How to open a bank account in Croatia {Complete guide}

How to open a bank account in Croatia

Croatia is one of Europe's jewels featuring breathtaking national parks, mediterranean paradises in the summer and snowy peaks in the winter coupled with the cozy embrace of locals. Being a relatively young independent state, it has a growing economy which is growing along its expat community as these look to enjoy employment opportunities, schools and retirements alongside its shores. Cities such as Zagreb, Split and Rijeka are amongst its top destinations for expats outside of beauties such as Dubrovnik which is popular with tourists.

So, if this is a place that you are looking as an option as a place to live, work or retire, chances are that you will need a bank account in Croatia.

Documents needed to open a bank account in Croatia

It is easy to open a bank account in Croatia:

ID such as a passport, driver's license or any government-issued ID
Resident permit if you have one
A minimum amount of money for the account activation. This will vary by bank

Most branches will have English speaking staff (and German too) which will facilitate the experience. It would be helpful to have a Croatian friend to tag along and help expedite the process which can be a rather heavy document load with a lot of forms to fill out and documents to sign multiple times. It is best to go to a branch and get it done in one step, so make sure you have all the documentation ready. You will not need an appointment and a nominal maintenance fee will be charged per month for most cases. You will receive your ATM card in up to 10 days.

As a non-resident, can I open a bank account in Croatia?

If you are not a resident, you are still going to be able to open a bank account in Croatia. The account will be put in a special class called "non-resident account". One additional requirement is the equivalent of the Social Security Card for the country which is called the OIB or Osobni identifikacijski broj. This is issued by the Ministry of Finance and it is a requirement if you want to bank, invest, do business or live in Croatia.

Best banks in Croatia

Croatia has a strong and omnipresent network of national and international banks as such is the case with a modern country. We recommend that you choose a bank that is most convenient for you in terms of access to branches and ATMs which will fit your normal routines. You can do most transactions either on an ATM or via the internet such as bank transfers, paying bills and other routinely used banking services. Also, most banks will be a free or low fee current bank account and Visa/Mastercard credit and debit cards available to you, as well as online banking apps in English or German.

Here is a list of retail banks with a strong presence in Croatia:

Zagrebacka Banka: Zaba, as it is known locally, is the largest retail bank in Croatia with more than 160 branches and 850 ATMs around the country. They offer free accounts for students, English online banking, cards as well as account in Kuna or Euros.
Privredna Banka: This is one of Croatia's largest banks with a network of ATMs and branches that reaches most towns. They have over 200 branches and nearly 1000 ATMs. The bank features a contactless debit card by Visa and a large selection of business services.
Raiffeisenbank: With about 80 branches and a comprehensive network of ATMs, they offer all the traditional retail banking services, a special department for businesses and international trade and export consulting and payment processing for Visa and Mastercard.
Erste & Steiermärkische Bank: Known as Erste Bank by the locals, it features 600+ ATMs and partnerships with other ATM networks as well as 130+ branches around the country. They have account offers in Euros or Kuna, credit and debit cards and all the traditional corporate, savings, asset management and pension products.

It is easy to open an bank account in Croatia. Expect English speaking staff and with a short list of documents you will be banking in Croatia in no time. We advise that you pay attention to fees and even ask for a list of such charges from the staff. It will help you understand those fees that sometimes show up on your statement and avoid surprises.

You will be able to withdraw cash from any ATM outside of your bank's network, but expect a fee albeit nominal. Fees will vary by transaction and by bank. Limits for daily transactions on ATMs will also vary from bank to bank, ranging from 3000 and 6000 Kuna.

The virtual bank account alternative

International banking fees can be high in Croatia

If you are dealing with foreign currency, banks charge high fees thanks to exchange rates. There is an official exchange rate called the mid market rate which is the rate that banks use to perform transactions with each other. This is the only real exchange rate and the rate that B2B Pay uses for its virtual bank account.

If you want an account that you can transfer money between European countries and also back to your home country's bank account, try a virtual bank account with B2B Pay. You will save 80% against traditional banks because we use the mid market rate charging only 1% for the transaction. This will also mean that you will get money back in your country much faster than normal and you will not have to pay a SWIFT fee which can reach 50 euros in some banks.

Page content

1. How to open a bank account in Croatia
2. Documents needed to open a bank account in Croatia
3. It is easy to open a bank account in Croatia:
4. As a non-resident, can I open a bank account in Croatia?
5. Best banks in Croatia
6. Here is a list of retail banks with a strong presence in Croatia:
7. The virtual bank account alternative
8. International banking fees can be high in Croatia

How to open a bank account in Europe

We have a few guides to guide you through the process of opening a bank account in multiple European countries and explaining why a virtual bank account with B2B Pay may be a better alternative if you are transferring money outside of Europe and taking advantage of a better rate.

How to open a bank account overseas

We have a few guides to guide you through the process of opening a bank account in multiple countries all over the world and explaining why a virtual bank account with B2B Pay may be a better alternative if you are transferring money outside of Europe and taking advantage of a better rate.