Essential information about returning to the Republic of Croatia
A simple overview for individuals and families living outside Croatia who want to return: financial support, tax reduction, residence, registered address, health insurance, schooling and official forms.
How much can you receive?
Key figures for returnees: HZZ mobility support, self-employment support and salary tax reduction.
Biram Hrvatsku
7.000 EURFor Croatian citizens returning from the EEA, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand who become self-employed in Croatia.
- Age up to 60.
- At least 12 months of work or education abroad in the last 24 months.
- Residence or temporary stay abroad must have lasted at least 12 continuous months; for the current measure, the return date cannot be before 01 January 2025.
- Registration in the HZZ records and starting your own business.
- Application no later than 30 days from self-employment, or from the HZZ contract if combined with self-employment support.
- Obligation to work and operate the business for at least 24 months.
- For internal migration to less developed areas, the support is EUR 3,500.
Self-employment
up to EUR 15,000The current HZZ self-employment support in 2026 depends on the activity, legal form and cost plan. Flat-rate trades may have a lower maximum amount.
- A business plan, cost plan and required evidence are submitted.
- Do not start the business without checking HZZ conditions first.
- Support applications in 2026 are accepted no later than 30 September 2026 or until funds are exhausted.
- Some activities are not eligible, for example trade, transport, accommodation and hospitality, finance, real estate and some legal activities.
- The combination with Biram Hrvatsku for a returnee in 2026 can reach up to EUR 22,000 if the conditions are met.
- Official materials for 2025 state the combination up to EUR 27,000.
Income tax
5 yearsA 100% reduction of the proportional part of annual income tax from employment for Croatian citizen returnees and Croatian emigrants under the prescribed conditions.
- Applies from 1 January of the year in which the conditions are met.
- The right can be granted automatically based on MUP data or through the Tax Administration.
- If not granted automatically, submit ZPP-DOH by the end of February for the previous year or an objection by 31 July.
- Does not apply to returns before 1 January 2025.
- Cannot be used at the same time as the reduction for Group I local self-government units, the City of Vukovar, or the annual reduction for people up to age 30.
What does an individual need, and what does a family need?
The shortest route without wandering: first identity and address, then insurance, work, tax and family status.
One person
- Prepare your ID card or passport, OIB if you have one, birth certificate if needed, diplomas, proof of work or schooling abroad and proof of your residential address in Croatia.
- Register your residence or temporary stay with MUP. Croatian citizens generally register residence within 15 days of settling.
- Check your OIB, tax status and tax card with the Tax Administration. For the tax reduction, follow the annual procedure or form ZPP-DOH.
- Register with HZZ as unemployed if you are seeking the Biram Hrvatsku measure or self-employment support.
- Regulate health insurance with HZZO. If you worked in the EU/EEA/Switzerland/United Kingdom, contact HZZO within 30 days after employment and foreign insurance end.
Family
- For each family member, sort out address, OIB and health insurance. Register children as family members or under another basis determined by HZZO.
- If a spouse or child does not have Croatian citizenship, check the MDU certificate for Croatian emigrants and the residence procedure with MUP.
- For school, contact the local primary or secondary school before moving. For kindergarten, contact the city or municipality according to the residential address.
- For child allowance and pension matters, contact HZMO. For changes in family status, keep the deadlines required by HZMO.
- If housing is not settled, check returnee housing support with MDU. Allocation depends on available housing and evidence.
Where is each item registered?
This table is intentionally simple: institution, form or evidence, deadline and submission link.
| What you handle | Institution | Form or evidence | Deadline / duration | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Address Residence or temporary stay in Croatia. |
MUP, police administration or police station according to the address. | Valid document, proof of housing right, MUP registration form. | For Croatian citizens, generally within 15 days of settling. | Residence |
| OIB Personal identification number. |
Tax Administration. | Request for determining and assigning an OIB, identification document. | Before contracts, bank, work, school and public services. | OIB forms |
| HZZ records Unemployment and measures. |
Croatian Employment Service. | Online registration or HZZ office, CV, proof of status, proof of work abroad. | Before seeking support. For Biram Hrvatsku, the application is due no later than 30 days from self-employment or contract. | HZZ registration |
| Biram Hrvatsku Returnee support. |
HZZ, portal mjere.hr / mjere.hzz.hr. | Application, proof of work or education abroad, statement or PD U1, proof of stay/residence, business plan if combined with self-employment; after the contract, a blank promissory note certified by a notary public. | The blank promissory note is submitted no later than 8 days from signing the contract; payment is one-off no later than 30 days from signing. Obligation: 24 months. | Biram Hrvatsku 2026 |
| Tax relief 5 years of salary tax reduction. |
Tax Administration. | Automatically based on MUP data or form ZPP-DOH / objection to temporary tax assessment. | ZPP-DOH by end of February for the previous year; objection by 31 July. | Reductions for returnees |
| Healthcare Mandatory health insurance. |
HZZO. | Identity document, OIB, proof of termination of insurance or status abroad, basis for insurance in Croatia. | As soon as possible after return; for workers from the EU/EEA/Switzerland/UK, the deadline is 30 days after employment ends. | HZZO returnees |
| Residence for emigrants For people without Croatian citizenship. |
MDU i MUP. | MDU certificate for Croatian emigrants, proof of Croatian origin, then residence procedure with MUP. | Temporary stay may be approved for up to two years; after three years, permanent residence may be requested under the conditions. | MDU certificate |
| Housing Returnee housing support. |
MDU. | Application, personal documents, proof of status, statement that you do not have habitable property and other required evidence. | Application can be submitted throughout the year; processing depends on available housing. | Housing support |
| Children School, kindergarten, child allowance. |
School, city/municipality, HZZO and HZMO. | Birth certificate, OIB, address, school documentation, health status; for allowance, submit application to HZMO. | Contact school and kindergarten before moving; allowance according to HZMO rules. | Child allowance |
Key details without bureaucratic language
These are the points where people most often lose time or the right to the measure.
