The legal framework governing entry, residence and employment of foreign nationals in Croatia is regulated primarily by the Aliens Act, the Act on Nationals of EEA Member States and Their Family Members (Official Gazette No. 66/19, 53/20, 144/20, 114/22), as well as implementing regulations adopted pursuant to these laws. The applicable regime depends primarily on whether the individual is an EU/EEA national or a third-country national. In this article, the focus will be on the various legal grounds for residence available to third-country nationals, outlining all lawful pathways through which they may regulate their stay in the Republic of Croatia.

The Aliens Act is the primary legislative framework governing the conditions of entry, stay, employment, and legal status of third-country nationals in the Republic of Croatia and represents one of the key statutes in the field of migration law