When planning for my trip to Croatia, I had many questions ranging from whether Kenyan passport holders need a visa to visit Croatia, where the Croatian Embassy or Consulate in Kenya was located, among others. This information was not easy to come by. Hence, I decided to put up this post as soon as I returned back home.
Kindly note that I’m NOT employed by or affiliated with the Croatian Embassy or Consulate in Kenya – actually at the time of this post going online, there is none. The nearest one is in Ethiopia, I think. I am therefore only writing based on my personal experience and information available from the Croatian embassy website. As payment backward to the bits and pieces of information I found online through uncle Google, I am simply putting up this post in order to have a page that I can redirect other Kenyan nationals who may be interested in visiting this beautiful country by the Adriatic sea.
And because this post is limited to my personal experiences, answers to the FAQs questions are purely from the standpoint of an employed Kenyan seeking a tourist visa to Croatia. However, I still insist that you contact the embassy or consulate or the Republic of Croatia Ministry of Foreign Affairs website directly for any updates there may have been following this post going on air.
1. Is there currently a Croatian embassy or consulate in Kenya?
A. No. The nearest Croatian consulate to Kenya is either Nigeria South Africa. Below are the details for the South Africa consulate :
- 1160 Church Street 0083 Colbyn Pretoria P.O. Box 11335 0028 Hatfield Pretoria South Africa
- croemb.pretoria@mvep.hr ,
- +27-12-342-1206 ,
- +27-12-342-1819 ,
2. Where can I apply for a Croatian tourist visa?
A. Visa applications can also be submitted at VFS Visa Application Centres in Algeria, Belarus, Egypt, Philippines, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Qatar, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, and Vietnam
3. What are the requirements to apply for a Croatian visa as a Kenyan?
A. Roll over to a dedicated post about that over here: Croatia tourist visa requirements for Kenyan passport holders
4. So what should I do if I don’t have the time, money, or both to travel to the embassy in South Africa?
A. Apply for a double or multiple entry C or D visa issued by a Schengen Member State. Click here for a list of Schengen Member States. According to the Republic of Croatia Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs website, Pursuant to the Government’s Decision, starting with 22 July 2014, the Republic of Croatia applies the Decision No 565/2014/EU. All aliens who are holders of valid Schengen documents, as well as national visas and residence permits of Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania do not require an additional (Croatian) visa for Croatia. Kenya falls under this category. Hence no need for holders of a Kenyan passport to get an additional visa for transit or intended stays in the territory of Croatia not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period.
The period of validity of the above mentioned Schengen, Bulgarian, Cypriot, and Romanian documents must cover the duration of the transit or stay.
This facilitated entry of aliens is in force until Croatia fully applies the provisions of the Schengen acquis.
5. Do I need to book flights before applying?
A. Yes. Croatia has the the same visa rules as the rest of the Schengen area, even though Croatia is not yet a Schengen country. You will need to attach a print out of the a return ticket.
6. How about hotel reservation? Do I need to book my accommodation before applying?
A. Yes. You need to have guaranteed accommodation in your name as you submit your application. Sites such as Booking.com have accommodation options with free cancellations and others that require no upfront payment to make a reservation.
7. Must I stay in the accommodation I indicated on my visa application form?
A. Pretty much depends on you. Usually, I like to make my visa applications at the earliest time possible to take advantage of deals. Changing accommodation at the last minute can prove to be a costly endeavor. So, the answer is no.
Do you have any FAQs on applying for a Croatian tourist visa as a Kenyan that I didn’t cover? Hit me on the comments below and I’ll be sure to respond to the best of my ability.
