Author
Making and registering the application
Although no time limit is specified in the LITP, a foreigner is in practice expected to seek international protection (i.e., express the intention to lodge an application) at border crossing points during the border control, and if already in the territory of the Republic of Croatia at a police administration or at a police station, within a reasonable time after entering the country. Intention can be expressed in Reception Centre for Foreigners or in in extraordinary circumstances in order to allow access to the procedure for granting international protection in the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection.
In 2024, in total 26,776 intentions to lodge applications for international protection were expressed (19,907 by male applicants and 6,869 by female applicants), out of which 1,980 were expressed by unaccompanied children. This indicates a decrease in the total number of applicants but an increase in the number of unaccompanied children applicants compered to 2023,[1] when 1,516 unaccompanied children expressed their intention to apply for international protection.[2]
Out of the total number of intentions, the largest number of intentions to apply for international protection was expressed at border police stations, police stations and police administrations (25,739). Most intentions were expressed at the Stara Gradiška border police station (3,681), followed by the Slavonski Brod border police station (3,119) and the Dvor border police station (2,378). 296 applicants for international protection expressed their intention to apply for international protection at airport police stations, mostly in Zagreb (Pleso) (293), followed by Zadar (2) and Split (Resnik) (1). 195 applicants for international protection expressed their intention to apply for international protection in detention centres (i.e. at the Reception Centre for Foreigners in Ježevo (90), the Transit Reception Centre in Tovarnik (34), and the Transit Reception Centre in Trilj (71)), showing a 5% increase of intentions registered in detention compared to 2023.[3]
In practice, a person may express such an intention even after having been found irregularly crossing the State border or at a later stage, during further proceedings related to irregular border crossing. After the foreigner has been apprehended and transferred to a police administration or station, the police officer makes a report and hands the person over to officers in charge of irregular migration for further proceedings. These police officers will conduct an interview with the foreigner in the police station to determine the person’s identity, perform a security check and conduct an informative interview. If the foreigner expresses the intention to seek international protection at any stage of this procedure, the procedure should be suspended and the person will have the right to stay in Croatia until a final decision is taken on the application for international protection. However, many problems have been reported since 2017 in accessing the territory and the asylum procedure (see Access to the Territory).
Police officers, immediately following the expression of intention, shall take the applicant’s fingerprints and shall photograph the applicant, establish the applicant’s identity and the manner of arrival in Croatia, the travel route from the country of origin to Croatia, and personal circumstances of importance for assessing the reception and procedural guarantees.[4] If due to justified reasons, police officers are unable to perform those tasks, such tasks shall exceptionally be performed by the officials of the Service for the reception and accommodation of applicants for international protection in the Reception Center for Applicants for International Protection.[5] Border officers, the police station / police administration, the Reception Centre for Foreigners or the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection shall register the applicant in the records of the Ministry of Interior no later than three working days from the day the applicant expressed the intention to apply for international protection. If the intention was expressed before other body, the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection shall register the applicant in the records of the Ministry within six working days from the day when they expressed their intention.[6] The authority which undertook the registration shall issue a certificate of registration of the applicant in the records of the Ministry and if necessary determine the time period within which they must report to the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection[7] to lodge the application.[8]
The Border Directorate reported in 2018 that, according to Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) for the police in relation to the asylum procedure, police officers are not competent for assessing the reasons why international protection is sought.[9] In addition, in an official note which is sent to the competent organisational unit of the Ministry of Interior, the police transmits information on the circumstances of irregular migration as well as personal data referred to in Article 15 LITP which are essential for assessing if there is a need for special reception and procedural guarantees, e.g., for pregnant women, elderly, disabled persons, unaccompanied children.
