It is far from perfect, and there have been many suggestions on how to improve it, but it seems that Croatia is doing something right with its recently introduced digital nomad permit, according to a recent analysis on available visas by Global Nomad Guide.
With an expert score of 7.4, Croatia’s ‘visa’ was judged to currently be the best on offer. Also encouraging with the pros and cons, for all the cons can be easily improved (although I would argue that none are actually cons).
Here is how Croatia scored.
PROS
Lower entry requirements than other visas (min income level, visa fees).
Zero Income Tax for up to a year in a spectacular European destination!
Better defined info & law on tax implications than for other visas.
On average, the cost of living is lower than in other countries around Europe.
Easy to get by as most people speak English!
CONS
Possible issues with WiFi, especially on islands.
Plenty of delicious local food not that much choice in terms of other cuisine.
Not enough co-living/working spaces and nomad communities.
For me personally, if these are the major cons, I am even more encouraged. Yes, some islands have less stable WiFi, but nomads visiting Zagreb and other cities comment on how good the WiFi is. This is something that will only improve in town.
Ditto the food, which our Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassadors have all raved about, without exception. The community is growing, with the largest Facebook group now 8,200 members, and as for not enough coworking spaces, again this is something that will only grow. This was Zagreb three months ago – Zagreb Coworking Spaces: a City Guide for Digital Nomads.
Digital Nomad Association Croatia, the first of its kind in the world, posted the news, while also encouraging feedback on how to improve the existing permit:
The Global Nomad Guide recently starting comparing the Digital Nomad Visas (permits) out there, and Croatia is currently the best!
We know it can still be better though, and will be working closely with all those involved over the coming months to improve it for Digital Nomads and Croatia.
Key elements we are looking to change:
– Ability to stay out of Croatia for more than 30 days, so you can spend a month at home during the holidays.
– Ability to extend, given that there’s so much to see, do and taste in Croatia
– Improvements to the application process, the speed and ease of doing things
and a few more…
What would you like to see changed?
For more on the methodology on how the scores were calculated, click here.
To see all the ratings of visas analysed.
The Global Nomad Guide conclusion on the Croatian digital nomad permit comes shortly after another encouraging survey in 2021 by Nomad List – Major Nomad List 2021 Survey: Croatia 2nd Most Liked, Zagreb in Top 5 Cities.
It is a view shared by nomad legend Nimrod Dean Kuchel, see above.
For the latest news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, visit the dedicated TCN section.
Check out the promo video for CROMADS, a new platform connecting Croatia’s authentic experiences to digital nomads and tourists all over Croatia, 365 days a year. You can see the CROMADS project presented for the first time at Digital Nomad Week VIP Day below.
