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Permanent Stay for a Minor after Three Years of Family Reunification

CroatiaFamily

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Which family relationships qualify?

The qualifying relative is a minor child who has held temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification for an uninterrupted three years before applying, where one of the parents holds permanent stay or long-term residence.

See recorded sources
  • chars 6993-9851
    Permanent stay may be granted to a third-country national who: is a family member or a life partner of a Croatian citizen who, prior to the day of submission of his application, has had granted temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification or life partnership for an uninterrupted period of four years is a member of the Croatian people with foreign citizenship or who is stateless and proves his status with a certificate issued by the state administration authority for Croats abroad if it is established that he has returned with the intention of residing permanently in the Republic of Croatia, provided that he has had granted temporary stay for an uninterrupted period of three years prior to the day of submission of his application by the date of submission of his application, has had at least three years of uninterrupted temporary stay, and refugee status for at least 10 years, which is proven by a certificate issued by the state administration authority competent for housing care is a minor child who has had granted temporary stay for the purpose of family reunification for an uninterrupted period of three years prior to the day of submission of his application, and one of the parents has had granted permanent stay or long-term residence had permanent residence in the Republic of Croatia on 8 October 1991, and who is a beneficiary of a return, reconstruction or housing care programme, which is proven by a certificate issued by the state administration authority competent for housing care if it is established that he has returned with the intention of residing permanently in the Republic of Croatia, provided that he encloses proof of no criminal record issued by his home country or a country in which he resided for more than a year immediately prior to arriving in the Republic of Croatia, or to underage children who live in the Republic of Croatia: whose one parent had a permanent stay or long-term residence status at the moment of the child’s birth (with the consent of the other parent), whose one parent had a permanent stay or long-term residence status in the Republic of Croatia at the moment of the child’s birth, and the other parent is unknown, dead, pronounced dead, deprived of parental rights or fully or partially deprived of legal capacity with regard to parental care, third-country nationals who were born in the Republic of Croatia and have been living here since their birth, but who have not regulated their residence status for justified reasons that they could not have any impact on (which is proved by an extract from birth register, proof that they have attended preschool or school, proof of employment, proof of being beneficiaries of health care services or social rights and any other proof showing that the said person has been living in the Republic of Croatia).

Who may sponsor or bring the family member, and what immigration/citizenship status must that person hold?

One parent must hold permanent stay or long-term residence (the Croatian index also accepts a parent with Croatian citizenship).

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The English page (cited under R1) lists only permanent stay or long-term residence; the Croatian index (item 4 of this list) adds 'hrvatsko državljanstvo'. The Croatian list is cited whole (one sentence).
  • chars 124016-126702
    Stalni boravak može se odobriti državljaninu treće zemlje koji je: 1. član obitelji ili životni partner hrvatskog državljanina koji neposredno prije podnošenja zahtjeva ima neprekidno četiri godine odobren privremeni boravak u svrhu spajanja obitelji ili životnog partnerstva s hrvatskim državljaninom ili autonomni boravak 2. neposredno prije podnošenja zahtjeva imao neprekidno tri godine odobren privremeni boravak u svrhu useljavanja i povratka hrvatskog iseljeništva uz potvrdu ministarstva nadležnog za demografiju i useljeništvo 3. neposredno prije podnošenja zahtjeva imao neprekidno tri godine odobren privremeni boravak, a u statusu izbjeglice bio je najmanje deset godina, što se dokazuje potvrdom tijela državne uprave nadležnog za stambeno zbrinjavanje 4. maloljetno dijete koje neposredno prije podnošenja zahtjeva za stalni boravak ima neprekidno tri godine odobren privremeni boravak u svrhu spajanja obitelji, a jedan od roditelja ima hrvatsko državljanstvo, odobren stalni ili dugotrajni boravak  5. neposredno prije podnošenja zahtjeva imao pet godina neprekidno odobren privremeni boravak u Republici Hrvatskoj, od čega najmanje tri godine u svrhu studiranja na visokom učilištu, na prijediplomskoj, diplomskoj ili poslijediplomskoj razini, priloži dokaz o stečenoj kvalifikaciji razine visokog obrazovanja u Republici Hrvatskoj i zaposlen je u Republici Hrvatskoj 6. imao prebivalište u Republici Hrvatskoj na dan 8. listopada 1991. te je korisnik programa povratka ili obnove ili stambenog zbrinjavanja, što se dokazuje potvrdom tijela državne uprave nadležnog za stambeno zbrinjavanje i za kojeg je utvrđeno da se vratio s namjerom da trajno živi u Republici Hrvatskoj, uz obvezu da priloži dokaz o nekažnjavanju iz matične države ili države u kojoj je boravio duže od godine dana neposredno prije dolaska u Republiku Hrvatsku 7. maloljetno dijete koje živi u Republici Hrvatskoj: a) čiji jedan od roditelja, u trenutku rođenja djeteta, ima hrvatsko državljanstvo, odobren stalni ili dugotrajni boravak uz suglasnost drugog roditelja b) čiji jedan roditelj, u trenutku rođenja djeteta, ima hrvatsko državljanstvo, odobren stalni ili dugotrajni boravak u Republici Hrvatskoj, a drugi je roditelj nepoznat, umro, proglašen umrlim, lišen roditeljske skrbi ili potpuno odnosno djelomično lišen poslovne sposobnosti u odnosu na roditeljsku skrb 8. rođen u Republici Hrvatskoj i od rođenja živi na području Republike Hrvatske, ali zbog opravdanih razloga na koje nije mogao utjecati nije imao reguliran boravak 9. veći dio života živio i nastavlja živjeti u Republici Hrvatskoj, a imao je najmanje pet godina odobren privremeni boravak iz humanitarnih razloga.

