Procedures pertinent to persons who are crossing border crossing points of the Republic of Croatia - health control of passengers
Pursuant to the Decision on the temporary ban and restriction on crossing the state border of the Republic of Croatia adopted by the National Civil Protection Headquarters on 31. March 2021, we hereby issue the instructions for the treatment of persons who are allowed to cross the border in line with the Decision, and with regard to reducing the risk of introducing and spreading the COVID-19 disease.
· Pursuant to the Decision, passengers may enter the Republic of Croatia with a negative molecular (PCR) or a rapid antigen test (RAT) result for SARS-CoV-2 if the RAT test is included on the Common list of rapid antigen tests mutually recognised by Member States of the European Union, published by the European Commission, and if it is not older than 48 hours. If they do not have such a test result, the border police will enter them into the digital platform for tracking COVID-19 as persons obligated to quarantine (self-isolate), instruct them to take the shortest route to their destination where they will be quarantined until they obtain a negative test result, and provide them with information on the locations and contacts for taking the test, as well as the e-mail address to which they can send their test result if they wish to take the test in order to shorten their quarantine. The quarantine is mandatory for 10 days or until a negative PCR or RAT test result is provided.
· If they wish to take the test, those persons have to make an appointment for PCR or RAT testing, according to the location where they are quarantined, and get tested. Leaving one’s home/accommodation during quarantine to get tested is considered justified. They are obligated to wear a mask on their way to get tested and on the way back, they must disinfect their hands before they leave and keep the prescribed distance from other persons for the entire duration that they are out of their home/accommodation.
· A negative PCR or RAT test result is sent to the e-mail address provided on the leaflet obtained from the border police, and based on the test result the police will lift (deactivate) the measure of mandatory self-isolation imposed on the digital platform.
· If passengers are allowed to enter the Republic of Croatia on the basis of a BAT test result and stay in the Republic of Croatia for more than 10 days, they have to get tested again by the tenth day from the date the initial test was issued.
· If the PCR or BAT test result comes back positive for SARS-CoV-2 or the person develops symptoms of the disease during quarantine, they should call their physician and inform him about the test result or the symptoms (if they do not have a physician in Croatia and are staying in rented accommodation - hotel, private accommodation, they should notify the owner/organiser of the accommodation who will help them contact the health services - the competent local epidemiologist and/or competent tourist medical clinic).
· If for some reason a person cannot take the PCR or BAT test within ten days, they are obligated to comply with quarantine measures which automatically expire ten days after their arrival in Croatia.
· Persons who have recovered from COVID-19 within the past six months are exempt from the obligation to provide a negative PCR or RAT test result and to quarantine. In order to prove their recovery they need to have a positive PCR test result or antigen test result, obtained within the last six months and older than 11 days, or a certificate of recovery issued by a physician. Persons who were vaccinated with the second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 used by Member States (in case of Johnson&Johnson only the single dose) over 14 days ago are exempt from the obligation to provide a negative PCR or RAT test result and to quarantine.
· Children below the age of seven who are travelling in the company of their parents/guardians are exempt from the obligation to provide a negative test result and to quarantine if their parents/guardians have a negative PCR or RAT test result or if they have a certificate of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19.
· Passengers who are transiting through the Republic of Croatia are obligated to leave the territory of the Republic of Croatia within the maximum of 12 hours, counting from the time of their entry. After 12 hours, they will automatically be imposed self-isolation.
Pursuant to the Decision on the temporary ban and restriction on crossing the state border of the Republic of Croatia issued by the Civil Protection Headquarters, passengers arriving from countries subject to special epidemiological measures are obligated to provide a negative PCR test result not older than 48 hours when entering into Croatia and they are imposed the obligatory measure of quarantine/self-isolation in the duration of 14 days.
Those persons may shorten the duration of quarantine/self-isolation no sooner than the seventh day of self-isolation if they take the PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 at an institution authorised for PCR testing at their own expense, and obtain a negative test result.
Proof of recovery and vaccination does not exempt passengers arriving from those countries from the obligation to obtain a negative PCR test result and to quarantine.
The list of countries can be found on the website of the Croatian Institute of Public Health: https://www.hzjz.hr/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Popis-dr%C5%BEava-za-koje-se-pri-dolasku-u-Republiku-Hrvatsku-primjenjuju-posebne-epidemiolo%C5%A1ke-mjere.pdf
