- There are increasing numbers of confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) – Swine Flu in Croatia. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase has been raised to Level 6. The WHO website at: www.who.int has further details. There is currently no quarantine or formalised entry/exit screening at airports or borders in Croatia. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu is available on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk.
- There is an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
- Carry your passport at all times. You must be able to show some form of identification if required.
- Unexploded land mines are still a danger in some more isolated areas. Highly populated areas and major routes are now clear of mines and are safe to visit. However, isolated areas in the mountains and countryside have not all been cleared. You should therefore be careful not to stray from roads and paved areas without an experienced guide.
- Around 267,000 British nationals visit Croatia every year (Source: Croatian Ministry of the Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development). Most visits to Croatia are trouble-free. The main types of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in Croatia in 2008 were hospitalisations and lost or stolen passports.
- We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.
Safety and security
There is an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.
Crime
Croatia has a low crime rate and violent crime is rare.
You should report all incidents of crime to the local police station and obtain a report.
Political Situation
Croatia Country Profile
Local Travel
If you are planning to travel outside the normal tourist resorts you should be aware that there are areas affected by the war, which ended in 1995, where unexploded mines remain. These areas include Eastern Slavonia, Brodsko-Posavska County, Karlovac County, areas around Zadar County and in more remote areas of the Plitvice Lakes National Park. For more specific information about mine-affected areas please visit the Croatian Mine Action Center's web site at: http://www.hcr.hr/en/minskaSituacija.asp.
You should be wary about leaving cultivated land or marked paths. If in doubt seek local advice.
Road Travel
Your UK driving licence is valid for up to six months from entry into Croatia. If you are staying longer, you need to apply for a Croatian licence. International Driving Licences are not valid in Croatia.
If travelling by car you should ensure, before setting out, that your green card covers Croatia. Insurance can normally be purchased at the main border crossings, however some of the smaller crossings may not have this facility or have limited hours when the service is available. If you are driving to or through Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the 20km strip of coastline at Neum on the Dalmatian coastal highway, you should ensure that your Green Card includes cover for Bosnia and Herzegovina. If this is not the case, temporary third-party insurance can be purchased at the main border posts, or in Split and other large Croatian cities. Insurance cannot be obtained at the Neum border.
Road conditions in and around Zagreb and the larger towns are of a generally good standard. However, you should take care when overtaking and use caution around other road users who may unexpectedly overtake repeatedly in slower traffic. Minor roads are usually unlit at night.
Croatia has laws stating that it is illegal:
- to drive with more than 0.5% of alcohol in the system (but if in any kind of offence zero tolerance applies);
- to drive without dipped headlights on during daylight saving period (last weekend in October until last weekend in March); and
- to use a mobile phone whilst driving.
There have been a number of reported incidents of gangs robbing car occupants after either indicating that they are in trouble and require assistance, or pulling alongside a car and indicating that there seems to be something wrong and they should pull over. You should therefore be extremely cautious should something similar to the above actions occur.
Emergency road help (HAK) may be reached by dialling 987. This service is staffed by English speaking operators. Traffic information in English is available at 98.5FM during the tourist season only.
For more general information see Driving Abroad.
Rail Travel
Special care should be taken to guard valuables, especially at night.
Sea Travel
Croatia has also adopted a law expressing zero tolerance on alcohol consumption by those in charge of yachts and other boats. If you intend to take charge of a boat in Croatia you should not consume alcohol. The penalties for being caught drunk in charge of a boat are likely to be heavy.
The Croatian Government requires all skippers to have an International Certificate of Competence (ICC).
Local laws and customs
Entry requirements
When entering Croatia, you may be asked to produce evidence of the financial means necessary to cover subsistence during your stay and return to the UK or transit to a third country. The daily subsistence rate is fixed at one hundred Euros per day – this rate applies if your stay is at a hotel. If you are staying in Croatia as the guest of a Croatian national, you will be asked to provide proof or residence. The daily subsistence rate for staying at a private residence is fifty Euros per day. Credit/bank cards, bank statements, cheques are accepted as proof that you have sufficient means to cover subsistence for the duration of your stay.
British nationals living in Croatia who wish to extend their stay for more than 90 days must obtain a temporary residence permit. The first temporary residence permit must be obtained from the Croatian Embassy in London.
Information regarding residency and work permits can be obtained from the Croatian Embassy in London.
All British passport holders require a valid passport. Since February 2008 you require three months’ remaining validity on your passport to enter Croatia.
Registration
Health
Swine Flu
There is currently no quarantine or formalised entry/exit screening for travellers arriving at airports or borders in Croatia. Some immigration officers are asking travellers from areas known to have significant levels of infection more questions as part of their immigration processing, but there are no arrangements in place to deny travellers entry (or exit) on the basis of infection or suspected infection. If visitors develop influenza symptoms they should contact a doctor (GP), or in an emergency report to their nearest hospital. More detailed information in English can be found by following the link to the Croatian Institute of Public Health’s website at http://hzjz.hr/epidemiologija/svinjska_gripa_letak.htm.
The Croatian Health Authorities hold sufficient supplies of Tamiflu to meet expected demands.
There are confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) – Swine Flu in Croatia. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase has been raised to Level 6. The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any further developments and advice. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu is available on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk.
Emergency Treatment
Croatia has a reciprocal health agreement with the UK where you will be given emergency treatment and any other follow-up treatment, but will be expected to pay 20% of the cost of the treatment, same as Croatian nationals. If you have travel insurance, the 20% of the cost of the treatment should be borne by the insurance company. Please read your insurance policies carefully. Only basic health care facilities are available in outlying areas and islands. This could result in a delay if you require urgent medical care.
Tick-borne encephalitis is common to parts of Croatia, especially in the summer months.
You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.
You should seek medical advice before travelling to Croatia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up to date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
For more general health information see Travel Health.
General
We recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See Travel Insurance for more details.
If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.
In case of accident stay calm, call the emergency number 112, for the police 92 or for an ambulance 94.
Passports
The British Embassy in Zagreb does not issue full British Passports. These are issued at the British Consulate-General in Dusseldorf. You should ensure that your passport has sufficient validity for the duration of you planned stay and a plentiful supply of unused pages. In an emergency an Emergency Passport (EP) valid for one journey back to the UK can be issued in Zagreb, Split or Dubrovnik.
The loss or theft of a passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the British Embassy in Zagreb. The Embassy can assist you in obtaining a replacement passport. Applications for new full British passports are not accepted in Croatia. For more information please check the Embassy website www.ukincroatia.fco.gov.uk under ‘passports’.
Registration
Money
No comments:
Post a Comment