HZZ deadline
For Biram Hrvatsku, the application is submitted no later than 30 days from self-employment or signing an employment contract. After signing the contract, support is paid as a one-off, no later than 30 days.
Evidence from abroad
HZZ requires proof of work or education abroad. Prepare PD U1 if you can obtain it, contracts, employer confirmations, school/university confirmations, deregistration of residence or other proof of stay.
24-month obligation
If you close the business or break the obligation before 24 months expire, HZZ may request repayment of the support. Plan a realistic business, costs and address before submitting.
Official links
All key pages for checking conditions, forms and submitting applications.
- MDU: Biram Hrvatsku measure for returnees
- HZZ: Biram Hrvatsku 2026
- HZZ: Biram Hrvatsku 2025 archive
- PDF: 2025 labour mobility
- MDU: Immigration
- Central State Office for Croats Abroad
- Tax: reductions for returnees
- MDU: certificate for regulating residence
- MDU: returnee housing support
- HZZ: unemployment records registration
- gov.hr: residence
- HZZO: mandatory health insurance for returnees
This guide is informational and simplified. Legally, only the current conditions published on the official pages of HZZ, MDU, Tax Administration, MUP, HZZO and other competent authorities apply.
Your guide to beautiful Croatia!
Practical instructions for returnees: what to prepare, where to register, which application to submit and when support or a right can be expected. Choose instructions for one person or for a family with children.
Instructions for one person
This is the fastest order for a person returning, looking for work or planning to open a trade/company in Croatia.
Prepare documents before arrival
Prepare your ID card or passport, OIB if you have one, birth certificate if needed, diplomas, employment contracts, employer confirmations, payslips or PD U1, proof of stay abroad and proof of residential address in Croatia.
Register residence or temporary stay
Submit residence registration at the police administration or station according to your address. For Croatian citizens, the deadline to register residence is 15 days from settling.
Check OIB and tax status
If you do not have an OIB, request one from the Tax Administration. If you have one, check your tax status, tax card and right to the returnee tax reduction.
Regulate health insurance
Contact HZZO and register the basis of insurance in Croatia. If you come from the EU/EEA/Switzerland/United Kingdom after working abroad, contact HZZO within 30 days after employment and foreign insurance end.
Register with HZZ if you are seeking work or support
Registration in HZZ records can be done in person or online. You need an identification document, OIB, proof of address and diploma/certificate. For HZZ measures, check the conditions before opening a business.
If opening a business: submit HZZ applications
For self-employment, submit a business plan and cost plan. For Biram Hrvatsku, a returnee may receive EUR 7,000 if conditions are met, paid once after the contract.
Instructions for families
A family follows the same first steps as one person, but must additionally resolve each member’s status, children, school/kindergarten, HZZO and possible child allowance.
Prepare documents for each member
For parents and children, prepare passports/ID cards, OIB if available, children’s birth certificates, marriage certificate if needed, school certificates, vaccination/medical records and proof of future address in Croatia.
Register the address for all family members
Parents register residence/temporary stay for themselves and minor children with MUP. Without an address, OIB, HZZO, school, kindergarten and rights will be delayed.
Resolve OIB and HZZO for each member
Each member needs an OIB. Register health insurance for parents and children with HZZO. Children are most often tied to a parent’s status or another basis determined by HZZO.
Enroll children in school or kindergarten
For school, contact the primary or secondary school according to the residential address. For kindergarten, contact the city/municipality or chosen kindergarten because enrollment and prices depend on the place of residence.
