Travel Insurance Direct

Summary

• We advise you to exercise normal safety precautions in Croatia.

• Exercise common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia.

• Australians have been severely injured after jumping off rocks and cliffs into the sea along the coast of Croatia. Your travel insurance may not cover injuries sustained from cliff jumping or diving. You should carefully check the details of your insurance policy.

• You should avoid large gatherings of people and protests as they may become violent.

• There is an ongoing risk or terrorism in Europe. In the past, terrorist attacks have occurred in a number of European cities.

• There is a serious problem of unexploded landmines in several parts of Croatia. You can check the latest information on known and suspected mine areas with the Croatian Mine Action Centre. You should not travel away from known safe areas.

• Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas:

  • organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy.

  • register your travel and contact details , so we can contact you in an emergency

  • subscribe to this travel advice to receive free email updates each time it's reissued.

Entry and exit

Visa conditions change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Croatia for the most up to date information on visas, temporary residence and work permits.

Travellers not staying at a hotel are required to register their place of residence with the nearest police station within 24 hours of arrival. Hotels and other commercial accommodation facilities undertake this registration on behalf of their guests. Those found not to have registered may be fined and/or deported.

Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.

Safety and security

Terrorism

Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.

There is an ongoing risk of terrorism in Europe. In the past, terrorist attacks have occurred in a number of European cities.

Civil unrest/political tension

You should avoid large gatherings of people and protests as they may become violent.

There have been isolated attacks targeted at specific persons and/or property as a result of lingering ethnic tensions following the war, which ended in 1995 (also see Local Travel). Attacks have also occurred as a result of criminal activities.

Crime

There have been several violent incidents in the capital Zagreb targeting specific individuals. The incidents are widely assumed to be linked to organised crime and have not targeted or otherwise affected the general public.

Petty crime, such as pickpocketing, occurs, most commonly in busy tourist areas, at bus and railway stations, on public transport and at beaches. There have been reports of gangs staging roadside emergencies and then robbing drivers who stop to offer assistance.

You should not accept food or drink from strangers as there have been incidents where it has been laced with drugs.

You should check prices prior to ordering drinks at certain bars and "cabarets". Some establishments charge exorbitant prices. Discussions about overcharging have been known to lead to threats of violence. Security guards may compel you to pay.

Money and valuables

Before you go, organise a variety of ways of accessing your money in Croatia, such as through credit cards, travellers' cheques and cash. European currencies and US dollars are the easiest to exchange in Croatia. You may be unable to exchange currencies from outside of Europe. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work in Croatia.

Make two photocopies of valuable documents such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.

While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.

As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.

You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.

Local travel

Although hostilities ended in 1995, unexploded landmines and military ordnance remain a serious problem in several parts of Croatia. De-mining operations will continue until at least 2019. Travellers in former conflict areas should not stray from known safe roads and areas. According to the Croatian Mine Action Centre, suspected landmine areas are spread over the following counties: Brodsko-Posavska, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska, Karlovacka, Licko-Senjska, Osjecko-Branajska, Pozesko-Slavonska, Splitsko-Dalmatinska, Sisacko-Moslovacka, Sibensko-Kninska,Viroviticko-Pordravska, Vukovarsko-Srijemska, and Zadarska. You can check the latest information on known and suspected mine areas with the Croatian Mine Action Centre.

Australians have been severely injured after jumping off rocks and cliffs into the sea along the coast of Croatia. Your travel insurance may not cover you if you participate in cliff jumping or diving. You should carefully check the details of your insurance policy.

Driving in Croatia can be hazardous due to poor driving practices, and badly maintained roads. Road traffic accidents are common. Individuals should exercise caution when cycling on roads in Croatia. For further advice, see our bulletin on Overseas Road Safety.

For assistance in an emergency, dial the general emergency number 112 from anywhere in Croatia.

Airline safety

The Croatian national carrier, Croatia Airlines, is enforcing European Union (EU) security standards which limit the quantity of liquids that may be carried by airline passengers in their hand luggage.

For further information, please refer to our Aviation Safety and Security travel bulletin.

Laws

When you are in Croatia, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.

Penalties for possession of even small amounts of 'soft drugs' include fines and suspended sentences.

It is prohibited to use a mobile phone while driving.

It is compulsory to keep a fluorescent vest in the cabin of motor vehicles. The vest is to be worn while attending to a breakdown.

You are required by Croatian law to carry identification, such as your passport, at all times.

Foreigners purchasing property in Croatia have been involved in disputes about the validity of property titles, resulting in lengthy legal proceedings. Before signing any kind of contract, you are advised to seek independent legal advice. Further information (in English) can be found under the real estate section on the Croatian Government website.

Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism, child pornography, and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.

Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism and child pornography laws. These laws provide severe penalties for up to 25 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in child sexual exploitation while outside of Australia.

Information for dual nationals

Although Croatia recognises dual nationality, Croatian authorities tend to treat dual nationals as Croatian citizens only. Australian/Croatian citizens should ensure they ask officials for consular assistance from the Australian Embassy if they are arrested or detained in Croatia.

While military service obligations are no longer compulsory, all male Croatians (including dual nationals) must report to the relevant Croatian defence authorities to register their details. Failure to report is considered an offence. Australian/Croatian dual nationals should seek further advice from the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Croatia on the specific registration requirements well in advance of travel.

Our Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals.

Health

We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy.

Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.

Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.

While the standard of health care is generally good, services on Croatian islands are limited and serious illnesses or accidents would require emergency transport to the nearest regional centre. Public hospitals in Croatia are under severe budgetary constraints and the standard of facilities and availability of pharmaceuticals can be limited. Private medical facilities provide a better quality but often more costly alternative to public hospital treatment. Doctors and hospitals usually expect immediate cash payments for treatment.

Decompression chambers are located in the towns of Split and Pula on the Adriatic coast.

Travel in inland forested areas brings the risk of exposure to tick-borne encephalitis. Ticks are active from April to September.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For more information see our travel bulletin on avian influenza .

Where to get help

In Croatia, you can obtain consular assistance from the:

Australian Embassy, Zagreb

If you are travelling to Croatia, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.

In a consular emergency, if you are unable to contact the Embassy you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.

In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.

Additional information

Natural disasters

Croatia is in an active earthquake zone. If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.

Wildlife

Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.

For parents

For general information and tips on travelling with children see our Travelling with Children brochure.

If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities in Croatia we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments.

Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.