After having expressed their intention to seek international protection, the applicant is given a registration certificate (potvrda o registraciji) which contains the following details: the information of the competent authority issuing the certificate, the place and date of issue, the applicant’s registration number, the applicant’s name and surname, date, place and country of birth, nationality, gender and place, address and the deadline by which the applicant is required to report to the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection or another facility where they will be accommodated. It also includes the name, surname, date of birth, and personal identification number of accompanying persons, the name of the special guardian if the applicant is an unaccompanied child, as well as the signature of the official and the official stamp.[10]
The certificate serves as proof that a third-country national or a stateless person has been registered in the Information System of the Ministry of the Interior as an applicant for international protection in Croatia.The certificate shall be issued by the competent authority that registered the applicant in the Information System.[11]
In addition, amendments to the LITP in 2023 introduced a new obligation for applicants, who have to undergo verification and identification of their identity and the country or region of origin, including language and dialect analysis with the possibility of using software technologies, with full respect for the principles of human dignity.[12] If it is not possible to determine the identity and country of origin of the applicant, they shall undergo an examination, which may include a search of objects and data carriers such as computers and other electronic and mobile devices that the applicant carries, for the purpose of establishing their identity and country of origin. That examination shall be carried out by a person of the same sex with full respect for the principles of human dignity and physical and psychological integrity. The examination shall be carried out with the written consent of the applicant with full respect for the protection of personal data, and in case of denial of consent, it shall be considered that the applicant is not cooperating with the Ministry of Interior.[13] However, at the moment, no information is available as to when this verification and identification of the identity and the country or region of origin – including language and dialect analysis or possible further examination – is realised (i.e., whether it is realised in the phase of registration or lodging the application or later during the procedure). It then remains to be seen how this will be implemented in practice and how it will reflect on the procedure.
In July 2024, the Directorate for European Affairs, International Relations and European Union Funds of the Ministry of the Interior adopted a Decision on the direct allocation of financial resources for the implementation of the project “Procurement of Language Recognition Software – LIDA – Language Identification Assistant” under the AMIF. The purpose of the project is to procure software and computer equipment for language recognition, which will ensure the digitalisation of business processes and assist state officials of the Department for International Protection Procedure in assessing the credibility of applicants’ statements in relation to their country of origin, thereby improving the international protection system. According to unofficial information, preparatory activities are currently underway and project implementation has not yet begun.[14]
Lodging the application
After reporting to the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection, an applicant shall be enabled to formally lodge an application as soon as possible and no later than 15 days from the registration of their status in the records of the Ministry of Interior.[15] The authority conducting registration indicates in the registration certificate the time and place where the applicant has to report. In certain cases, involving vulnerable persons or for other humanitarian reasons, applicants will be accompanied by police officers to the Reception Centre for applicants for international protection.[16]
If, after having expressed the intention to apply for international protection, a foreigner does not report to the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection without a justified reason, the Ministry of Interior will ex officio discontinue the procedure;[17] according to LITP it shall be deemed that the applicant has withdrawn the application if they do not appear at the Reception Centre or avoids lodging an application and fails to justify this within two days of the time limit set for appearing at the Reception Centre, or for lodging an application.[18]
The procedure for international protection is initiated by lodging the application. The application for international protection must be submitted directly to the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection orally on record, and exceptionally in writing. The applicant will be allowed to lodge an application at the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection as soon as possible, and no later than within 15 days from the registration of their status in the records of the Ministry of the Interior. Exceptionally, the applicant may be allowed to lodge the application outside the Reception Centre within an appropriate timeframe, depending on their personal circumstances.[19]
According to the 2024 Ombudswoman report, out of a total of 26,776 expressed intentions, 1,419 applications for international protection were lodged.[20]
The Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection is the competent authority for conducting interviews for the purpose of receiving applications for international protection. The application is usually lodged at the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection, and only exceptionally outside the Reception Centre within an appropriate period, depending on personal circumstances of the applicant, for example where they are detained in the Reception Centre for Foreigners (pre-removal detention centre), the Transit Reception Centre for Foreigners or in prison. In practice this means that usually the application is submitted orally by the person seeking protection in front of the state officials of the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection. Officials will draft minutes of the interview. The civil servants of the Reception Centre conduct a short interview to collect the following information: personal data of the applicant, information on military service, family and other relations, information on the journey from country of origin (type of transportation and route) and the reasons (in short) why they fled their country of origin. Amendments of the LITP from 2023 introduced a possibility of logging the application in writing. According to the explanation during the public consultations on the Amendments to the LITP, this exception will apply to applicants for international protection with certain health problems (e.g., deaf and hearing impaired or mute person).[21]
All documents, including the minutes of the first interview or application in writing, are then sent to the Department for international protection procedure within the Ministry of Interior, which is responsible for conducting a further substantive interview and examining the application.