Check child allowance
Child allowance is submitted to HZMO if the household meets income and residence conditions. The amount depends on income per household member.
A parent who works or opens a business checks HZZ and tax
A returnee parent can check HZZ self-employment measures and Biram Hrvatsku. If they work for a salary in Croatia and meet the conditions, they can receive the returnee tax reduction for 5 years.
How much can be received and when?
These are the most important figures. The final amount always depends on conditions, a decision or a contract from the competent institution.
Biram Hrvatsku
7.000 EURFor a returnee who becomes self-employed and meets HZZ conditions. One-time payment, no later than 30 days after signing the contract with HZZ.
Internal migration
3.500 EURFor moving from more developed areas to development index areas I-IV, if HZZ conditions are met.
Self-employment
do 15.000 EURFor an income-taxed trade, company or another form depending on activity; flat-rate trade up to EUR 7,000. Application deadline 30 September 2026 or until funds are exhausted.
Salary tax
5 godina100% reduction of the proportional part of annual income tax on salary for returnees who meet Tax Administration conditions.
How much do forms cost?
These are indicative costs if the user buys paper forms from Narodne novine. Many requests can be downloaded or submitted online without buying a form.
MUP address registration
0,13 EURNN IV-168 residence registration/deregistration. For foreigners, form 8/A, NN IV-164/N, EUR 0.20 may also appear.
HZZO insurance
0,25-0,40 EURNN Form 2 is EUR 0.25, Form 1 is EUR 0.40. Which form is needed depends on the insurance basis.
Tax relief
0,24 EURNN IX-420 ZPP-DOH if the right is not automatically recognized. The OIB procedure is EUR 0.
Child allowance
0,25 EURNN V-430/E request for child allowance. Submission through e-Services/HZMO may be possible without buying a form.
Institutions, forms and deadlines
One table for quick orientation: where to go, what to submit and what to expect.
| What you handle | Institution | What to submit | When | What you receive | Form cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residence / temporary stay | MUP, police administration/station | form no. 1, personal document, proof of housing | within 15 days from settling | registered address; basis for OIB, HZZO, school, tax and rights | procedure EUR 0; NN IV-168 EUR 0.13 if buying the paper form |
| OIB | Tax Administration | OIB request, identification document | immediately after arrival if OIB does not exist | OIB needed for contracts, bank, work, school and services | EUR 0; the form can be downloaded/submitted without buying it in NN |
| Health insurance | HZZO | OIB, address, personal document, proof of status/insurance | as soon as possible; when work in EU/EEA/CH/UK ends, deadline is 30 days | regulated mandatory health insurance | NN Form 1 EUR 0.40 or Form 2 EUR 0.25 depending on the case |
| Unemployment registration | HZZ | personal document, OIB, address, diploma/certificate | when actively seeking work or before measures | HZZ records, adviser, access to measures | 0 EUR |
| Biram Hrvatsku | HZZ / mjere.hzz.hr | application, proof of work/schooling abroad, proof of address, self-employment contract if combined | under HZZ conditions, before measure deadlines expire | EUR 7,000 for a returnee or EUR 3,500 for internal migration; payment within 30 days of the contract | HZZ application EUR 0; blank promissory note/certification depend on the notary |
| Self-employment | HZZ / mjere.hzz.hr | business plan, cost plan, evidence according to activity | no later than 30 September 2026 or until funds are exhausted | up to EUR 15,000; for flat-rate trade up to EUR 7,000 | HZZ application EUR 0; trade/company registration is not included |
| Returnee tax reduction | Tax Administration | automatically based on MUP data or ZPP-DOH / objection | ZPP-DOH by the end of February; objection by 31 July | 100% reduction of the proportional part of annual salary tax over 5 years | automatic EUR 0; NN ZPP-DOH EUR 0.24 if buying the form |
| Child allowance | HZMO | application, OIB, address, documentation on children and household income | after regulated address; continuation of the right is usually requested at the beginning of the year | EUR 30.90 to 61.80 monthly per child, if conditions are met | submission EUR 0; NN V-430/E EUR 0.25 if buying the form |
Information is simplified for users. Before submitting a request, always open the official institution page because conditions, deadlines and forms may have changed.
Returnee calculator: HZZ support and tax reduction
Enter return conditions, self-employment plan and gross salary. The calculator separately calculates the possible HZZ maximum and salary tax reduction, because they are not the same source of money and are not paid at the same time.
This is not an official decision of HZZ or the Tax Administration. HZZ amounts are the highest possible framework, and tax reduction is calculated only for salary tax, not contributions, flat-rate trade or other types of income.
Biram Hrvatsku is not general support for every returnee, but an HZZ measure linked to self-employment and target group conditions. Tax relief is not an HZZ payment, but a reduction of annual income tax on salary over 5 years. That is why the calculator shows them separately.
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