What is important for proving marriage, partnership, parentage, custody, dependency or another qualifying relationship?

Parentage is proven by an extract from the birth register or a decision of the competent authority on the adoption of the child.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Stated for the family-reunification stage; the qualifying fact for permanent stay is three years of that stay. Both parents' consent (signature or notarised statement) is required for a minor's temporary stay (capture 54f0…, line ~902) - not in this citation.
  • chars 4442-4631
    The following documents must be submitted as proof of a parent-child relationship: – extract from the birth register or a decision of the competent authority on the adoption of the child.

What important financial, accommodation, insurance or maintenance responsibilities apply?

Where the family is supported by a written maintenance statement, the sponsor undertakes to bear all costs of the stay, the total per household member (including the child) must reach the level set by the Regulation, and the sponsor proves means with six recent payslips, a tax ruling or a pension statement.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • This is the support rule at the family-reunification (temporary stay) stage; for permanent stay the page lists only a valid travel document and no public-policy threat (capture 8ad2…). The threshold itself (57% of the average net salary, +15% for a two-member family, +10% per further member) is in another FAQ sentence.
  • chars 38550-39201
    Pisana izjava o uzdržavanju državljanina treće zemlje koju daje član obitelji ili zajedničkog domaćinstva mora sadržavati obvezu da će uzdržavatelj snositi sve troškove vezane za vrijeme boravka državljanina treće zemlje u Republici Hrvatskoj, na način da je ukupan iznos po članu kućanstva davatelja izjave, uključujući u to i državljanina treće zemlje za kojeg se jamči uzdržavanje, u visini koja je propisana Uredbom, te se prilaže dokaz da davatelj izjave raspolaže sa sredstvima za uzdržavanje (šest obračuna isplaćenih plaća davatelja izjave neposredno prije podnošenja zahtjeva državljanina treće zemlje, porezno rješenje, izvadak od mirovine).

How does the application work at a high level, what rights does the family member receive, how long does the status last, and how can it become independent or longer-term where officially stated?

