Croatia has established reciprocity in the acquisition of ownership rights in real estate between various countries other than the EU, Republic of Iceland, Principality of Liechtenstein, Kingdom of Norway or Swiss Confederation. The countries listed above have the same rights as a Croatian Citizen when purchasing property in Croatia.

The Reciprocity Agreement between various other countries is listed in the following link: https://mpu.gov.hr/information-on-reciprocity-in-the-acquisition-of-ownership-rights-in-real-estate-between-the-republic-of-croatia-and-countries-other-than-eu-member-states-republic-of-iceland-principality-of-liechtenstein-kingdom-of-norway-or-swiss-confederation-25361/25361

If your country has reciprocity with Croatia or you meet the requirements outlined, you will be required to fill in an application and send the relevant documentation to the Ministry of Justice and Administration of the Republic of Croatia for approval. The following documentation is requiredei

• Legal basis of the acquisition of the ownership - real estate purchase agreement
• Copy of land registry as proof of ownership
• Proof of citizenship (certified copy)
• Proof of power of attorney if you are being represented

Depending on the complexity of the submission, size / value of the property and thoroughness of the documentation, the approval process can take anywhere from 60 days to many months. This needs to be taken into consideration when looking for a property as depending on the current market, if the demand is high and supply is low, the seller could reject your offer based on unwillingness to wait.

If the seller agrees to proceed with the process and your application is rejected, unless stated otherwise you will lose the deposit which is a detail not to be overlooked in the process. Many sellers will not agree for a clause to be included to allow you to receive your deposit back if the application is rejected - but this is just something to keep in mind during the negotiations. If you are considering buying and need assistance with the application process, please feel free to contact Croatia Property Advisor as we have an extensive knowledge of the process from start to end!