If you have a visa-exempt passport (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan…), today you can enter Croatia visa-free with a valid passport, for up to 90 days. Once ETIAS starts, you'll need to apply before you travel (€20). Croatia may ask you to show €70 per day (€30 with a guarantee letter or tourist booking). Visa-required nationalities (India, China, South Africa…) need a Schengen visa.
What you need for Croatia, by passport
| Your passport | Today | Once ETIAS starts |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-exempt US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan… | No visa Valid passport + EES registration | ETIAS required Online application, €20 |
| Visa required India, China, South Africa, Turkey, the Philippines… | Schengen visa | Schengen visa ETIAS doesn't apply |
| EU, EEA or Switzerland | Nothing extra | Nothing extra |
Not sure which group you're in? Use the Do I need ETIAS? checker or see the official list of nationalities.
What border officers in Croatia can ask for
Even without a visa, officers in Croatia can check that you meet the Schengen entry conditions. Keep these handy, printed or on your phone:
- A valid passport. Valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave Europe and issued within the last 10 years.
- Purpose and accommodation. Hotel booking, invitation letter or the address where you'll stay, plus anything that backs up your trip (tourism, business, family).
- A return or onward ticket. Proof that you'll leave before your 90 days are up.
- Travel insurance. Not mandatory if you travel visa-free, but strongly recommended, and you may be asked about it.
- Enough money: €70 per day, or €30 per day with a certified letter of guarantee from a host in Croatia or a tourist booking. (reference amount set by the country, European Commission, 08/06/2026)
Where your border check happens when you travel to Croatia
Main international airports in Croatia: Zagreb (ZAG), Split (SPU), Dubrovnik (DBV).
If Croatia is the first Schengen country on your trip, the passport check and EES registration happen at the airport where you land. If you connect through another Schengen hub (Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Helsinki…), the check happens there and your flight to Croatia is treated as an internal Schengen flight.
Croatia has an external Schengen land border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro. Crossing there means a full passport check and EES registration, just like at an airport.
The EES at airports and borders in Croatia
In Croatia, the Entry/Exit System (EES) is used at every external border crossing point, from Zagreb (ZAG) to seaports and land crossings. It started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully live since 10 April 2026. The first time you enter, officers take 4 fingerprints and a photo (no fingerprints for children under 12) and record the date; Croatia no longer stamps passports. On later trips your data is only verified.
Croatia in depth: Neum, the Pelješac bridge and the Bosnian border
Croatia joined Schengen and adopted the euro on 1 January 2023. Its long land borders with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro are external Schengen borders, often busy in summer.
The coast road to Dubrovnik used to cross a short stretch of Bosnia at Neum, which meant leaving and re-entering Schengen twice. Since 2022 the Pelješac bridge lets you drive to Dubrovnik without leaving Croatia, but buses and some cars still use the Neum route, so keep your passport handy.
Popular day trips from Dubrovnik to Kotor (Montenegro) or Mostar (Bosnia) mean an exit and a new entry in the EES, and the days before and after still count towards your 90.
Good to know about Croatia
- Neum (Bosnia): driving to Dubrovnik you may cross a short stretch of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which means leaving and re-entering Schengen (with EES registration). The Pelješac Bridge lets you avoid it.
- Day trips from Dubrovnik to Montenegro or Bosnia also cross the external border.
How long you can stay
You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Days in Croatia add up with days in every other Schengen country, so a week in Croatia after a month elsewhere leaves you around 53 days. Check your balance with the 90/180 calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Croatia in Schengen?
Yes, since 1 January 2023.
Do US citizens need a visa for Croatia?
No. US citizens can visit Croatia visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Today a valid passport is enough; once ETIAS launches, you will also need an approved ETIAS (€20) before you travel.
Do UK citizens need ETIAS for Croatia?
Not yet, because ETIAS has not started. Once it launches, British passport holders will need ETIAS to visit Croatia, unless they are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement as residents of an EU country.
How much money do I need to enter Croatia?
€70 per day, or €30 per day with a certified letter of guarantee from a host in Croatia or a tourist booking. Border officers may ask you to show it with cards, bank statements or cash.
Keep reading
Sources
This guide is independent and for information only. Rules can change: before you travel, always double-check on the official ETIAS website and with the authorities of the country you're visiting.