With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and endlessly evolving measures in place, it’s hard to plan your next sailing vacation, let alone your next week. As measures are steadily strengthened, loosened, and ultimately eliminated with vaccination efforts (fingers crossed), it’s nearly impossible to keep up with the turbulent coronavirus era.
However, with summer coming and the hope of many yacht charters on the horizon, some tourism-dependent countries are beginning to implement and announce entry measures in anticipation of tourist arrivals this year. And Croatia is one of them.
So, are tourists allowed in Croatia right now, and if so, what do they need to cross the border?
Here’s everything you need to know about traveling to Croatia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coming from an ECDC Green Region? You’re good!
- Are you coming directly from a European Union country or region, i.e. countries and/or regions of the Schengen Area and Schengen associated countries that are on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s ‘Green List’?
No matter which citizenship you hold, you will be allowed entry into Croatia, based on the same entry requirements as before the COVID-19 pandemic. That means no test is required. Just make sure you haven’t been in close contact with anyone infected or have any symptoms!
- What if I transited through other countries to get to Croatia?
If you traveled through other countries or regions to get to Croatia (without delay) and can prove that you didn’t stay in transit areas, you won’t be required to show a negative test, COVID-19 vaccination certificate, or proof of recovery. And you won’t have to go into self-isolation, either!
- What about EU/EEA citizens, non-EU citizens with an EU residence permit (or family member with proper documents), or third-country nationals traveling from an EU/EEA region?
If you’re not coming from a Green List country and fall into one of the categories above, you will need to present one of the following at the border:
- PCR or rapid antigen test
According to Croatian Border Police, travellers will need to present a negative PCR test or rapid antigen test - RAT on SARS-CoV-2, where the RAT test must be listed in the Common list of rapid antigen tests recognized by the Member States of the European Union, and published by the European Commission. If the RAT test findings were made abroad, the manufacturer and/or the commercial name of the test must be visible and the test must be issued by a health institution or laboratory and signed/confirmed by a doctor. Anything else won’t be accepted for entry into Croatia.
The results cannot be older than 48 hours (from the swab time to border arrival). If you have a rapid antigen test and are staying in Croatia longer than 10 days, you must repeat the test within ten days of your first one.
- What if I am vaccinated?
COVID-19 vaccinated travelers who have received their second dose more than 14 days prior to traveling must show their vaccination certificate at the border.
If you received a single-dose vaccine, you’ll need to show a certificate for the single-dose if it was received more than 14 days before crossing the border.
- What if I have recovered from COVID-19?
Travelers can present a positive PCR or rapid antigen test showing that they have recovered from COVID-19 so long as it is older than 11 days but not older than 180 days when arriving in Croatia. You could also show a recovery certificate issued by a physician.
- What if I don’t have any of these?
Travelers can enter Croatia with none of the above, but must perform a PCR or rapid antigen test immediately upon arrival (at their own expense), and must stay in self-isolation until they receive a negative test result. If you can’t get a test for whatever reason, you will be under a 10-day self-isolation measure.
You can find out if you are exempt from the above-mentioned obligations HERE.
- What if I am a third-country national traveling for tourism?
The Croatian Border Police states that if you’re coming to Croatia as a tourist, you will need to provide paid accommodation in a hotel, camp, private renter, or rented vessel or other forms of tourist accommodation, or show that you are the owner of a house or vessel in Croatia. You still have to show a negative PCR or rapid antigen test no older than 48 hours, vaccination certificate, or proof of recovery, or must be tested immediately upon arrival and go into self-isolation until you receive a negative test result.
Travelers coming from third countries including the South African Republic, Brazil, and Tanzania (Zanzibar), no matter their citizenship, need to show a negative PCR test result within 48 hours of arrival in Croatia and must quarantine for 14 days from their arrival. Alternatively, travelers from mentioned countries can take a PCR test on the 7th day of their quarantine period. If that test is negative, they will no longer have to quarantine.
- What about kids?
Children under 7 do not need to show a negative test to enter Croatia, so long as their parents/guardians can show a negative PCR or rapid antigen test no older than 48 hours, vaccination certificate, or proof of recovery.
Travelers coming to Croatia must fill out the Enter Croatia form before their arrival!
To stay up to date with the latest official rules in English, follow the Croatian Border Police HERE or Total Croatia HERE.
*Updated on April 27th, 2021