Official Govt Website: Recommendations, Instructions for Crossing Croatian Border

July 26, 2020* – The official Koronavirus.hr website has published new guidelines for crossing the border.

Recommendations and instructions of the Croatian Institute of public Health for passengers crossing the state border of the Republic of Croatia.

The Decision on temporary prohibition of crossing the border crossings of the Republic of Croatia (NN 74/20) prohibits or restricts the crossing of passengers through border crossings, of which are exempt:

EU nationals (irrespective of their place of residence), the Schengen area and Schengen associated countries, as well as members of their families and third-country nationals who are long-term residents under Council Directive 2003/109/EZ of 25 November 2003 on the status of long-term nationals of third countries and persons entitled to stay under other EU or national Directives or having national long-term visas.
The temporary prohibition on entry into the Republic of Croatia from third countries, with the exception of passengers referred to in point 1, shall not apply to:

2a) Health care professionals, health researchers and associates, nursing professionals and persons requiring urgent medical treatment
2b) Cross-border workers
2c) Carriers of goods and other transport personnel to the extent necessary
2d) Diplomats, police officers in the performance of their duties, civil protection services and teams, staff of international organisations and international military personnel in the performance of their functions
2e) Transit passengers
2f) Passengers travelling for tourism or other business reasons or having other economic interest, and passengers travelling for the purpose of education
2g) Passengers travelling for urgent personal reasons (e.g. they own a property in the Republic of Croatia) or have any other immediate personal reason

Instructions for the health supervision of passengers entering the Republic of Croatia from third countries:
a) For all passengers entering the Republic of Croatia from third countries, under exemption from the prohibition to cross the border referred to in point 2g, health supervision with 14 days quarantine/self-isolation is mandatory.

Quarantine/self-isolation can be shortened to seven days if a passenger does a nasal and pharynx swab at his/her expense seven days after entering Croatia and gets a negative PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2.

b) The obligation of self-isolation for passengers entering the Republic of Croatia from third countries does not apply to passengers referred to in points 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, and:

2e) Transit passengers:

For transit passengers, the border police will, after they have been granted entry, check whether they have left the territory of the Republic of Croatia within 12 hours
This rule can only be applied if the departure from the Republic of Croatia to a neighbouring country enables it to enter.

2f) – Passengers entering the Republic of Croatia for tourism or other business reasons or having other economic interest, as well as persons travelling for educational purposes.

These passengers may enter Croatia without the obligation of self-isolation upon presentation of a negative PCR test of the nose and pharynx for SARS-CoV-2, not older than 48 hours (starting from the time of taking the swab until arrival at the border crossing), or with the obligation of 14 days quarantine/self-isolation if they do not have a negative PCR test.

Update, July 13 (the following sentence was added to the rules regarding the passengers entering Croatia under 2f conditions): If the third-country nationals entering Croatia have a test older than 48 hours, they will be allowed to enter Croatia with the obligatory self-isolation measure, but they will be able to get re-tested in Croatia (they’ll have to pay for the test in Croatia themselves). That can be applied to passengers and crew members on yachts.

(Additional clarification of this rule: Those whose test is older than 48 hours will be allowed to enter Croatia, but they will be issued a self-isolation order and will have to be tested again locally, at their own expense. Having an expired PCR test upon arrival will allow for a shortened period of time in self-isolation pending a negative result of a local PCR test. Those who do not provide a negative PCR test upon arrival will be ordered to quarantine/self-isolate for at least 7 days prior to taking a local PCR test.)

Passengers entering Croatia without the obligation of self-isolation shall comply with the following measures during the first two weeks of their stay in Croatia:

During the first 14 days after entering the Republic of Croatia, exits from accommodation are limited only to the necessary ones: performance of work if it is a business reason for entering the Republic of Croatia, performance of necessary activities with continuous intensified implementation of hygiene measures.
During the necessary exit from accommodation it is recommended to use a mask or covers for the nose and mouth, maintain physical distance from other persons (minimum 1.5 meters) and conduct hand hygiene.
Hands wash as often as possible with warm water and soap and/or use a hand disinfectant that needs to be rubbed in the palms. Avoid touching the face, mouth, nose and eyes.
Avoid the use of public transport. In a means of transport, it is desirable that a person is alone or exclusively with persons sharing a common accommodation.
Gatherings should be consistently avoided
During business meetings it is necessary to meet as few people as possible, ensure a physical distance of 1.5 meters and availability of disinfectants, and avoid unnecessary meetings.
Payment services are performed by non-cash card payments or on-line services.
Every morning it is necessary to measure the body temperature if it is higher than 37.2C, the measurement should be repeated after 10 minutes, and if the temperature is higher than 37.2 C it is necessary to stay at home/in accommodation and contact a doctor in a tourist or COVID-19 infirmary or a territorially responsible epidemiologist.
In case of symptoms of acute respiratory infection (cough, sore throat, fever, short breathing/difficulty or loss of smell), it is necessary to stay at home/in accommodation and contact a doctor in a tourist or A COVID-19 infirmary or a territorially responsible epidemiologist.
In case of sudden onset of severe, life-threatening symptoms, contact emergency medical service at 194.