Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Meet Croatia's first official digital nomad as country opens its doors

Meet Croatia's first official digital nomad as country opens its doors

The idea for the digital nomad visa was actually sparked by Dutch entrepreneur and investor, Jan de Jong. Euronews talks to him and the first official digital nomad.

Out of her home in the hilltop town of Labin on Croatia's picturesque Istrian peninsula, Melissa Paul runs her own US-based business as a brand storyteller, social media manager, and blog editor. She can also lay claim to a curious accolade: the first official digital nomad in the country.

On January 1st, Croatia became one of a small handful of European countries welcoming digital nomads through the introduction of a long-stay visa. New legislation covering the residence of this category of foreign remote workers was introduced in December 2020 as part of reforms to the foreigners' law.

What is a 'digital nomad' and how does the visa work?


The new measures define a digital nomad as a person from outside the EU working in 'communication technology' either as a remote employee or through their own company registered abroad.

Provided they don't require a tourist visa to enter Croatia, remote workers can apply for the one-year residence permit after arrival. Under the terms, they are not allowed to provide services to Croatian businesses and are not subject to income tax.

The new 'digital nomad visa' has the potential to attract year-round visitors and hopefully boost Croatia's flagging tourism industry. Tech-savvy newcomers are seen as a boon for the local economy as consumers of local goods and services, including the tourist apartments and villas that usually sit empty during winter months.

Labin, Croatia


As one of the few EU countries open to tourists in recent months, Croatia has already attracted many remote digital workers from the US and other countries who arrived to wait out the pandemic while taking in the good weather and relaxed vibe. Many hope to be able to stay on thanks to the new visa.

Melissa's story
Melissa Paul


American entrepreneur Melissa Paul became Croatia's first official digital nomad on January 15th. Paul had already been living in Croatia since 2014, when she moved here with her Croatian-American husband. Following their divorce in 2018, she discovered she no longer qualified for permanent residence based on her marriage to a Croatian citizen. Despite this, she was granted an extension of her temporary residence permit but as it neared expiry in January 2021, she realised she didn't qualify for a further extension.

With the introduction of the digital nomad visa, Paul learned she could apply on the basis of being a digital entrepreneur. “When the visa was announced in December, I got very excited because it gave me the possibility to stay in Croatia longer,” she says. “As a third-country national, the options are actually pretty limited to live here long-term. I saw that the terms of the new visa applied to me since I have my own company and work remotely.”

With new rules come grey areas


“The officials at my local police station were not exactly sure what was needed and how to interpret the requirements because the process was new to them," says Paul.

"There was a lot of back and forth with the ministry in Zagreb. I needed many written statements: what I do, where my company is based, company incorporation documents, proof it's in good standing, and even an employment contract with myself. Oh, and of course an official stamp. One thing I've learned is that officials here love stamps.”

How did this initiative come about?


The idea for the digital nomad visa was actually sparked by Jan de Jong, a Dutch entrepreneur and investor. De Jong first floated the idea of attracting digital nomads as long-term tourists in April 2020 as a panel member of a virtual conference exploring how to turn Croatia into a year-round destination.

Jan De Jong meets Andrej Plenković


He then promoted the idea on LinkedIn, writing an open letter to prime minister Andrej Plenković https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6687592098155249664/. In it, he outlined the potential economic benefits of attracting highly paid remote workers via a digital nomad visa similar to the one introduced in Estonia in June 2020.

“Soon after, I was contacted by the ministry of the interior and invited for a meeting,” explains de Jong, a long-time resident of the city of Split on Croatia's sunny Dalmatian coast. “I pitched them the idea and they immediately understood the potential. At the time, changes to the law on foreigners were being considered, and they felt the initiative could be implemented quickly. I also met with the prime minister himself and he fully supported the vision of Croatia being one of the first countries to introduce a digital nomad visa.”

De Jong was consulted during the process which didn't lose sight of the need to be competitive with other countries introducing similar digital nomad schemes. This included measures on the proposed length of stay, application fees, and income tax and health insurance requirements.

The online resource


Since the new law was passed in December 2020, the best online resource for remote workers looking to head to Croatia with their laptops was a detailed blog post on the Expat in Croatia website. 'How to apply for the digital nomad residence permit in Croatia: Guide for 2021' has had thousands of pageviews since its publication in mid-December. In terms of popularity by nation, 18 per cent of foreign traffic hails from the US, followed by the UK, North Macedonia and Canada.

American Sara Dyson started the website as an informational resource in July 2013, a year after moving to Croatia. She describes herself as a 'Croatian Bureaucracy Expert': “I make it easier for people to move to and live in Croatia,” she clarifies. “I also offer personalized one-on-one consulting to help guide people on how to move here and also apply for citizenship efficiently.”

Services like the one offered by Dyson have seen a steep rise in enquiries. “I've had over 100 personal queries from predominantly Americans, followed by Britons, Canadians and Australians,” she says. “Many are already in Croatia and wish to change to this permit because it's more favourable than the one they currently have.”

Hotels in Croatia have been capitalising on the digital nomad trend by offering discounts for extended stays over the winter season when many hotels usually close. Meanwhile, locals who rent out private tourist accommodation have found long-term tenants.

In recent years Croatia's young graduates have increasingly been leaving the country in search of better paying work opportunities elsewhere in the EU. With the digital nomad lifestyle on the upswing, the country is set to witness a kind of reverse phenomenon of well-paid foreign workers.

COVID restrictions


Aside from exemptions, most travellers wishing to enter Croatia must have a recent negative PCR test or take one within 48 hours of entering the country.

If coming from the UK, travellers will additionally require to isolate for 14 days which will be halved if a negative test is obtained after 7 days.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Japanese Customer Sways from VW to BYD after “Unbelievable” Test Drive amid Dealership Expansion
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
White House Eyes Budapest for Peace Talks
Cave Diving Beneath the Streets of Budapest
Another American Restaurant Chain Opens in Budapest
Hungarian Opposition Politician Supports Ukrainian Commander
Opposition Leader Threatens Media Outlets
American Airlines Adds New Flights to Budapest
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps Up
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
U.S. Trade Representative says Washington still negotiating trade deals after court rules tariffs illegal
Von der Leyen says Europe drawing up 'precise' plans to send troops to Ukraine
Kremlin accuses Europe of hindering Trump’s peace efforts in Ukraine
×