Croatia to join Schengen 01/01/2023

Travelling Westerly

Active member
Joined
20 Dec 2019
Messages
458
Location
Dorset
Visit site
This might affect the Winter plans of some.
90/180 and all that...

Source: EU: Croatia to enter Europe’s ID-check-free area in January
I have to apologise upfront as Im a bit confused over your post regarding the change to 90/180 day rule in Croatia, perhaps you can help me out a bit..

How does Croatia entering the Schengen Zone alter the 90/180 day plan. I thought Croatia was already in the EU as of 2013 hence the 90/180 rule always applied to non EU members?

As I understood it the FOM for EU citizens is based on being an EU member state and joining Schengen just allows border free movement of goods and people with regards to abolition of internal border checks for fellow Schengen state members?

Maybe Im having a senior moment but just very curious as to how joing Schengen changes FOM rules other than abolishing internal borders.

When the UK was in the EU nobody here worried about the 90/180 rule as it did not apply to us being an EU member. However we were never in the Schengen Zone so whats changed the 90/180 day rule in Croatia by them joining the Schengen Zone?

Thanks
 
Last edited:

jordanbasset

Well-known member
Joined
31 Dec 2007
Messages
34,606
Location
UK, sometimes Greece and Spain
Visit site
Just out of curiosity how does Croatia entering the Schengen Zone alter the 90/180 day plan. I thought Croatia was already in the EU as of 2013 hence the 90/180 rule always applied to non EU members?

As I understood it the FOM for EU citizens is based on being an EU member state and joining Schengen just allows border free movement, abolition of internal border checks for fellow Schengen state members?

Maybe Im having a senior moment but just very curious as to how joing Schengen changes FOM rules other than abolishing internal border passport checks.
As it is not in Schengen you could have an additional 90 days in every 180 to the Schengen one
So for example you could spend 90 days in Greece then another 90 days in Croatia
 

Travelling Westerly

Active member
Joined
20 Dec 2019
Messages
458
Location
Dorset
Visit site
As it is not in Schengen you could have an additional 90 days in every 180 to the Schengen one
So for example you could spend 90 days in Greece then another 90 days in Croatia
Ah ok I never knew that.

I have to ask though how that works as I understood the time limits of staying in any EU country is based on the EU FOM (90 days per country for EU members, 90/180 for non EU). I was not aware that being in the Schengen Zone affected the time spent in the EU.

Thanks
 
Last edited:

Travelling Westerly

Active member
Joined
20 Dec 2019
Messages
458
Location
Dorset
Visit site
Ah I think I may understand it now, are you saying you could get a Schengen visa for 90 days to visit, say, Greece then visit Croatia under the 90/180 days in the EU?
 

Travelling Westerly

Active member
Joined
20 Dec 2019
Messages
458
Location
Dorset
Visit site
No, the 90 in 180 days is for signatories of the Schengen Agreement. Other EU members who were outside the agreement had their own rules.
Ah ok, I think I understand now.

I got confused as when reading the EU FOM details on the EU website it talks about other EU nationals only able to stay in other EU countries for 90 days before having to move out/reset the clock or report your presence to the local authority.

I assumed the 90/180 day time limit was imposed by the EU as the UK was in the EU but not the Schengen and we never worried about 90/180 before we left the EU.

Reading various websites when searched for what Schengen means, I couldn't see anything about time scales/limits, more the abolition of boarders etc.

So what happens to the EU nationals whose counties signed up to the EU but not the Schengen Zone, for instance Ireland? I assume nothing, carry on as normal, unless you are visiting Ireland where you will have to abide by their own self imposed restrictions?

Thanks for clearing it up for me
 

st599

Well-known member
Joined
9 Jan 2006
Messages
7,232
Visit site
Ah ok, I think I understand now.

I got confused as when reading the EU FOM details on the EU website it talks about other EU nationals only able to stay in other EU countries for 90 days before having to move out/reset the clock or report your presence to the local authority.

I assumed the 90/180 day time limit was imposed by the EU as the UK was in the EU but not the Schengen and we never worried about 90/180 before we left the EU.

Reading various websites when searched for what Schengen means, I couldn't see anything about time scales/limits, more the abolition of boarders etc.

So what happens to the EU nationals whose counties signed up to the EU but not the Schengen Zone, for instance Ireland? I assume nothing, carry on as normal, unless you are visiting Ireland where you will have to abide by their own self imposed restrictions?

Thanks for clearing it up for me


No, the Schengen rules are for non-EU citizens, as an EU citizen you have the right to move freely to any other EU state - but if you're there for more than 90 days, you register yourself.
 

st599

Well-known member
Joined
9 Jan 2006
Messages
7,232
Visit site
That's depressing and IMHO, counterproductive for Croatia. Why would they want to exclude more visitors?

???

Not sure I understand. By joining Schengen they remove border controls for 423 Million citizens of the Schengen Area, with reciprocal access.
 

tkalfaoglu

Member
Joined
16 Sep 2020
Messages
63
Visit site
???
Not sure I understand. By joining Schengen they remove border controls for 423 Million citizens of the Schengen Area, with reciprocal access.

They already could do that -- have two sets of Passport controls, EU and Non EU.. EU controls would be more "watered down" so as not to upset the VIP people.
But I guess their desire was the reciprocity, that their citizens be able to travel to Europe without hassle.
 

jonrarit

Active member
Joined
18 Oct 2010
Messages
228
Visit site
Yup it has really mucked up our retirement plans even further.

this year we did 60 days in Croatia (non schengen) then 84 days in greece (Schengen) and back to Croatia for the last 60 days. all this worked well for us but alas from january next year we can no longer do that.

current plan is to do the same next year but with a Class D Greek visa. so 60 days in Croatia (Schengen) then 80 days in Greece under the Class D visa, then again back to croatia for the end of the season.

Will keep you all posted on the Class D Greek Visa process

jr
 

AndersG

Active member
Joined
2 Apr 2005
Messages
231
Location
Boat is in Ionian, Greece
Visit site
They already could do that -- have two sets of Passport controls, EU and Non EU.. EU controls would be more "watered down" so as not to upset the VIP people.
But I guess their desire was the reciprocity, that their citizens be able to travel to Europe without hassle.
They are EU citizens and can already travel to Europe without hassle for as long as they want.
What they want with entering Schengen is to make it easier for tourists to go to Croatia.
 

RupertW

Well-known member
Joined
20 Mar 2002
Messages
10,216
Location
Greenwich
Visit site
That's depressing and IMHO, counterproductive for Croatia. Why would they want to exclude more visitors?
It’s very good news for most cruisers as check in and out from Italy and Greece should become simpler eventually and anchorages should only have those who want to be in Croatia instead of those who arrive under duress then whinge about every difference to Greece.
 

Metabarca

Well-known member
Joined
23 Aug 2002
Messages
7,324
Location
Friuli Venezia Giulia
Visit site
It's good news for me! I knew of one or two 'back routes' that avoided the looong queues to get into Croatia from Slovenia, little tracks through the woods... but now Istria will all be open once more... the way it was under Yugoslavia and Austria-Hungary!
 

Seven Spades

Well-known member
Joined
30 Aug 2003
Messages
4,710
Location
Surrey
Visit site
The only good thing is in theory we should no longer need to proceed to the nearest port when crossing from Italy to Croatia... However I doubt the local officials will be able to set aside their Eastern European mind set.
 

tkalfaoglu

Member
Joined
16 Sep 2020
Messages
63
Visit site
Sorry it's like every year there is something else closing me in.. First the Brexit kicked me out of Europe, and now this.. Just venting in general.
 

Other threads that may be of interest

Top