work or business

[francis]

one last time, which is best
work permit business permit ?

[riki]

For the business permit, you must provide a business plan showing 100 000 Euros investment over 3 years and x amount of Croatians employed. The company must have a bookkeeper and loads of tax clearance / etc documents each year.

For the work permit, you need all those company documents except for the business plan and then your work contract. The company has to enter into the medical pension system and you must pay about 1500 Kuna each month to cover your 'salary'.

I would say, it is easier to get the work permit but expensive each month. The business visa however requires the business plan and investment and employing Croatians so possibly even more expensive. If your company is going to be working though, you would need employees and it would make sense.

[Madgolfer]

OK lets throw the cat among the Pigeons once again.

At a meeting yesterday (Wednesday) of Visa officials, MUP and legal reps, it would now appear that the (lets call it) "Business Visa" is now once again a viable option for foreigners requireing a 12 month visa!

Apparently the law has basicaly reverted back to what it was before the last fiasco, as has the defining criteria for being granted this type of permit.

At the meeting I asked the following questions;

1) Do you still need to prove an investment of €100'000?
Answer.....NO

2) Do you still need to employ Croatians?
Answer.....NO

This question came about more by chance than anything, the meeting was arranged to discuss the viability of obtaining a residential visa while owing a property through your company. This matter is still under "discussion" and we are waiting to hear the final outcome in the next few weeks.

Obviously if the "Business Visa" route is open again, it will be of interest to many people, myself included, so I will post any information I can, once I know it over the next few days.

It was made VERY VERY clear to us at the meeting, that "they" are aware of the current situation (where many people are now trying to apply for "private residency" visa's rather than "work/business" visas) in the attempt to avoid paying income tax, health, pension contributions etc etc.

While this is a perfectly legal and acceptable route for those who are genuinely retired and very clearly NOT working in Croatia, anyone who obtains a "private residency" visa that is then caught working, even in their own company, would loose their visa entitlement immediately and probably also incur severe fines etc.

It was also made clear that the "EU" health insurance card was not an acceptable method of cover for issuance of a 12 month visa, only for a 3 month tourist visa. You have been warned!!!!!!!

It was also very apparent, that there are still huge variations with interpretation of the wording of the law between different regions, some read the law one way, another office reads it completely differently. Some offices will issue a 12 month residency visa on first application, others will not and will only offer a 6 months initial visa.

And on and on and on.......

As and when I have more information I will post, so please do not email me or ask specific questions at this time.