Print out the form and sign it.
5. Attach the required supportive documents to the form (original if specifically instructed).
6. Submit the form to the embassy along with the documents visiting personally.
7. Wait for the approval of the documents and the form.
8. Attend the interview for the visa once the embassy has informed about the same.

At the time of filling out the application form for Croatia business visa, you must make sure to provide the correct and accurate information as per the documents that you have attached and the details on your passport. If in case any false or incorrect unverifiable information is provided, there are chances that the visa application may become inadmissible or get rejected. Such a visa rejection will affect your future applications for any visa to Croatia or any other country. Therefore, before applying, you must make sure that you know how to fill the form and what information is appropriate for what section.

There are certain parameters that you need to follow prior to beginning the visa application process. These criteria are put forth by the embassy and are supposed to be met with by the applicant. Some of the most important ones are listed as follows:

• You must have proof of business ownership and purpose of visit
  1. You must have proper proof of your business enterprise to show it to the authorities.
  2. If you have been invited to a business conference or to attend a business or client meeting, an invitation letter from the company must be provided to the embassy.

• You must meet the health requirements
  1. You must be healthy enough to travel to Croatia.
  2. You must perform a medical test before travelling to the country and provide a relevant documentary proof.
  3. You must be within the age limit to be able to apply for a work permit.

• You must meet the character requirements
  1. You must be of good character and have genuine intentions behind working in Croatia.
  2. You need to provide a relevant documentary proof for the same as well (if asked) in the form of a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC).
• You must have sufficient funds
  1. You must possess or have access to sufficient funds to be able to cover your stay and other expenses in Croatia.
  2. Bank statement or any equivalent document is to be submitted as well as proof of the same.

Documents required for Croatia business visa are as follows:

• An original passport that is valid for at least 3 months ahead of the date of travel.
• Visa application form, completely filled and signed
• Coloured photographs as per the photo specifications
• A cover letter with all the required details
• Confirmed flight tickets
• Income Tax Returns proof
• Travel Health Insurance
• Proof of accommodation - invitation letter, hotel reservation, etc.
• Proof of sufficient funds - bank statement or any other equivalent document.
• Proof of identification and nationality - PAN card, Adhaar card
• Copy of valid older visas (if any) - USA, UK, Schengen, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile.
  

The Croatia business visa photo specifications are mentioned below -

• Two copies must be provided
• Photo size: 35 mm x 45 mm.
• Coloured copy must be provided.
• The face must cover about 60-70% of the frame. 
• Head should well-centred.
• The picture must not be older than 6 months.
• The background must be white
• Neutral expressions
• Glasses are not permitted.
• Headgears are not allowed except for religious reasons.
• Clothing shouldn’t match the background.

The processing time required for the issuance of the Croatia business visa is dependent on several factors. Ideally, it requires about 15 days but the time may differ and increase as per the processing of documents and the interview. However, it may even need longer and take up to a month or two. The workload on the embassy, the staff at the embassy, the interview appointment and certain others.

The fee for a business visa to Croatia is paid in two instalments. The first instalment is a fee is paid at the time when you are applying online by filling out the application form. The second instalment is paid after the documents have been approved and you have an appointment with the embassy for an interview. The total cost will vary depending on the type of visa.

When the documents have been submitted along with the visa application form, 

• The embassy will process the same and you will be asked to attend an interview if required.
• The documents will then be processed and you will be provided with a stamp on the passport.
• The applications by mail are generally not accepted except for special cases.
• The visa fees are to be paid at the time of filling out the online application as the receipt is to be submitted along with other documents offline to the Embassy of Croatia.
• If there are any other requirements to be fulfilled or if there are any mistakes in the application, the embassy or the agency must be informed.
• If there are any changes related to the application, for instance, change in marital status or birth of a child, you must inform the embassy/agency.
• You can even check the status of the application and the processing in the meantime. 
• If there is a change of plans, you can withdraw the application.
• The visa fee is generally not refundable.

You can check the status of the visa on the embassy website in the visa application section. To check the status, you have to enter the application form number and a pin and you can know the status. To check the status of your visa, you may even visit the website of the visa agency through which you have applied or the visa application centre website. You can even do it offline by calling the embassy with the visa application number and enquire about the status.

After the successful submission of the application form and receiving the Croatia business visa, there are certain measures that are to be taken. You must -

• Before you travel

1. Make a note of the visa expiry date, as well as the number of entries permitted. You must not stay in the country beyond this period.
2. You should travel to Croatia within the validity of your visa.
3. Make sure to carry a copy of your passport and other travel documents while you are in the country.
4. Issue health insurance and travel insurance from a certified company.
• At the Border

1. Get your documents checked and your passport verified.
2. Obtain the entry stamp on your passport.
3. Consult the airport authorities for any kind of assistance required.
4. Check your visa copy for other guidelines and rules to be followed.
• When you enter Croatia

1. Ensure not to get involved in any kind of employment. You can, however, do volunteer work.
2. The business visa does not permit you to employ the residents or reside in the country.
3. It is a permit that allows you to only perform business and business-related operations in the country. You are still permitted tourism.
4. The tourist prohibited areas must be stayed out of.
5. Make sure you don’t overstay and apply for the visa extension in time.