Reception - Croatia | DIP EUAA
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Croatia is bound by the recast Reception Conditions Directive and has transposed its provisions through the Law on International and Temporary Protection 70/2015 | Zakon o međunarodnoj i privremenoj zaštiti 70/2015
On 24/6/2015 Croatia transposed the recast Reception Conditions Directive by Law on International and Temporary Protection 70/2015 | Zakon o međunarodnoj i privremenoj zaštiti 70/2015 as amended by Laws on Amendments to the Law on International and Temporary Protection 127/2017, 33/2023 and 17/2025 | Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o međunarodnoj i privremenoj zaštiti 127/2017, 33/2023 i 17/2025
| Authority responsible for reception | The Service for the Reception and Accommodation of Applicants for International Protection under the authority of the Directorate for Immigration, Citizenship and Administrative Affairs of the Ministry of the Interior. The service is responsible for the reception and accommodation of all applicants for international protection in Zagreb and Kutina reception centres. The Directorate for Borders of the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for the accommodation of irregular migrants and foreigners and operates the Reception centre for foreigners. To accommodate irregular migrants and foreigners, local police directorates operate two transit centres in Trilj and Tovarnik, located near the border with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina |
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| Other actors involved | UNHCR, the Croatian Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations conduct training, educational and similar programmes in the reception centres and provide other forms of aid and assistance, with the prior consent of the ministry. More specifically, NGOs funded under AMIF implement specific projects, such as the Croatian Red Cross providing psychosocial support and creative workshops to asylum providers; the Croatian Legal Centre provides legal protection; Médecins du Monde provides health care and deals with prevention of illness; Jesuit Refugees Service and Rehab centre provide services for stress and trauma. |
The reception system in Croatia is centralised. The state owns the 2 reception centres in Zagreb and Kutina which are directly operated by Service for the Reception and Accommodation of Applicants for International Protection. The provision of certain services and activities may be outsourced to international organisations or NGOs through AMIF funding.
Information is not currently available
Information is not currently available
The procedure for recognising the right to accommodation is initiated by submitting a request to the competent social welfare centre in the place of residence of the asylum seeker. The centre rules on the request by issuing a decision. An appeal may be lodged against the decision within 15 days from its date of notification, which shall not delay the execution of the decision. The appeal is determined by the ministry competent for social affairs through a formal decision which may be appealed before the competent administrative court within 8 days from its date of notification.
Recognised beneficiaries of international protection may remain in the reception centre for 60 days following a positive decision, provided that within 8 days they request subsidised accommodation from the competent regional social welfare office and do not have sufficient funds of their own. Requests may also be submitted after this period, explaining the reason for missing the deadline.
Several containers are kept in storage which can be used for housing during the development phase of the first reception centre or in the event of a large influx of migrants.
Reception centres in Croatia consist of:
- Reception centre for applicants for international protection in Zagreb: former Hotel Porin is a collective accommodation centre managed by the Service for the Reception and Accommodation of Applicants for International Protection where applicants are accommodated as soon as their application is lodged.
- Reception centre for applicants for international protection in Kutina: serves the same purpose as the centre in Zagreb but is primarily intended to accommodate vulnerable groups of applicants for international protection who need additional reception and procedural guarantees.
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| Regime | Open |
| Management | The Service for the Reception and Accommodation of Applicants for International Protection manage and run both reception centres |
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| Number of centres | 2 |
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| Location of the centres within the country | One reception centre is located in Zagreb, while the other in Kutina (80 km from Zagreb) |
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In the Reception centre in Zagreb families, single women and vulnerable groups are accommodated in separate premises, while single men are housed in different area of the facility. The centre in Kutina is primarily intended to accommodate applicants with special needs/vulnerabilities who need additional reception and procedural guarantees.
Both centres also have NGOs staff and trained specialists present, who provide special psychosocial support to applicants with special needs.
Unaccompanied minors: The Foster Care Act (OG No 115/18) allows unaccompanied children to be placed in foster families.
Victims of human trafficking (THB), torture or other forms of violence: Accommodation for victims of trafficking is provided in the National Shelter for Adult Victims of Trafficking and the National Shelter for Children Victims of Trafficking. Shelter locations and all treatment of victims of trafficking are confidential. These shelters are managed by civil society organizations that meet the legal requirements for providing temporary accommodation to children and adult victims of trafficking, as prescribed by the Ordinance on Minimum Conditions for the Provision of Social Services (OG 40/2014 as amended by 66/2015).
When a victim needs access to certain services within the program, they are referred to a person specially designated for THB victims in that area of service (e.g. a designated person in the Employment Bureau) in order to minimise the victim’s exposure. Professional associates in social care centres, coordinators and employees of shelters for victims of THB within the social welfare system are obliged to treat all data related to victims as a professional secret.
Applicants with disabilities and special health needs: In the facility in Zagreb, a doctor is present every day to conduct basic medical screenings, to attend to health cases and non-emergency issues.
