Renewing your stay? Nepali workers now need a health check first: €261, paid by the employer

Since the Health Ministry's decision of 21 July (NN 79/2026), workers from visa-regime countries, Nepal included, must pass a health check at a public health institute before applying to extend a temporary stay. It covers a chest X-ray and stool and blood tests. HRT reports it costs €261 and the employer pays.

Published 2026-10-14 · Source checked 2026-10-12

If your temporary stay and work permit in Croatia is coming up for renewal, there is one more step before you apply. Croatia's Health Ministry decided on 21 July 2026 (Narodne novine 79/2026) that citizens of countries that need a visa to enter Croatia must have a health check when they ask to extend a temporary stay. News reports name India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines and Egypt as examples. HRT returned to the topic on 12 October.

The check must be done in the 90 days before you submit your extension application, not earlier. For workers, it starts with a referral form (uputnica) that your employer fills in. You take it to the public health institute for your county (zavod za javno zdravstvo) or to the national institute, HZJZ. In Zagreb, the Andrija Štampar institute says you must book by email first and bring the signed employer referral.

Also read:Immigration & ResidenceBringing your child to Croatia? Health insurance means about €1,500 up front and €125 a month

The basic package is an interview and physical exam, a check of your vaccination record, a chest X-ray, a stool test for typhoid and paratyphoid carriers, and blood tests for HIV and hepatitis B and C, according to the public health institutes. Its purpose, the ministry says, is to rule out active tuberculosis and these infections. If a result is unclear, you are sent for further tests. If you already have recent X-ray, blood or stool results that are not older than 12 months, the Štampar institute asks you to bring them.

Money first: HRT reports the basic package costs €261 at every public health institute in Croatia, and that the employer bears the cost, not the worker. The same report says the cost of any needed vaccination is covered by HZZO, the health insurance fund. Employers with many workers are now planning for this bill and for the appointments, so ask early.

Vaccines matter too. People under 35 who cannot show proof of vaccination against measles, polio, diphtheria and tetanus must be vaccinated. So look for your vaccination card or any records from Nepal. Workers in health care and social care also need hepatitis B protection. This check is not the same as the 'form 18a' health certificate that is needed before a first arrival in Croatia; it is a separate step done in Croatia.

What to do: check the expiry date on your residence card today and count back 90 days. Tell your employer about the check now and ask for the referral. Book the appointment at your local institute, bring your passport, residence card and any old test results or vaccination records, and keep the certificate you receive for your renewal application. Do not pay the €261 yourself without asking your employer; if you have questions about your own case, ask MUP or the institute.

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