Foreign nationals, i.e. foreign natural and legal persons, may acquire property on the territory of the Republic of Croatia. To be able to do so, certain legal requirements must be met.
The difference between EU and non-EU citizens
Citizens of EU member states can easily purchase real estate in the Republic of Croatia. Since Croatia’s accession to the European Union, citizens of the member states have been treated in the same way as Croatian citizens with regard to the purchase of building land and all related matters (homes, apartments, etc.). As far as agricultural land is concerned, citizens of the member states were unable to purchase it due to the moratorium on the purchase of agricultural land. This moratorium expired on 1 July 2023. However, so far no changes have been made in the legislation of the Republic of Croatia that would allow citizens of member states to acquire agricultural land without restrictions.
On the other hand, citizens of third countries may acquire property in Croatia only if reciprocity exists between the Republic of Croatia and the country of which the buyer is a national. In the case of reciprocity, third-country nationals may acquire property only with the approval of the Ministry of Justice.
Under certain conditions, third-country nationals may exceptionally purchase agricultural land as their own property and only on a statutory basis, e.g. through inheritance. Furthermore, they are subject to certain legal restrictions, such as the acquisition of land in protected areas (nature parks, nature reserves, etc.).
In Croatia, notaries must confirm the contract of sale by notarial authentication of the signature, which means that they must confirm that the seller’s signature is original. It is important to note that the buyer and seller do not have to be present at the notary public at the same time in order to conclude a contract for the purchase of real estate.
You can be assisted by a lawyer throughout the process of acquiring real estate property, including the registration in the land register. Since the registration in the land register is rather demanding for foreigners who are unfamiliar with the Croatian legal system, it is advisable to call on the assistance of a lawyer, as a person will only become the full owner of a property by entering it in the land register.
Foreigners can sell their real estate without restrictions, regardless of whether it is construction land and/or agricultural land.
More about the topic: purchase of real estate in the Republic of Croatia for foreigners.