Civil servants in the Reception Centre for Applicants for International Protection provide applicants with information on the procedures, their rights and obligations, and issue the applicants’ identity cards.
After the application has been lodged, the applicant receives an international protection applicant card (iskaznica tražitelja). The card shall be issued within three days from the lodging of the application and confirms the right of residence in the Republic of Croatia until the completion of the procedure. An applicant’s card does not constitute proof of identity.[22] The card is not issued if the person applies at the border.[23]
However, Croatia is still a transit country as it is estimated that the majority of applicants for international protection leave the country very soon after expressing their intention to apply for international protection (in 2023 it was reported that 97% of people having expressed their intention to apply for international protection left or were trying to leave Croatia).[24]
[1] Ministry of Interior, Statistics 2024, available at: https://mup.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/statistika/2025/1/Statistika%20medjunarodna%20zastita%202024.xlsx.
[2] Ministry of Interior, Statistics 2023, available at: https://mup.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/statistika/2025/1/Statistika%20medjunarodna%20zastita%202024.xlsx.
[3] Croatian Law Centre: The Croatian Asylum System in 2024- National Report; available at: https://www.hpc.hr/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/National-Asylum-Report-2024_CLC.pdf.
[4] Article 33(8) LITP.
[5] Article 33(9) LITP.
[6] Article 33(10) LITP.
[7] The Reception Centre is also the place where asylum seekers have to report themselves after expressing their intention to lodge an asylum claim and where interviews are conducted.
[8] Article 33 (11) LITP.
[9] Information provided by the Border Directorate, 17 August 2018.
[10] Article 3(2) Ordinance on the forms and data collection in the procedure for international and temporary protection.
[11] Article 3(3)-(4) Ordinance on the forms and data collection in the procedure for international and temporary protection.
[12] Article 52(3) (3) LITP.
[13] Article 52(6) (8) LITP.
[14] Ministry of the Interior, Directorate for European Affairs, International Relations and European Union Funds: Decision on the direct allocation of financial resources for the implementation of the project “Procurement of Language Recognition Software – LIDA – Language Identification Assistant” , available at: https://eufondovi.mup.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/Odluke%20o%20dodjeli%20financijskih%20sredstava/Odluka%20o%20dodjeli%20-%20LIDa.pdf?vel=1608263.
[15] Article 34(2) LITP.
[16] Information provided by the Ministry of Interior, 10 August 2018.
[17] Information provided by the Ministry of Interior, 13 February 2018.
[18] Article 39(2)(1) LITP.
[19] Article 34(1) – (3) LITP.
[20] Ombudswoman: Report of the Ombudswoman for 2024, available at: https://www.ombudsman.hr/hr/download/izvje-e-pu-ke-pravobraniteljice-za-2024-godinu/?wpdmdl=20339&refresh=67efca50785f31743768144/.
[21] Public consultation on the Proposal of the Law on amendments to the Law on international and temporary protection, available in Croatian at: https://bit.ly/3Rwr22E.
[22] Article 62(1) LITP.
[23] Article 62(2) LITP.
[24] Government of the Republic of Croatia: Report on the situation of illegal migration in the territory of the Republic of Croatia for the period since Croatia’s entry into the Schengen area, available at: https://bit.ly/3z72PcY, 4.