The general conditions are a valid foreign travel document and no threat to public policy, national security or public health. Article157(5) provides an exception during permanent-stay approval when the document cannot be obtained from the foreign state's diplomatic or consular representation in Croatia and identity can be established unambiguously by another means. The application is made on Form 1a at the competent police administration or station for the registered place of residence; the Ministry of the Interior decides. The underlying status is indefinite; Article168(3) specifies five-year validity for the residence document, so document expiry is distinct from expiry of the underlying status. Under Article171, the document must be replaced when its data change, it becomes unusably damaged or worn, its photograph no longer matches the holder, or its validity expires. Apply for replacement at the police administration or station for the place of residence within eight days after the relevant event. The Ministry directs permanent and long-term residents to request that document within eight days after status approval, in person at the competent police office, with a 3 x 3.5 cm photograph and a valid foreign travel document. Published charges are EUR83.62 for the status decision and EUR31.85 for the biometric document in the regular procedure, or EUR59.73 in the accelerated procedure. The Croatian guidance exempts permanent and long-term residents from the separate EUR9.29 biometric administrative fee. Permanent stay is withdrawn for an entry/stay ban or SIS entry-refusal alert, moving out of Croatia or staying abroad continuously for more than one year, public-policy/national-security/public-health grounds, or the holder's request. Under the relevant Croatian rules, permanent residents have rights to work and self-employment, vocational training, education and student scholarships except state scholarships, social welfare and child allowance, tax relief, access to goods and services, and association including workers' or employers' organisations. These rights remain subject to the legislation governing each field, including for minors.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The cited material does not expressly reconcile the statutory travel-document exception for status approval with each documentary step for issuing or replacing a biometric card; no automatic exemption at every administrative step is inferred.
  • The cited pages do not expressly settle every effect of divorce, sponsor death or changes in the family relationship after permanent stay is granted; no unconditional family-independence rule is inferred.
  • https://mup.gov.hr/gradjani-281562/moji-dokumenti-281563/stranci-333/drzavljani-trecih-zemalja/281820#chars=4280
    3. dugotrajnom boravku (neograničeno) 4. stalnom boravku (neograničeno)
  • https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2020_12_133_2520.html#chars=220135
    (3) Dozvola boravka državljaninu treće zemlje kojemu je odobreno dugotrajno boravište ili stalni boravak izdaje se s rokom važenja od pet godina.
  • https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2020_12_133_2520.html#chars=223268
    Članak 171. (1) Dozvola boravka mora se zamijeniti: 1. u slučaju promjene podataka 2. kada je oštećena ili dotrajala tako da više ne služi svrsi 3. kada fotografija na dozvoli boravka više ne odgovara izgledu osobe 4. istekom roka važenja. (2) Zahtjev za zamjenu dozvole boravka podnosi se policijskoj upravi odnosno policijskoj postaji prema mjestu boravišta odnosno prebivališta u roku od osam dana od dana nastupa okolnosti iz stavka 1. ovoga članka.
  • https://mup.gov.hr/gradjani-281562/moji-dokumenti-281563/stranci-333/drzavljani-trecih-zemalja/281820#chars=130994
    Zahtjev za izdavanje dozvole boravka (biometrijska isprava) dužan je podnijeti državljanin treće zemlje na: privremenom boravku (uključujući i državljane trećih zemalja kojima je izdana dozvola za boravak i rad, osim sezonskih radnika kojima je izdana dozvola za boravak i rad do 90 dana), dugotrajnom boravku ili stalnom boravku u roku od osam dana od dana odobrenja privremenog boravka, dugotrajnog boravka ili stalnog boravka u Republici Hrvatskoj, a državljanin treće zemlje kojem je izdana dugotrajna viza (temeljem odobrenog privremenog boravka ili dozvole za boravak i rad) zahtjev za izdavanje dozvole boravka može podnijeti u roku od 30 dana od početka valjanosti dugotrajne vize. Uz zahtjev prilaže se fotografija veličine 3x3,5 cm, te na uvid mora priložiti valjanu stranu putnu ispravu. Za izdavanje dozvole boravka državljanin treće zemlje mora osobno pristupiti u nadležnu policijsku upravu/postaju prema mjestu prebivališta odnosno boravišta.
  • https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/permanent-stay/281682#chars=11205
    Aliens have to pay an administrative fee in the amount of 83,62 EUR when collecting the decision on granted permanent stay or long-term residence and the amount of 31,85 EUR for the issuance of a biometric residence permit in regular procedure, or 59,73 EUR in accelerated procedure. Both amounts can be paid with a payment slip to the state budget account, IBAN of which can be obtained at the competent police administration/police station.
  • https://mup.gov.hr/gradjani-281562/moji-dokumenti-281563/stranci-333/drzavljani-trecih-zemalja/281820#chars=132891
    Cijena biometrijske dozvole boravka u redovnom postupku iznosi 31,85 EUR, a u ubrzanom postupku 59,73 EUR te se naplaćuje i upravna pristojba od  9,29 EUR ( upravnu pristojbu ne uplaćuju državljani trećih zemalja na dugotrajnom boravku ili stalnom boravku) na IBAN državnog proračuna ili državnim biljezima.
  • https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/permanent-stay/281682#chars=10040
    An application for permanent stay (Form 1a) is submitted at a competent police administration/police station according to the alien’s place of temporary residence. The decision with regard to the application is made by the Ministry of the Interior.
  • https://mup.gov.hr/gradjani-281562/moji-dokumenti-281563/stranci-333/drzavljani-trecih-zemalja/281820#chars=126714
    Stalni boravak odobrit će se državljaninu treće zemlje ako ima valjanu stranu putnu ispravu i ne predstavlja opasnost za javni poredak, nacionalnu sigurnost ili javno zdravlje.
  • https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2020_12_133_2520.html#chars=208255
    (5) Državljanin treće zemlje iz članka 156. stavka 1. ovoga Zakona u postupku odobravanja stalnog boravka ne mora imati valjanu stranu putnu ispravu kada je ne može pribaviti u diplomatsko-konzularnom predstavništvu strane države u Republici Hrvatskoj, a njegov identitet je moguće nedvojbeno utvrditi na drugi način.
  • https://mup.gov.hr/aliens-281621/stay-and-work/permanent-stay/281682#chars=10665
    Permanent stay of a third-country national shall be withdrawn if: 1. he has been forbidden to enter into the Republic of Croatia and stay in the Republic of Croatia, or if an alert has been issued in SIS for the purpose of forbidding his entry 2. he has moved out of the Republic of Croatia or has resided abroad for an uninterrupted period of more than one year 3. this is required in order to protect public policy, national security or public health 4. he has made a request for the withdrawal of his permanent stay.
  • https://mup.gov.hr/gradjani-281562/moji-dokumenti-281563/stranci-333/drzavljani-trecih-zemalja/281820#chars=128173
    Državljanin treće zemlje na dugotrajnom boravku odnosno na stalnom boravku ima pravo na: rad i samozapošljavanje stručno usavršavanje obrazovanje i studentske stipendije, osim državne stipendije socijalnu skrb, doplatak za djecu porezne olakšice pristup tržištu roba i usluga slobodu udruživanja i povezivanja te članstva u organizacijama koje zastupaju radnike ili poslodavce ili organizacijama čiji članovi obavljaju posebno zanimanje, uključujući i naknade koje im takve organizacije daju. Gore navedena prava, državljanin treće zemlje ostvaruje prava sukladno propisima Republike Hrvatske kojima se uređuju pojedina područja.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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