David C. Says:
Dear IL,
I’m seeing a lot on social media these days about remote workers living in Croatia. What’s the deal with that? Can Americans get a visa there now?
Global Intelligence Letter Editor Jeff Opdyke Says:
Hi David,
Yup, Croatia’s hot news right now, and for good reason. The Adriatic coast is a beautiful part of Europe. It’s basically Italy, only cheaper.
Similar food, similar wine culture. The coast is gorgeous in a mountains-meet-sea way. The waters often have a very Aegean ambiance to them—meaning clear and crystalline blue.
In short: Not a bad place to call home as a remote worker.
Croatia unveiled its digital nomad visa in 2021, and I actually had coffee last summer with the American woman who was the first to nab one.
But, to be honest, it’s not the way I would choose to live there.
Digital nomads I’ve talked to in Croatia note that the paperwork can be a bureaucratic nightmare.
Thankfully, there’s an easier way…
Croatia offers another visa that allows you to live in the country for up to a year. The primary requirement is simple: Prepay your rent for however many months you want to stay.
You just need to find an apartment you like, pre-pay the rent for 12 months (or less), and then use that lease agreement to apply for a visa that allows you to live locally for that period of time.
With this approach, Croatia becomes a gorgeous base from which to explore the rest of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa… or to just chill on the scores of beautiful beaches from Istria to Dalmatia.
I wrote an article in the November issue of IL magazine that goes into much more detail on your Croatian visa options. You can read that here.
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