Women: The Ministry of the Interior developed standard operating procedures to prevent and address sexual and gender-based violence in reception centres, in cooperation with UNHCR, Médecins du Monde, the Red Cross and the Croatian Law Centre. The new procedures, which were implemented in April 2021, define the roles and responsibilities of all service providers in the prevention of and response to violence. The Gender Equality Office designed leaflets in eight languages on gender-based violence for women applicants and beneficiaries of international protection.
LGBTIQ: Information is not currently available.
Material reception conditions are defined by Article 55 of the Law on International and Temporary Protection (LITP). They include accommodation in the Reception Centre, food and clothing provided in kind, reimbursement of travel costs incurred for the purpose of the asylum procedure, and financial assistance.
| Type and purpose | Accommodation, meals, clothing, reimbursement of travel costs incurred for the purpose of the asylum procedure. |
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| Duration and recurrence | Duration can depend on individual cases and circumstances. |
| Type and purpose | Financial assistance (pocket money). |
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| Duration and recurrence | Information is not currently available |
| Calculation and amount | The Decision on the Amount of Financial Assistance for Applicants for International Protection establishes that the amount of financial assistance to applicants placed in the reception centre -who do not own valuable items or whose monthly funds for personal do not needs exceed 20% of the base amount used to determine financial assistance for maintenance- is HRK 100 per month (approximately 13.3 euro). |
| Applicants granted allowance | All applicants. |
| Modalities of provision | Information is not currently available |
The Ordinance on health care standards for applicants for international protection and foreigners under temporary protection regulates, among other matters, initial and supplementary medical examinations and the scope of health care for applicants for international protection with special reception needs. The Ordinance lists the different vulnerable groups entitled to health care: persons deprived of legal capacity, children, unaccompanied children, elderly and infirm persons, seriously ill persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, single parents with a minor child, people with mental disabilities and victims of human trafficking, victims of torture, rape or other psychological, physical and sexual violence, such as victims of female genital mutilation. These categories of persons have a right to psychosocial support and assistance in appropriate institutions:
A pregnant woman or a parturient woman requiring monitoring of pregnancy and childbirth is entitled to health care to the same extent as a person insured under compulsory health insurance.
Children up to the age of 18 are guaranteed full access to health care in accordance with the legislation governing the right to health care under compulsory health insurance.
| Modalities of information provision on benefits and obligations related to reception conditions | The officials of the Ministry of the Interior individually inform applicants about their rights and obligations in the Republic of Croatia within 15 days of expressing their intention to apply for international protection, and prior to lodging the formal application. Applicants receive information, both orally and in writing, from an official interpreter, in the applicant's native language or in a language they can understand. In addition, videos for applicants for international protection and foreigners residing in Croatia that provide general information as well as information on legal counselling, accommodation and daily life, health care, education, legal framework, and cultural features in the local community are available to applicants in reception centres. |
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| Provision of legal assistance on the reception conditions available | An applicant with no financial resources is provided with legal assistance upon request. Organisations working to protect the rights of refugees provide legal assistance or collaborate with attorneys with whom the Ministry has an agreement for free legal counselling. In addition, applicants receive written information about the possibility of free legal assistance from representatives of the UNHCR and other relevant organizations that work to protect the rights of refugees. |
| House rules | Reception officers inform applicants about the house rules of the reception centre. These rules are also displayed in a visible location within the premises of both reception centres, and are available in Croatian, English, French, Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Pashto, Somali, and other languages commonly spoken by residents within the centre. Upon their arrival at the reception centre, applicants are also informed by social workers and psychologists from the Croatian Red Cross working within the facility about the rules of conduct they must adhere to while accommodated. |
| Assignment of a particular area of residence to applicants | According to Article 54(1) of the LITP, applicants for international protection have the right to freedom of movement within the territory of Croatia but are obliged to notify the Ministry if they intend to leave their registered address for more than 24 hours. Article 54(2) of the LITP regulates the restrictions on freedom of movement, where deemed necessary, in order to: Determine the facts and circumstances on which the application for international protection is based, especially if there is a risk of absconding, Establish the identity and/or nationality of the applicant, Safeguard national security or public order in Croatia, Prevent the spread of infectious diseases, Prevent endangering the lives of individuals or damaging property, Ensure compliance with the conditions of international protection, or If it can be reasonably assumed that the applicant has submitted an application for international protection in order to delay or hinder the implementation of an expulsion or return decision made after a forced removal procedure. Article 54(7) of the LITP states that the freedom of vulnerable applicants may be restricted by placement in a reception centre for foreigners based on an individual assessment, if deemed appropriate considering their personal circumstances, needs, and health situation. Article 54(8) outlines that the freedom of unaccompanied minors may be restricted by placement in a reception centre for foreigners, separately from adults, for the shortest duration possible, if deemed necessary based on an individual assessment. |
