Croatia

TRAVEL INSURANCE

The Department of Foreign Affairs strongly recommends that comprehensive travel insurance, including medical insurance, is obtained before travelling to Croatia.

Travellers should note that the Irish Government does not provide funds for emergency medical repatriation or for repatriation of remains.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Irish passport holders do not require visas for short stay visits  to Croatia. If you are planning to stay for a longer period, please contact the nearest Croatian Embassy or Consulate.

Irish citizens travelling to Croatia should ensure that their passports are valid for at least three months beyond their expected date of departure from Croatia.

It is advisable to take a number of photocopies of your passport with you. During your stay you should carry a photocopy of your passport at all times.

TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN

Children who enter Croatia without their legal representative (i.e. parent/guardian) are required by the Croatian authorities to have a declaration of consent (PDF 23kb) from their legal guardian giving them permission to travel to Croatia. This would apply in a case, where, for example, a child is brought on holidays by their grandparents or by an aunt or uncle or family friend. The declaration must be in Croatian or English and must be authenticated. Special arrangements are in place for school and sports groups. Please note that the signature of the parent/guardian on the declaration of consent must be authenticated by a notary public, Commissioner for Oaths or a Garda. For further information about the declaration or the special arrangements in place for school and sports groups, please contact the Croatian Embassy in Dublin (http://ie.mfa.hr).

SAFETY & SECURITY

The threat of a terrorist attack in Croatia is relatively low. However, given the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be directed against civilian targets, all travellers are advised to exercise caution and to remain vigilant.

Landmines remain a very real danger in some parts of Croatia. Populated areas and major routes are clear of mines and are safe to visit. Almost all tourist sites are perfectly safe to visit. However, isolated areas in the mountains and countryside have not all been cleared. You should therefore be careful not to stray from roads, paved areas or marked paths without an experienced guide. Never enter areas that are taped off. For further information, please visit the website of the Croatian Mine Action Centre.

CRIME

Croatia is, in general, a very safe country for tourists, but sensible precautions should be taken to safeguard money, valuables and travel documents, especially in busy tourist areas. Personal and valuable items should not be left unattended, particularly on the beach. If travelling by train, special care should be taken to guard valuables, especially at night.

Any thefts or other criminal incidents should be reported to the local police station immediately, as a statement of loss signed by the police is required for insurance purposes and also to obtain emergency travel documentation from the Irish Embassy.

We also advise all travellers to Croatia to bring another form of photographic identification with them, such as a driving licence.

ROAD SAFETY

Please note that vehicles are driven on the right hand side of the road in Croatia. The use of front and rear seat belts is obligatory. Special seats are required for infants and children under twelve may not sit in the front seat of a car. Headlights (dipped beams) must be on at all times.

Under Croatian law, it is illegal for professional drivers (e.g. hauliers, taxi drivers, etc) and young people (16-24 years) to drive with any alcohol in their system (there is also a zero tolerance policy for those in charge of yachts and boats). For other drivers, the blood/alcohol limit is 0.05. Police routinely spot check motorists for drinking and driving and will administer breath-analyser tests at the site of even the most minor accident. Drivers who refuse to submit to a breath analyser test are presumed to have been driving while intoxicated. Croatian police are obliged to take blood samples to test blood alcohol levels in the event of an accident resulting in death or serious injuries.

The use of a mobile phone by the driver is not permitted, unless a "hands-free" device is being used. It is obligatory to drive with dipped headlights at all times, even during the day. Drivers are also obliged to bring a fluorescent vest in the car (not the boot) while driving and to wear it while attempting to repair a car.

It is obligatory to have at least two winter tyres on the driving axle and snow chains must be carried in your vehicle during "winter conditions".

The Croatian Automobile Club can be contacted at this website address.

The police can be reached by dialling 92, and the ambulance service by dialling 94.

CASH/BANKING

All major credit/debit cards are accepted in most banks/hotels. Euro, Sterling and US Dollars are easily exchanged for the local currency (the Kuna). Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are widespread. Those in possession of a Maestro or Cirrus symbol on their ATM cards will be in a position to withdraw funds from their Irish accounts.

BUYING PROPERTY IN CROATIA

Irish citizens considering the purchasing of property in Croatia should consult an independent legal advisor at the beginning of the process. The purchase of all property by non-Croatian citizens must be approved by the Ministry of Justice, Administration and Local Self-Government. Prospective buyers should note that this can be a lengthy process.

ILLEGAL DRUGS

Do not use, possess, purchase and/or import illegal narcotics into Croatia.

HEALTH

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

The H5NI form of avian influenza was found in some dead migratory swans in a wetlands area of eastern Slavonia, approximately two hundred kilometres east of Zagreb, in October 2005. The authorities contained the outbreak and no human infections or deaths as a result of Avian Influenza have been reported in the country. The risk to human infection is considered to be low.

For further advice, please visit the Avian Influenza section (http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=281) of this website.

Other

It is strongly recommended that travellers obtain comprehensive travel and health insurance and seek medical advice on immunisations before travelling, particularly against tick-borne encephalitis in the summer months.

DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR MISSIONS 

The Irish Embassy in Slovenia is accredited to Croatia. Irish citizens intending to remain in Croatia for some time are encouraged to register their presence with the Embassy in Slovenia.  For contact details, please click here.