Croatia’s Interior Ministry has reinforced stringent checks on foreign nationals applying for long-stay Schengen visas (D visas) before granting them residence and work permits, aiming to curb potential abuses of the system.
The ministry stated that the primary objective of these checks is to ensure that foreign nationals enter Croatia for legitimate work purposes rather than using the country as a gateway to other Schengen states, Schengen.News reports.
“Before granting a residence and work permit or issuing a long-term D visa for entry into the Republic of Croatia, detailed official checks are carried out for all third-country nationals in order to determine the real purpose of their stay and assess the migration risk for each applicant,” the ministry said.
Tighter Measures After Reported Visa Abuse
The ministry’s clarification follows reports that Croatia is considering suspending work visas for Bangladeshi nationals after detecting widespread abuse. Official data indicate that while Croatia has issued a significant number of work permits to Bangladeshi workers, many have left the country shortly after arrival, heading to other EU nations.
Authorities have responded by tightening migration controls, particularly targeting applicants from countries identified as “high-risk migration groups.”
Stricter Checks on High-Risk Applicants
In response to these concerns, the Interior Ministry has announced additional screening measures for all work visa applicants, particularly those from countries flagged as high risk, including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, the Philippines, and Egypt, Danas reports.
“The Ministry of the Interior will conduct additional checks on the actual intention of residence in the procedures for issuing new permits, not only for Bangladeshi citizens but also based on a risk analysis for citizens of all countries,” the statement read.
Under the new measures, visa applications will be rejected immediately if authorities find evidence suggesting that an applicant intends to misuse the visa.
While Croatia continues to face labor shortages across various sectors, it remains unclear whether the government will impose additional restrictions on applicants who comply with the rules and have no history of visa abuse.