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| Reporting obligations | As established by the Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions (Official Gazette, No. 135/15 and 61/19), an applicant is permitted to stay outside the Reception Centre for more than 24 hours with prior approval from the reception centre, for a maximum duration of 15 days. In such cases, the resident retains an assigned room within the facility. The applicant must submit a request for approval of absence to the reception officer at least two days before the intended absence. The authority may, based on an individual assessment, deny the request, in which case it will issue a written decision. In addition, an entry/exit system is also in place in the reception centres to record absences and other information. |
| Time limit to access the labour market | Article 61 LITP regulates the modalities to access to employment for applicants for international protection. Applicants can access the labour market 3 months after lodging an application for international protection. This right ceases upon issuance of a final decision on the application |
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| Criteria to access the labour market | A residence permit or work permit are not required. There are no costs to be covered by the asylum applicant. An employer does not need to verify the applicant’s right to work. At the request of an asylum applicant, the Ministry of the Interior issues a document to certify that the applicant has the right to work. Persons whose applicant status has ended must return the employment certificate to the Ministry for annulment within 15 days of the change of circumstances. In addition, applicants must inform the reception centre in writing of the conclusion of their employment contract within 15 days of its signature. The employer's confirmation of the contract shall be attached to this document. |
| Employment support for applicants | Information is not currently available |
| Adults’ access to vocational training | Not defined in the law |
| Access to tertiary education | Information is not currently available |
| Medical screening | Upon arrival, applicants for international protection undergo an initial medical check-up consisting of a general medical examination to identify any illnesses, infections, or diseases and to receive required vaccinations. An interpreter is available to assist during the medical check-up and in the provision of psychosocial support. |
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| Level of healthcare | The government provides emergency and indispensable health care and medicine. The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Health are responsible for providing health services to asylum applicants. According to Article 57(1) LITP, emergency and necessary treatment of illnesses and mental health issues is provided to all applicants. Further primary health care is ensured by NGOs such as Médecins du Monde (MDM) and the Croatian Red Cross, which operate under contracts with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Health to provide complementary services at the reception centres. Applicants can access the family medicine team at the nearest public health canters for additional health services. Urgent and indispensable dental, paediatric and gynaecological primary health care and laboratory diagnostics are also provided by the public health centre. If an applicant needs to see a specialist or a doctor in the public health centre, translation and transportation are provided. |
| Access to healthcare | Information is not currently available |
Elementary and secondary education for minor applicants is provided under the same conditions as for Croatian citizen. The Red Cross, in cooperation with officials from the Ministry of the Interior, supports children in reception centres to ensure they can follow online schooling and continue with their education as their Croatian peers.
Preparatory and supplementary classes in the Croatian language, as well as supplementary classes in individual subjects, are provided based on needs. A Croatian language programme for preparatory classes is available for primary and secondary school students who do not speak Croatian or speak it insufficiently. This programme consists of an intensive 70-hour Croatian course, delivered over a maximum of one academic year.
In addition, the Ministry of the Interior partnering with civil society organisations has organized and implemented initial and advanced courses in Croatian, English and German for children accommodated in the reception centre.
| Access to socio-cultural orientation | Information is not currently available |
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| Language classes | Civil society organisations organise and carry out initial and advanced courses in Croatian, English and German for adults in the Reception Centres. |
After undergoing a hygiene and medical examination and submitting an application for international protection, applicants may, with the prior consent of the Ministry, reside at their own expense at any address in the Republic of Croatia.
In such cases, applicants must submit a certified copy of a lease agreement, or a certified statement by the property owner confirming that they will accommodate the applicant and ensure an adequate standard of living, or a title deed if the applicant is the owner of the property in which they intend to reside, or a hotel reservation if the applicant is accommodated in a hotel.
Pursuant to the LITP as amended in 8 December 2017, asylum seekers and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection are entitled to accommodation if they lack the financial means or property to support themselves.
If the centre determines that the asylum seeker has funds or property sufficient to cover accommodation, the decision recognising the right to accommodation will determine that the asylum seeker must contribute to the accommodation costs by making payments to the account of the Central State Office for Reconstruction and Housing.
Information is not currently available
As specified in Article 4 of the Ordinance on the realisation of material reception conditions (Official Gazette, Nos. 135/15 and 61/19), material reception conditions may be reduced or withdrawn if the applicant:
- Does not reside in the reception centre where accommodation has been provided,
- Is absent from the reception centre for more than 24 hours without authorisation from the centre,
- Violates the provisions of the house rules of the reception centre,
- Possesses sufficient means to maintain an appropriate standard of living.
The decision to reduce or withdraw material reception conditions shall be made based on an individual assessment, with particular consideration given to the applicant's personal circumstances.
The Reception Centre can restrict or deny some of the material reception conditions, provided that it is proportionate to the aim pursued, taking into account the needs of applicants who require special procedural and/or reception guarantees, while maintaining the applicant's dignity and standard of living.
The Ministry also has the right to request repayment of the costs of accommodation, including material damage incurred, if the applicant possesses sufficient means to maintain an appropriate standard of living or violates the provisions of the house rules of the reception centre.
The sanction decision may be appealed before the Administrative Court within 8 days from the date on which the decision is notified.